Sowing the SeeDs
by Greenbeans
Summary: Before they were SeeDs, they were students. Before they were cadets, they were children. The story begins 8 years before the events of Final Fantasy VIII, primarily from Xu's point of view.
1. Part 01

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 1  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans gbeans@tyrlen.org  
additions by Corvus corvus@centragarden.net  
and Nightbreak nightbreak@hotmail.com  
edited by Corvus corvus@centragarden.net  
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. www.squaresoft.com  
  
  
  
"Come along, child," Matron took her small hand gently in her larger one   
as she led the way down the long hallways that would be her home during the   
upcoming years. Quistis Trepe clutched tighter to the bag strap that was over   
her shoulder. All her personal belongings were held in the single bag on her   
back.  
  
"Balamb Garden looks huge, but you'll become familiar with it soon   
enough." The woman cooed reassuringly. "They've assigned you a good roommate.   
She's a very kind person and will be an excellent mentor for you."  
  
Matron's monologue left no room for comment, so she assumed none was   
wanted. Her eyes greedily took in her lush surroundings. It was almost an   
oxymoron for a mercenary school to be so beautiful. If anything, this Garden   
(as it was called) certainly lived up to its name with a wide variety of plants   
and flowing fountains of water. It made for very pretty surroundings.  
  
A handful of these mercenary schools had popped up around the world during   
the last decade. They produced an 'army' of highly trained soldiers that   
worked for money and were completely autonomous of the countries that hosted   
them. In short, Garden was a military academy of sorts.  
  
This frightened Quistis somewhat. How could she survive in the cool,   
disciplined environment she always envisioned as the goings on of a Garden?   
The SeeDs were Garden graduates. They were fast, ruthless, cunning, and   
professional. Very professional. She'd seen a SeeD once. He had a stone-cold   
expression on his face as he walked purposefully to wherever he was going.  
  
She once again she wondered if could she even make it as a SeeD? Only a   
very small percentage were successful in the rigorous training they underwent.   
What happened to the students who weren't cut out to be SeeDs?  
  
"Ah, here we are," Matron stopped in front of a door that looked the same   
as the many others lining the hallway. She tapped lightly twice before opening   
it. The room's occupant, a girl several years older than Quistis with shoulder   
length, dark-brown hair, stood up and saluted. It was a gesture Quistis hadn't   
seen before. The girl brought her right hand up with the palm a few   
centimeters away from her nose as her heels clicked together.  
  
Matron waved the gesture aside, while gently nudging Quistis in front of   
her and into the room. She looked up at the woman -- no longer sure that this   
was such a great idea -- when the girl spoke.  
  
"How are you? My name's Xu. I'll be your roommate until one of us   
graduates or they decide that we cause too much trouble together," she winked   
with a broad grin on her face. Quistis stopped resisting, enchanted by the   
prospect of having some fun (which trouble was often the result of, but she   
could enjoy it before they were caught).  
  
"I'm Quistis Trepe," she introduced shyly. Her shoes suddenly became much   
more interesting then they ought to be as she studied the ground.  
  
Xu stepped forward, bending down on one knee so that they were on a more   
eye-to-eye level. "Quistis is it? That's a lovely name. I'm sure you'll make   
it one to be remembered by the time you're a SeeD," she smiled. It was an   
infectious thing, her smile, for she found herself returning it. Matron had   
slipped away at some point, leaving the two of them to get acquainted in   
private.  
  
"Matron told me that they expect great things of me," she admitted in a   
confiding whisper.  
  
Xu nodded her head. "This is a school for the very best, nothing else   
will be accepted. Do you feel up to the challenge?"  
  
The little girl screwed her face up in thought. It was an incredibly   
child-like gesture from the up-and-coming child prodigy of SeeD. Ten years old   
and looking every bit of her youth. Xu privately questioned the wisdom of   
placing someone so young under so much pressure.  
  
Xu arrived at the Garden when she was thirteen. They didn't expect the   
sort of things from her that they wished to draw out of the child standing   
before her. Quistis wouldn't be given the time to develop and grow that the   
other students had. Was it really fair to her?  
  
Quistis shuffled some, trying to peer around the body that was blocking   
her view of the room. Xu stood up and gestured for Quistis to put her bag down   
on the unclaimed bottom bunk. She did so, then sat down next to the bag and   
continued to look around her.   
  
The room was simple in layout. A bunk bed was along one wall with a pair   
of desks sharing the wall opposite it. Shelves ran the length of the room   
above the desks. The shelves that were above Xu's desk contained many books   
and little else. In fact, the areas that were reserved for Xu's things were   
free of personal items. There were no pictures of her family or knickknacks   
sitting about.  
  
This both frightened and encouraged her. It was unsettling on the one   
hand because it could mean that Garden life really was as stringent as she   
feared it would be. On the other, it meant that she wouldn't be out of place   
for not having any pictures of her own family to put up. When she arrived at   
the Matron's house, she didn't have much else besides the clothes she wore.   
Her collection of items had grown some since then, but nothing more than the   
bare essentials and some outfits came with her.  
  
"How old are you?" Quistis asked after several minutes of quiet   
observation.  
  
"I recently turned sixteen. Why do you ask?" Xu sat herself at her desk   
after swiveling the chair around to face her new roommate.  
  
"You're a lot older than me. Why did they stick an older student with a   
new one?" Her eyes gleamed with curiosity. There was no doubt in Xu's mind   
that this child possessed some greater gift judging by the intelligence in   
those eyes.  
  
"It's a tradition, I suppose. Older students are less likely to pick on   
the new ones. That sort of behavior is frowned upon. If anyone picks on you,   
you tell me or one of the Faculty right away."  
  
"Don't worry, I can handle bullies," she sat up straighter.  
  
"That may be so," Xu waggled a finger at her, "but that's not the point.   
We're a team now, and you have to learn to be a team player. If someone   
bullied you, it wouldn't be only you they were insulting, they'd be attacking   
me as well. So we resolve the problem together, got that?"  
  
Quistis nodded, surprised by the SeeD cadet who was ready to stand up for   
a junior classman.  
  
"Good! How about we put your things away and then I'll show you around   
the Garden? I'll introduce you to Doctor Kadowaki in the Infirmary. Not only   
is she great when it comes to healing scrapes and cuts, she's also an excellent   
listener."  
  
"I'd like that," her confidence was increasing. Perhaps everything will   
work out with Xu supporting her. She pushed aside the voice of doubt that   
reminded her that she had no place to go if she failed to make it at Balamb   
Garden. Her ticket here was one way and the only path she could take was a   
successful one.   
  
Matron spoke at length about what an opportunity it was for her to be   
accepted to a Garden. She looked up to Matron, for she was the one who brought   
stability to her life after her parents died. Quistis avoided probing that   
memory too deeply. The point was, Matron believed in her ability to succeed,   
else she wouldn't have gone through all the trouble to bring her here. She   
would give it her all, for herself and for Matron.  
  
"Let me explain a few things about the Garden," Xu said as she carefully   
refolded one of Quistis' shirts to put in the dresser. "There is no dress code   
other than to wear something clean that isn't shabby. Instructors and Faculty   
may require you to wear the Garden issued uniform at times. Most students go   
ahead and wear it all school day and then change into more comfortable clothing   
afterwards. That way they can't catch you if you forget to wear it on a day   
they required you to." Xu frowned in a way that clearly expressed dire   
consequences for those who violated that part of the dress code.  
  
"There is a curfew that goes into effect at lights out. Don't get caught   
out of your room after curfew unless you're practicing at the Training Center."  
  
"The Training Center?" Quistis' sharp ear caught onto the fact that this   
was a significant location.  
  
"I'll show you it later. In fact, you'll undoubtedly be sick of the place   
by the time you become a SeeD," she chuckled lightly. "The Cafeteria is open   
from 0900 to 2100. If you need a meal during hours that they're closed, you   
can make arrangements beforehand."  
  
Quistis wiggled her nose at having to convert the military times to   
something she understood. Xu grinned, "That's how times are given around here.   
You'll get used to it soon enough.  
  
"The Library is open from 0900 to lights out. That's another place you'll   
spend a lot of time at. The study panels are a good resource and are faster to   
access information with than having to track down a book and find the page. Oh   
my, I think I'm going too fast," Xu admonished herself.  
  
"It's alright," Quistis put the last of her things away, then stood by the   
door. "I'm ready to see these places you're telling me about."  
  
Xu led them out of the Dormitory block. She walked with slow measured   
steps to allow the gawking Quistis to keep up. She didn't fault the child.   
The Garden was a pretty amazing place, especially to a ten year old -- when   
*everything* appeared to be twice your size.  
  
As they made their way through the student lounge, Xu thought back to the   
conversation she had with Headmaster Cid a week ago after she'd returned to the   
Garden from spring break. He'd impressed upon her the importance of making   
sure young Quistis succeeded. He told her to consider it as her first SeeD   
assignment. She thought that was jumping the gun a bit since her graduation   
wasn't a sure thing. The written and field exams would prove her mettle more   
than keeping an eye on Quistis would.  
  
She idly wondered if the girl even realized how much was expected of her.   
When she was ten, she didn't have much on her mind beyond getting out of class   
and going to play with her cousins. What about Quistis? How to give her a   
fulfilling childhood while forcing the requirements of an adult world upon   
her..?   
  
Xu chided herself. It wasn't her problem to deal with. Yeah, right. She   
could tell herself that countless times and she would still worry. She found   
herself already warming up to the kid. She'd do all she could to protect her   
from the dangers that prevailed in the Garden.  
  
Quistis' eyes grew wide as she took in the sight of the main entrance area   
of the Garden. A directory sat at the center the intersection with a few   
students milling around it. Xu showed her it briefly before explaining how the   
Garden was laid out. "The overall shape is kind of like a gear. The corridor   
we just walked down would be the circular base of the gear. The breezeways   
that lead off to the various areas of the complex are the teeth."  
  
Xu pointed past the directory towards a set of stairs that went over a   
pond that ran around the inner circumference of this level. The stairs led up   
to a circular half-level with an elevator shaft at the center of it. "The   
elevator leads to the second floor, which is where many of the classrooms are.   
The third floor is the Headmaster's office. You can't go up there without his   
permission."  
  
Xu turned them around so that their backs were to the elevator. She   
explained that the long, broad corridor they were looking down led to a guard   
at the inner gate. Past him was a courtyard with fountains and benches. Even   
further beyond that was the true outer gate of the Garden. There was a   
significant amount of distance between the complex and the front gate from how   
she explained it. Quistis had come onto the grounds in a vehicle and walked   
into the complex through the Parking Garage, so she'd missed seeing all of   
this.  
  
Gently, Xu nudged Quistis towards the westward corridor, which was the   
opposite way they'd come. They took the first breezeway they encountered to   
their left. This led to the Infirmary. Doctor Kadowaki was a nice woman. She   
reminded Quistis a lot of Matron.  
  
After the Infirmary they visited the Cafeteria, Training Center (though   
they didn't go in at all), and the Library. Quistis' eyes immediately lit up   
when she saw all the books that were available. "There aren't many books here   
for pleasure reading," Xu commented as Quistis tried to keep her glee in check.   
It didn't matter, books were books and she wanted to try to read them! She   
would definitely make it a point to stop by here again before too long.  
  
*****  
  
  
With hands deft from years of practice, Xu tied the yellow bow of her   
uniform and then looked at her reflection in the mirror. The gold embroidered   
shoulders and cuffs of her dark blue tunic gave it a certain look of   
sophistication while reminding a person that they were indeed in a uniform and   
expected to behave accordingly. The entire effect was defeated by the bright,   
happy, yellow bow that hung down across her chest. The scandalously short   
skirt that completed the uniform was another indication of the efforts to   
undermine its natural authority.  
  
The female SeeD's black uniform was similar to the cadet's with a smart   
looking red tie, instead of a yellow bow, and a longer skirt that was only a   
hand-span above the knee. The uniform of a full SeeD looked *sharp* in Xu's   
opinion, which motivated her all the more to graduate and get out of the silly   
looking cadet's one.  
  
She brushed a few wayward strands of dark hair back into place before   
turning to see how Quistis was coming along. It was her first day of class,   
and thus her first morning of fighting with the oft-rebellious yellow bow.  
  
Xu didn't want to dress Quistis for her, but it was obvious that she   
wasn't strong enough to give the bow the final hard yank required to tighten   
it. The girl kept at it though, refusing to admit to her weakness. After a   
few more minute of watching her struggle, Xu began to offer her help, but   
Quistis spoke first.  
  
"I can't get it," she admitted with her brow creased in frustration.  
  
"Let me show you how the younger girls tie their bows," she knelt down and   
tied the bow in a fashion that she hadn't since her first few months at the   
Garden. "No one will think less of you if you tie it like this until you're   
able to do it the correct way." Xu tried to reassure her, but that statement   
only seemed to upset Quistis more.  
  
"I'll practice tonight until I get it," the girl stated stubbornly.  
  
Xu was taken aback, torn between wanting to encourage her to figure it out   
and scolding her for being so proud. She decided on the former, since that's   
undoubtedly what Headmaster Cid would expect of her.  
  
"If you need some help..." Quistis nodded sharply in acknowledgement, the   
ponytail her hair was tied up in bobbed. "As it is, we need to get going.   
I'll show you to your homeroom."  
  
Along the way to Quistis' homeroom Xu asked, "Did you want me to come by   
when you get out?"  
  
Quistis shook her head. "You showed me where the Library was yesterday.   
That's where I want to go after class."  
  
Xu hid her smile by looking away. The girl certainly was anxious to dig   
into her studies! She could think of a few of her fellow classmates who could   
learn a lesson from her.  
  
She turned back to Quistis; a serious expression hiding the humor she was   
feeling. "Very well, just don't forget to eat dinner tonight," she said it to   
tease the girl, but had the feeling the warning was a valid one.  
  
Quistis bowed slightly to the upper classman. They were outside her   
homeroom and it was time for them to part ways. "Thank you," she gave a small   
wave before going into the room to join her classmates.  
  
Xu doubled back down the hallway to go to her own homeroom. 'I'd better   
check on her tonight to make sure that she does eat dinner,' she thought to   
herself.   
  
She crossed through a T-intersected hallway when she heard someone calling   
her name back down the other way. She stopped walking to wait for whomever it   
was to catch up.  
  
"Ah, Headmaster Cid, good morning," she greeted.  
  
"Xu, I'm glad I caught you before class," they walked together since he   
was the Instructor of her homeroom. It was unusual for a Headmaster to be   
teaching, but he insisted on having his hands in on 'the building of the   
future', as he put it.  
  
He was also one of the few people who wasn't (and could get away with it)   
a stickler for titles. She always addressed him as 'Headmaster', as was   
proper, but he was on a first-name basis all of his SeeDs and a select few of   
his students. She was one of them.  
  
"How is your new roommate settling in?" He walked with his hands firmly   
clasped behind his back. He looked every part the Headmaster with his hair   
neatly parted down the middle, round-framed glasses on his face, and a tight   
vest holding in his slight potbelly.  
  
"Miss Trepe seems to be settling in well enough," Xu wondered briefly if   
it was appropriate to use the form of address reserved for SeeD cadets with a   
student that was still a junior classman and wasn't officially in training yet.  
  
Cid smiled, an act that caused his eyes to crinkle closed as he grinned.   
"As formal as ever, Xu?"  
  
"Of course, Headmaster," she returned his jab with a smile of her own.  
  
He hmph-ed and made a dismissive gesture. "Impertinent child. I knew   
you'd be perfect for this task," he motioned for her to precede him into the   
classroom they stood outside of.  
  
"Everyone take your seats. We have much to accomplish today and our time   
is limited." The students who were rushing to their places continued to their   
desks. The ones who came to attention when he walked through the door resumed   
their seats. Xu hurried to her place in the second row back from the front of   
the room.  
  
"The beginning of a new school year is a busy time. As many of you   
already know, a new class of students has been arriving throughout the weekend.   
They will begin their studies today. Most of you are being paired up with our   
new sprouts, as I've heard them referred to as by some," a chuckle ran through   
the classroom. The term of 'sprout' was fitting considering the naming   
convention behind Garden and SeeD.  
  
"I expect all of you to conduct yourselves responsibly. You all were   
sprouts once. It is your turn to fill the role of mentor for this new class as   
the previous classes have for you. While some may see the sprouts as a burden,   
I would remind you all that a lesson in teamwork can be learned from this   
experience. No matter how well balanced, every team will have its weak points.   
You must strive to compensate for the weaknesses and build an even stronger   
team.  
  
"With that said, let me post last week's hand-to-hand skills test results   
and the individual training schedule for this week," Cid walked behind the   
large desk at the head of the class and sat himself down. He turned on the   
terminal and plucked away at the keyboard before the results and schedule were   
displayed on the class's study panels.  
  
Xu ranked third on the test. It wasn't a bad score considering that this   
was the first test after the break, but it wasn't the top slot she'd been   
hoping for. It's just as well that Quistis didn't want to meet after homeroom,   
Xu was scheduled for training this afternoon. She'd have to rush to their room   
and retrieve her sai during the lunch break, then meet the Headmaster at the   
Training Center for individual practice. That sneaky man! He probably   
scheduled things like this on purpose to throw Quistis into the deep end on her   
first day of class by leaving her escortless.  
  
A thought then occurred to her. She hoped that the girl was at least   
familiar with the Shumi Tribe of Trabia. How unfortunate that she'd forgotten   
to warn Quistis that the very non-human Shumi taught a majority of the classes   
at Balamb Garden. The robes and hood they wore did a fine job of disguising   
most of their appearance. With their stringent attitude, they came off as more   
intimidating than frightening. 'Oh well, if she's going to make it as a SeeD,   
she's going to have to learn to roll with the punches,' Xu told herself.  
  
She dragged her attention back to the class discussion that was going on   
as she mused. It was turning into a lively debate regarding the mission and   
ethics of SeeD. There was no better person to have such a discussion with than   
the Headmaster himself. The stuffy Faculty members would have told them to   
spend more time on their weapon studies and leave the ethics to their leaders.   
When one was in a profession that let money dictate ethics, it was probably the   
best advice they could give. But it didn't prevent some of the more   
intellectual types from questioning the true goals of SeeD.  
  
"Headmaster, what if a conflict pitted one Garden against another? Where   
do our loyalties lie then?" A cadet in the back row of the class retook his   
seat after standing to address the Headmaster.  
  
"An interesting scenario, that is," he dug his chin into his chest as he   
considered the answer. "Your loyalties must first be to yourself, for that is   
the easiest person to betray. Stay true to yourself while maintaining the   
allegiances you have made. Next, is loyalty to your team. You are Several   
bound into One, any breaks in trust among you effectively shatters the One," he   
held up the appropriate number of fingers as he spoke.  
  
"Loyalty to your home Garden is third on the list. This is the place that   
has raised you and is your home," he spread his arms out to encompass the   
entire facility. "SeeD as an organization is your final loyalty. And when I   
say final, I do not mean that it is last, for these four loyalties must be   
maintained in harmony with one other."  
  
The student who asked the question looked even more baffled by the   
Headmaster's answer. Cid walked down the aisle of desks to stand besides the   
student who asked the question. He put a hand on his shoulder as he continued.  
  
"I have no doubt that at some point in our future we will face this trial,   
it is an inevitable thing. I trust *you*," then he turned to include the   
entire class in his statement, "all of you, to do as you believe in your hearts   
to be *right*. You would not be here if you did not have a good heart and a   
fair mind. *Trust it!*" He gave the student's shoulder one last squeeze before   
walking back to the head of the room.  
  
The class sat in numbed awe as his words sunk in. Xu once again admired   
the Headmaster's ability for giving inspiring speeches. It was part of the   
reason he was so well loved by those who followed him. Many SeeD members saw   
their loyalty to the organization as a loyalty to Cid himself. The Headmaster   
was careful to make the distinction clear, but they were so closely intertwined   
that they were nearly one.  
  
Class continued until the lunch break. After the mid-day meal, cadets   
were assigned individual or small group work for the rest of the afternoon. It   
was then that the 'practical' half of their training was done to complement the   
bookwork they did during the morning. The junior classmen, like Quistis, were   
in homeroom all day and didn't usually begin afternoon training sessions until   
their second or third year.  
  
It took Xu quite a bit of flip-flopping between a long knife and sai to   
decide which weapon she wanted to specialize in. A pair of sai won out since   
they better suited her melee style of fighting. The long 'blade' (though her   
sai had no edge) coupled with a pair of upturned prongs for catching weapons   
with gave her more defensive options than she would have with just a knife's   
edge alone. She liked to get right into a monster's face (or whatever was   
passing for one) and beat at it ruthlessly. Her battles were fast-paced and   
could leave an observer breathless due to the casual grace she conducted them   
with.  
  
After lunch, Xu met the Headmaster at the Training Center with her sai   
fastened on the belt loops added for that purpose. Cid scratched the back of   
his head after entering the Center itself and began patting down his pockets.  
  
"Oh dear, I've lost my whistle," his frown deepened. Cid was probably the   
only person to enter the Center and not fight. He had a whistle that, for some   
reason, the monsters ran away from when blown. Xu often wondered if the   
monsters here were wild or tame for as well as they behaved around Cid --   
almost as though they *knew* to show deference to the Headmaster. They would   
never be attacked by a T-Rexaur -- a large, aggressive, dinosaur-like monster   
-- unless Cid wanted it to happen.  
  
His gave her a sideways look through slitted eyes. "Do you feel up to   
protecting both of us today?"  
  
"On the honor of Balamb Garden I will protect you, Headmaster," she   
brought her sai across her chest and bowed to him.  
  
"Then let us proceed," they walked through the right-handed gate that lead   
to the indoor pond. The Training Center was like a miniature jungle. A pond   
complete with a rickety boardwalk was just one of the obstacles to be   
encountered here. Large boulder formations allowed monsters and cadets alike   
to hide from one another. The foliage was thick; creating a stifling blanket   
that also provided good cover.   
  
The Training Center was completely enclosed within the Garden complex   
itself. A series of gates kept the monsters contained to the Center. There   
was also an overlook that was a popular place for the less diligent students to   
go and make out after curfew.  
  
Xu was certain that the Faculty took pleasure from busting students who   
were caught there, though she never heard of any that were too severely   
punished by the Headmaster. It was a rule at Garden (and especially as a SeeD)   
to carefully consider the consequences of any relationship. SeeDs in general   
chose to remain free of relationship bonds because of how it would complicate   
their lives. That resulted in most liaisons being a matter of convenience for   
both parties and free of any future obligations.  
  
It was a matter Xu had thought on many times. She wondered if she was   
truly capable of being so -- superficial -- about her needs as a woman.   
Intimacy wasn't a luxury SeeDs allowed themselves, not when it was their way of   
life to live in harm's way. More than the training, or even the fear of dying,   
*that* was Xu's largest obstacle to overcome if she was to join the elite   
group.  
  
"There are a pair of Grats behind that tree," Cid whispered to her as they   
moved cautiously along the path. Xu had spotted them several meters ago and   
was watching them carefully.  
  
Grats weren't that difficult of a monster to defeat, though they certainly   
were a pain when she was just starting out. They have four long limbs that   
sway above their bulbous bodies, giving them an attack range that makes it   
impossible to engage them without being within reach. They also cast a Sleep   
spell occasionally. If one was hit with Sleep, there was nothing to be done   
about it until the Grat smacked the sleeping foe with one of its limbs, thus   
waking them up.  
  
"Orders, Headmaster?" She drew her weapons and prepared to strike if that   
was what he indicated.  
  
"It's your training session, Xu. If you think you can handle two Grats by   
yourself, then by all means, engage them," he watched her carefully as she   
sized up her opponents.   
  
To her amateur eye, they appeared to be a challenge, but within her   
capabilities. 'If you're wrong, the Headmaster can't call them off,' a part of   
her mind reminded her. This battle was going to be entirely up to her. It   
might be better to keep going until they encountered a single Grat, but the   
Headmaster might think less of her if she didn't challenge herself fully...  
  
Xu signaled her intention to attack the Grats. Then motioned in a way to   
indicate her wish to take them by surprise. There was a rock ledge near the   
tree the Grats were at. They could pinch them up against the ledge so that   
escape was impossible if they were careful in how they approached.  
  
They were successful in getting into position. Xu leapt at one Grat with   
her weapons drawn, raking across its thick, plant-like flesh before it even   
realize it was under attack. Another quick stab to its jugular (such as it   
was) and its four limbs went limp as death set in.  
  
The other Grat hit at her with its limbs while she was disengaging the   
vanquished monster. She was knocked against the tree, mildly stunned by the   
impact. Its maw opened wide as it spewed its sleeping gas at her. She   
couldn't resist the spell's effect as she began to nod off. A hard thwack that   
knocked her against the ledge she'd hoped to catch the Grat against woke her   
up. She was the one unable to escape and badly hurt from the impact. Her body   
began to feel hot, almost like she was going to combust at any moment.  
  
Through the haze of pain and befuddlement in her head, Xu heard Cid   
shouting something she could only partially make out, encouraging her to gather   
her fear and rage into herself. His yell distracted the creature. It   
hesitated in attacking her, confused.  
  
Focusing fear and rage... Wasn't that something Xu heard in class? She   
struggled to control the rising tide of emotions and remember the words at the   
same time. Limits... special skills that tapped the innate power inside every   
person. They appeared in times of great need, turning desperation into a   
fighting chance for victory. The energy of terror and raw rage could be   
transmuted into unbelievable power if it was focused properly.  
  
And now was the time to test that theory.  
  
With all of the will that had seen her through her years at Garden, Xu   
gathered the energy inside herself and concentrated on directing that energy at   
her foe. The energy collapsed inward, pulling more of itself toward the   
growing explosion like a black hole of power. And when it reached its critical   
mass it burst through her entire self, permeating her body and soul as she   
cried words that were released from the depths of her consciousness. "PEARL OF   
HEAVEN!"  
  
The internal energy embodied as an iridescent white shell around Xu lifted   
her half a meter off the ground. From within that pearl of force a thundering   
shockwave of blue fire erupted toward the unwitting Grat. The creature was   
surrounded and crushed by the tidal wave of power. When the energy faded and   
Xu's feet touched the ground once more, she saw that the monster had been   
utterly devastated.  
  
Xu smiled beamingly to the Headmaster, and then her shaking knees gave   
out. Her legs folded and she collapsed to the ground.  
  
"What an unexpected turn of events," Cid mused. He crossed the distance   
between himself and the girl and began examining her. "I think this is enough   
training for today. Let's get you to Doctor Kadowaki."  
  
He retrieved a small whistle from his breast pocket and blew on it. No   
sound came out of the whistle, but the rustling in the surrounding underbrush   
was a clear indication that other monsters had been watching them and were   
ready to pounce upon the injured team. The monsters fled now, chased off by   
the whistle Cid blew a few more times before dropping it back into his pocket.  
  
"You devious man," Xu accused, still shaken by the experience, as he   
guided her to the gate they had first entered through.  
  
"And you see where it's gotten me? Let this be a lesson to you," he   
waggled a finger at her.  
  
"You wouldn't have let the Grat," she gulped down her fear, "finish me,   
would you?"  
  
He shook his head. "Certainly not, child. I had the whistle to my lips,   
about to blow when I spotted your Limit energy gathering. You were coming up   
for Limit training here shortly, just consider it a bit early."  
  
"'A bit early?' That's a graduate-level skill," her body still pulsed   
with the energy she had released so unexpectantly. She swore that the hairs on   
her arms were standing on end under her sleeves.  
  
"How many graduating SeeDs do we lose because they never discover or   
master their Limit Skills? You're already one up on all of them," he smiled   
fondly at her.  
  
Xu blushed slightly at the Headmaster's apparent approval. She had to   
admit that her mind was savoring the feeling of reigning in the   
near-uncontrollable energy that flashed through her for those few moments. It   
also frightened her some. Would she have self-destructed if her Limit energy   
wasn't purged?  
  
The Headmaster seemingly read her mind, for he pulled her aside to sit on   
one of the many benches that lined the hallways of the Garden. "You can't hide   
the fear that's in your eyes. I doubt the Grat is what's frightened you so,"   
his voice was gentle, inviting her to tell him the fears she felt.  
  
"Could the Limit kill me? What if I hadn't use it?"  
  
He shook his head firmly in the negative. "Limits are an *opportunity* to   
focus your frustration, your anger, your fear behind a powerful attack. It   
will not kill you if you choose not to use those raw emotions. Well," he   
drawled slowly with a droll expression on his face, "it might kill you if you   
*don't*, but I'm certain you understand the distinction I'm making.  
  
"There is much training done to prepare a student for the first time they   
try to use their Limit," he thought for a few moments, muttering things to   
himself under his breath. When he seemed satisfied with whatever it was that   
he was mulling over, he stood up and resumed walking towards the Infirmary.  
  
"Headmaster?" Xu asked, confused by his suddenly odd behavior.  
  
"Come along, Xu, we have the rest of the afternoon ahead of us once the   
good Doctor has assured me that all your parts are still intact."  
  
"Yes, Headmaster," Xu quickly caught up to him and kept pace a respectful   
half step behind him. "May I ask what we're going to do?"  
  
"We are going to the Library, where you are going to take the final exams   
for your class level and begin a new class that matches your skills on the   
morrow."  
  
Xu caught herself from stumbling. Fortunately, the Headmaster was in   
front of her and couldn't see the startled expression on her face. She quickly   
schooled her features to a neutral expression. "Of course, Headmaster."  
  
Fortunately, Xu was behind Cid and couldn't see the broad grin that   
crossed his face at her ready acceptance of such a daunting task. These were   
the types of people the core of SeeD would be made of. Today's exhibition   
confirmed the nagging suspicion he'd been having for some time regarding Xu's   
placement in her current class. It was below her level and she would be held   
back no longer!  
  
"Have you gone mad?!" Kadowaki protest when Cid informed the Doctor of his   
intentions. Xu was seated up on the examination table and kept tactfully   
silent during their conversation about her.  
  
"No offense to you, Miss Xu," Kadowaki amended quickly. "You're a fine   
student, but you should be resting for the remainder of the day. A few more   
days on top of that wouldn't do you a lick of harm either," the Doctor glared   
at Cid.  
  
"I agree that perhaps a lighter physical regiment for the next week would   
be in order, but there's nothing wrong with her mind. That is what I need to   
test," he spoke in the most reasonable of tones while the Doctor continued to   
fume.  
  
"That's the last thing you should do after giving her such a shock.   
You'll stress her to death!" Kadowaki applied a bandage to her right calf. The   
Cure spells went a long way towards healing wounds, but it was always best to   
let the body do the job on its own. Kadowaki systematically patched up her   
various cuts and scrapes so that she looked a lot worse off than she felt. On   
the other hand, once she was over the excitement of the afternoon, she'd   
probably feel horrible.  
  
"I'd be placing her under no pressure that she wasn't ready for. Isn't   
that right, Xu?" He spoke to her for the first time since entering the   
Infirmary.  
  
"Yes, Headmaster," she answered promptly. She did trust him not to   
challenge her beyond what she was capable of. What he wanted would be   
difficult, no doubt, but not impossible.  
  
Kadowaki threw her arms up in resignation. "You trained her to say that!   
Fine, go work her to death if wish, but don't come crying to me when we lose   
another prime SeeD cadet to the rigors of the gantlet you put her through!"  
  
"That was harsh, Doctor," Cid said, genuinely hurt.  
  
Kadowaki applied the last bandage, then turned to the Headmaster. "It was   
meant to be, you old kook. I'm as fond of this one as you are," she favored Xu   
with a smile. "Just don't send her off to conquer the world tomorrow, okay?"  
  
"You have my word on it, dear friend," he offered a hand to Xu to help her   
down off the examination table. "Let's go to the Library and get you started.   
I want you in your new classes by tomorrow if at all possible."  
  
"Do get some rest if he'll allow it," the Doctor pressed some healing   
potions into her hand. "Drink one of these if you're in pain."  
  
"Thank you for everything, Doctor," Xu said over her shoulder as she   
followed Cid to the Library on the other side of the Garden complex.  
  
*****  
  
  
Quistis stuck her head into the Library hesitantly before moving the rest   
of the way in. There didn't look to be anyone much younger than Xu here. The   
female cadet standing at the checkout counter leaned over it to peer down at   
her.  
  
"I'm afraid that we don't have any books here for a person your age," she   
said with an apologetic smile.  
  
"That's all right, I'll read other books then," Quistis nodded, agreeing   
with her own idea.  
  
"Other books, eh?" The cadet leaned back as she thought for a moment. "I   
may have a few books for you to cut your teeth on. Let me get them down for   
you," she came from around the counter and walked over to a nearby shelf.   
Climbing up a small stepladder, she took a few books down after reading the   
spines to be sure that they were the ones she wanted.  
  
"This one is a history of Galbadia told from a child's point of view. It   
takes place before the Sorceress Wars, so it's pretty interesting," she handed   
the book over to Quistis. "This one is about the more common monsters in this   
region of the world, illustrated edition. And this one," she held up a spiral   
bound volume, "is the SeeD Regulations Handbook. If you're going to be a cadet   
here, you'll end up reading this one several time over."  
  
Quistis' eyes boggled at the books she had to read. She'd never get   
through them all this afternoon! "May I take them to my room?"  
  
"You may check all of them out except the SeeD Regulations Handbook. Your   
roommate should have a copy of that if you haven't been issued one yet," the   
cadet gave her a small wave, then returned behind the counter to help some   
other cadets with their materials.  
  
Quistis went back to the study lounge area of the Library and climbed up   
onto a chair with her books. She decided to flip through the monster guide   
first since it had plenty of pictures. (Not that pictures were required for a   
book to be good, but they certainly went a long way towards improving it, in   
her opinion).  
  
She'd been reading for perhaps an hour when she heard a familiar voice.   
Xu walked into the study area of the Library with a portly looking fellow next   
to her. She waved enthusiastically at her roommate, who acknowledged her   
briefly with a nod and a slight smile. Quistis picked up on the hint that now   
wasn't the time to be social, so she went back to her book. The man she was   
with noticed the exchanged and had a few words with her.  
  
"Of course," Xu walked over to Quistis and motioned for her to stand up.  
  
"May I present to you Miss Quistis Trepe," Xu gestured to Quistis, who   
curtsied politely. This man was important, whoever he was. Best to be on her   
manners.  
  
"Miss Trepe, allow me to introduce you to our Headmaster, Cid Kramer."  
  
"It is indeed a pleasure to finally meet you, young Quistis," he held a   
hand out to her. Her hand was enveloped in his larger one as they shook. He   
had a kind face and didn't squeeze her hand too tightly like some teenagers   
did.  
  
"Thank you for allowing me to come to Balamb Garden," she said,   
remembering that it was a school that only allowed those who were qualified to   
enter; and even then the enrollment was limited and competitive.  
  
"I'm certain your joining us will be a decision neither of us regret.   
Please give your best to all your studies and remember the three Garden   
Precepts: Work hard. Study hard. Play hard."  
  
"Thank you," and she really was thankful for the opportunity. The more   
time she spent here, the more she came to like it. The robed Faculty member   
who taught her homeroom frightened her some at first, but not to the point of   
nightmares. He/she/it was just different. The guide to monsters had lots of   
creatures in it that could definitely give her nightmares if she had to face   
them by herself!  
  
Xu and the Headmaster left her to resume her reading. At least he hadn't   
commented on her not having her bow tied correctly. She *would* learn how to   
do it tonight even if she had to stay up all night.  
  
She didn't remember Xu having all those bandages this morning. She   
wondered what happened to her roommate that caused her to be patched up. SeeD   
training must be as hazardous as she suspected.  
  
She thought back to her first day of classes. She wasn't the youngest   
one, a fact that surprised her, but she wasn't far from it either. Most of the   
other students seemed to be twelve or so. Her class had quickly worked their   
ways into groups. She tried to join them, but group work had never been one of   
her stronger skills. The Faculty member assured her that she would be well   
accustomed to groups and teamwork by the time she completed the SeeD program.   
That was one thing she had no doubt of.  
  
Perhaps it was the uncurbable brashness of youth that prompted her to ask   
the Faculty member that taught them today why it wore the robes that it did.   
It huffed some at her boldness, and then answered that humans were very   
narrow-minded creatures. They couldn't easily accept that which was different,   
so they endeavored to disguise themselves in sameness for the sake of their   
students.  
  
It made sense to her, even if it was a bit insulting. She spent the rest   
of the morning trying to catch a glimpse of the Shumi under the hood to no   
avail. Sometimes her curiosity would not be easily sated. 'Perhaps that nice   
cadet at the counter would know of a good book on the Shumi?' She wondered,   
making a mental note to ask about the book after she was finished with the ones   
she had. It wouldn't do to bite off more then she could chew, now would it?  
  
Quistis resumed flipping through the monster guide. Here's an interesting   
one: Bite Bug. Cute name, the book didn't describe it as being very strong.   
Oh, now this one has a cute name and looked cute too. A lot like an oversized   
caterpillar. It looks like it would be more dangerous than the Bite Bug as   
well... The rest of her afternoon was spent boning up on the monster life of   
the Alcauld Plains.  
  
*****  
  
  
"Oh man, I'm tired and sore," Xu winced as she flopped herself down onto   
her desk chair. Quistis followed her into the room with an armload of books.   
These she set carefully on the other desk that was still free of personal   
items.  
  
"I see that you made good use of your time in the Library. I've flipped   
through that monster guide a time or two myself when I was younger," she gave   
Quistis an approving smile.  
  
"The cadet at the counter said that you would have the SeeD Regulations   
Handbook..?"  
  
"I do," she pointed up at the spiral bound volume sitting on the shelf   
above her desk, "but your copy of it should be in the top right desk drawer."  
  
Quistis pulled the drawer open to reveal that it was filled with many   
useful items, the handbook included. She carefully pulled it out and set it on   
the desk in front of her. "They gave me one already?"  
  
"Officially, no, but I suspected that you would want a copy, so I got one   
from the Headmaster for you. He also gave me most of the things in that   
drawer, saying that you needed to be properly supplied," Xu laughed lightly as   
the surprised look on her face.  
  
"What were you and the Headmaster doing in the Library this afternoon?"   
She kicked herself back and forth some on the swivel chair that was for her   
desk. Xu really did look beat, a striking contrast from the energetic cadet   
she had left with this morning.  
  
"Oh, the Headmaster is up to his old tricks again. You'll become used to   
his wily ways soon enough, let me assure you." Xu winced while reaching for a   
small bottle that she'd brought with her. She drank down its contents before   
she continued.   
  
"I stumbled upon my Limit Skill while in training today. A Limit is a   
desperation move that can only be performed when one is critically injured.   
It's a technique that allows one to perform a ravaging attack by channeling the   
pair, fear, and desperation from battle behind one focus. It's a skill that   
isn't taught until late in SeeD training because of the dangers associated with   
it; primarily that the only way to practice it is to let yourself be critically   
injured on purpose."  
  
Quistis indicated her understanding, so Xu continued. "To make a long   
story short, I was critically wounded this afternoon and used my Limit Skill   
without any more than a cursory knowledge of how to go about it. The   
Headmaster decided that I must be in the wrong class if I was ready to learn   
Limit Skills, so I spent the afternoon in the Library taking one test after   
another to see if he was correct." She held up a hand before Quistis could ask   
her the results. "I don't know yet. He'll call for me either way. He said   
that we should know before the day is out."  
  
"This has been such an exciting day!" Quistis was nearly jubilant with all   
the goings on around her. This place was alive with activity!  
  
"Indeed," Xu shifted herself painfully on her seat. "Tell me how your day   
went."  
  
Quistis chattered on about the Shumi and her classmates and how cute the   
caterpillars-like monsters looked in the book she was reading and so on for   
over a half-hour. Xu listened politely, inserting occasional comments into the   
monologue that gave her new insights into the things she had seen and   
experienced today.  
  
A light tapping on the door interrupted their conversation. Xu called for   
whoever it was to enter, then stood up immediately and saluted when it was the   
Headmaster who stepped through the doorway. Quistis got to her feet as well   
and mimicked the salute Xu gave as best she could.  
  
"At ease, both of you," amusement colored his voice. Xu brought her right   
hand down from in front of her face and back to her side. Quistis followed her   
lead.  
  
"I'll forgo my usual speech-making and simply say that you've done it,"   
the pride in his expression made his entire face glow. Xu kept her expression   
neutral, resisting the urge to jump for joy and hug the Headmaster.   
  
"Now comes the difficult part; catching up with your new classmates. At   
this level, emphasis is put on independent study and self-motivation to   
succeed. Your homeroom meets three times a week and for only an hour then.   
Many of your scholastic studies will be taught by a Faculty member instead of   
me, though I will still instruct you in combat training as I have been."   
  
He rummaged through the contents of a small box he'd brought with him. He   
drew a printout from the box and handed it to her. "This is your new schedule,   
but you don't start until next week," he handed the box over to her. It was a   
lot heavier than it looked.  
  
"You're under Doctor's orders to change your bandages once I leave and to   
then rest for a few days. Rest physically, that is, there's nothing wrong with   
your mind. Your textbooks are in the box. I've put a note in each one   
indicating where your classmates are. Please try to catch up with them as soon   
as possible," he knelt down to Quistis' level to speak with her.  
  
"Your roommate has done very well, young one. Endeavor to be like her."   
Quistis nodded her head in acknowledgement. "She may need your help in the   
upcoming days to go fetch things for her or whatnot. Are you willing to assist   
her?"  
  
"Yes, Headmaster. I'll help Xu," she looked up at her roommate with eyes   
glowing with admiration. Xu flushed some from the hero worship.  
  
"You have a good heart," Cid patted Quistis on the head before standing   
upright again. "I'll leave you ladies to it then. Recover quickly, Xu, or   
I'll never hear the end of it from Kadowaki."  
  
"Thank you, Headma-," he was out the door before Xu could finish thanking   
him. She sat down heavily with the box on her lap. Her mind was reeling from   
the events of today. Perhaps getting some rest would give her time to resort   
the balance in her life that Cid so merrily upended. Yes, she would change her   
bandages and then go to bed.  
  
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Quistis turned to her, eager to   
assist.  
  
"No, I just want to sleep," Xu placed the box on her desk, then went to   
her dresser to pull out her pajamas. It was an abnormally early hour for her   
to be going to bed, but she was so very tired.  
  
"Have you eaten dinner?"  
  
Xu had to admit that she was feeling a bit hungry. She waved the question   
off. "I'll survive until the morning. I'm not feeling up to going to the   
Cafeteria."  
  
"You said that I had to eat dinner, and so do you," Quistis reasoned.   
"I'll go get you something to eat!" And with that, she was out the door.  
  
Energetic girl, she didn't even ask what Xu's preferences were. As long   
as she didn't bring back any of those nasty hot dogs everyone seems to love, Xu   
would be happy. Xu hoped that Quistis had the way there figured out already.   
She was as motivated to go searching for her roommate as she was to go to the   
Cafeteria in the first place.  
  
*****  
  
  
The Cafeteria was the next hallway over from the Dormitory along the main   
corridor that was the backbone of the Garden. A counter manned by kitchen   
personnel greeted the students when they entered. Beyond that opened up a   
larger room with tables scattered about it. From her vantage point Quistis   
could see that about half the tables were occupied by students eating their   
dinners.  
  
"We're out of hot dogs," the lady behind the counter said as soon as   
Quistis stepped up to order something for Xu. It was then that she realized   
that she'd forgotten to ask her roommate what she wanted to eat.  
  
"I'm getting something for Xu. Do you know what she likes to eat?" It   
was a shot in the dark, but Xu's been around long enough that she might know.  
  
The lady at the counter thought for a moment and then went to the back   
with a tray in hand. She returned a few moments later with a bowl of rice and   
a plate filled with various cooked vegetables. "Xu's a vegetarian, if you   
didn't know that already," she pointed to a condiment island off to the side.   
"I think she likes soy sauce. There should be packets of it that you can take.   
Be sure to return the dishes to the dish-belt in the morning if you can't bring   
them back tonight."  
  
"Thank you," she carefully carried the tray over to the condiment island.   
A group of male upper classmen was standing around it getting their own   
condiments.  
  
"Hey, you're that new kid, the one who asked the Faculty member why they   
wore the robes," one of them recognized her when she approached.  
  
"That was a pretty gutsy move," another of them commented. "I'm surprised   
you weren't reamed for it."  
  
"It was an honest question," Quistis defended while placing a few packets   
of sauce onto the tray. "They're here to answer our questions, aren't they?"  
  
The students laughed. "Sure they are! They're also here to tuck us in at   
night and hold our hand when we're scared," one crowed.  
  
"..." Quistis picked up the tray and headed for the door. They obviously   
didn't understand what it meant to be a teacher if they thought it was wrong to   
ask questions. She was so distracted by her thoughts that she almost ran into   
an older cadet.  
  
"Hey!" His quick reflexes caught the tray before she dropped it without so   
much as a grain of rice being dislodged from the bowl. She carefully accepted   
the tray as she apologized profusely for running into him. "It's alright,   
sprout, just be more careful about how hard you think while walking," he waved   
jauntily at her before heading into the Cafeteria.  
  
She returned as quickly as she could to her room. She didn't want to run   
into any more people tonight, figuratively or otherwise.  
  
Xu was already in her pajamas and skimming one of her new textbooks when   
Quistis kicked the door lightly for her roommate to come open it. The older   
girl relieved her of the tray, thanking her for her kindness. She looked over   
the meal and smiled over at Quistis. "I was wondering what you'd bring back."  
  
"I asked the Cafeteria lady and that's what she gave me. She said you   
were a veg-it-ter-e-an?" Quistis couldn't quite form the word correctly, not   
entirely sure of what it meant.  
  
"Vegetarian," she corrected. "A person who doesn't eat meat. Strict ones   
don't eat any animal products, but I don't go that far."  
  
Quistis was flabbergasted. "You don't eat meat? Why?" The thought of   
eliminating a major part of one's diet didn't appeal to her at all.  
  
"My family believes that eating living creatures make humans no better   
than the monsters that attack and eat us. While I do believe that there are a   
few more things involved that makes humans superior to monsters, it's the diet   
I've grown up with. Whenever I try to eat meat, it gets stuck in my throat and   
sits poorly in my stomach if I manage to get it swallowed down," she made an   
ugly face to illustrate her difficulties.  
  
"Would it bother you if I ate meat?" Quistis had a concerned look on her   
face.  
  
Xu laughed lightly. "It's good of you to be concerned, but I wouldn't   
force my diet upon another person if they didn't want to follow it. Eat   
whatever you want. Though keep in mind that you are what you eat, so don't eat   
too many sweets unless you want to turn into a candy bar," she winked at the   
startled expression on the younger girl's face.  
  
"You're teasing me!" Quistis realized after thinking about the candy bar   
comment for a moment.  
  
"Yes, I am. Does that bother you?" She asked between bites of her meal.  
  
Quistis shook her head. "No, you do it in a nice way, not like those guys   
in the Cafeteria."  
  
Xu glanced over at her. "'Guys in the Cafeteria'?"  
  
She nodded. "I don't think they know what a teacher is. They teased me   
for asking a Faculty member why it wore robes."  
  
Xu quickly swallowed her rice to keep from spitting it out. She sipped   
from a glass of water, then nodded. She could see why they would tease her   
regarding that question. While it was the Faculty's job to instruct, one   
treaded carefully around them. They weren't known for their sense of humor or   
wish to elaborate on subjects that weren't directly related to the class. Then   
again, she would have surely heard about it by now if Quistis had been burned   
for asking her questions...  
  
"You're right, the Faculty and Instructors are here to teach you and   
answer your questions. I wouldn't waste their time with silly questions, which   
shouldn't to be confused with *simple* questions, but questions asked with an   
earnest intention deserve an answer."  
  
Quistis seemed reassured by this and sat on her swivel chair. She pulled   
out the book on Galbadian history that she'd checked out and began to read   
through it carefully. It looked as though tonight would be a quiet study night   
in their room.  
  
*****  
  
  
A week passed with both girls adjusting well to their new schedules.   
Quistis was proudly sporting the yellow bow that she'd mastered tying after the   
first night of practice as she swore she would. Xu was ready to join her new   
classmates when they met tomorrow.  
  
Today was the weekly free day for Garden students. They were encouraged   
to get away from their studies and go enjoy the world around them. Xu decided   
that they'd spent entirely too much time cooped up in the Garden, and thus   
proposed that they walk down the road to Balamb and spend the day there.  
  
Quistis hadn't even realized that there was a town nearby, but she was   
excited by the prospect of getting to visit it. She dressed casually in a   
turtleneck and a pair of overalls. Xu stuck with her usual SeeD cadet uniform.   
  
"I don't want to ruin any of my clothes if I have to fight off a monster   
while we're walking there," she explained when Quistis asked her why she wasn't   
wearing something more casual.  
  
"You mean monsters might attack us on the way there?" She gulped down the   
lump that formed in her throat.  
  
"Monsters are a fact of life," Xu shrugged as she pulled her sai out of   
the velvet bag she kept them in. She hooked them through the loops on her belt   
as she continued speaking. "You needn't worry. There's nothing roaming around   
on this continent that I can't handle as long as we keep out of the forests;   
wild T-Rexaurs have been spotted in those."  
  
The two girls walked to the front gate, Quistis still hesitant about   
leaving the safety of the Garden. "Are you sure it's safe?" She asked as Xu   
signed them out with the gatekeeper.  
  
"As safe as anything in this world is," she reassured with a smile.  
  
They were walking down the broad steps that lead to a beautiful courtyard   
when someone called out to Xu. Quistis was stunned when she realized that it   
was the same cadet she bumped into last week. He was out of uniform, wearing a   
pair of jeans and a short-sleeved, button-up shirt with a slim necktie.  
  
"I'm glad I caught up with you! The guard told me that you were going to   
Balamb and I thought it might be best if we traveled together," he favored Xu   
with a charmingly impish grin that was known to swoon more than one woman. Xu,   
however, was accustomed to his wiles and simply nodded in agreement.  
  
"Traveling together would be safer. Let me introduce you to my roommate,   
Quistis Trepe," she gestured to the girl who was studying her shoes instead of   
meeting his eyes. Xu sighed to herself and forged ahead. "Quistis, this is   
Sean, he was in my previous class."  
  
"The sprout and I have already met, though we didn't speak long enough to   
exchange names. How do you do?" He held his hand out to her. She accepted it   
shyly and disengaged as soon as manners permitted.  
  
Xu took up a position at Quistis' right while Sean covered her left. "I   
assume that you're armed?"  
  
He patted the holstered pistol riding on his left hip. "I'm always   
prepared," he boasted. While Sean wasn't her first choice for traveling   
companions, she did feel better to have someone accompanying her who was a   
trained combatant.   
  
Sean's weapon of choice was an automatic pistol that he fired with good   
accuracy. With more practice, he would undoubtedly become a crack shot. The   
Faculty was trying to nudge him over to using rifles (since his range would   
increase dramatically with their use) but he wasn't cut out for the pressures   
involved with sniper work.  
  
He was a nice enough guy, in Xu's opinion, if not a bit strange. He was   
always making weird references to books no one else had read and off comments   
that some might consider witty. He was taller than most of the cadets, and   
*very* lanky. She'd heard others refer to him as a walking twig, though she   
wouldn't call him that herself. He had a lean build that didn't give any hint   
to the muscle years of training had added to his bones.  
  
Quistis kept closer to Xu than was necessary. She'd noticed that the girl   
had an incredibly broad shy streak that presented itself whenever she was   
around anyone besides herself or the Headmaster. Sean didn't seem to take   
notice, keeping up a light chatter as they watched out for monsters.  
  
Despite sticking to the side of the road, a pair of Bite Bugs swooped in   
on them from behind. They were fairly small (as monster sizes went), but huge   
when one considered their   
flying insect-like appearance.  
  
Xu took up a defensive position in front of Quistis. Sean drew his pistol   
with his left hand and stood sideways towards the monsters, aiming at one of   
them with a seemingly relaxed stance. He quickly shot them both out of the   
sky, then reholstered his weapon.  
  
"Piece of cake," he ran his fingers through his dirty-blonde colored hair.   
Xu had already resumed walking, not waiting for him to finish his posturing.  
  
"Hey!" He rushed to catch up with them. "You're so cold towards me," he   
muttered after rejoining the group.  
  
"There are better places for impressing a woman than on a battlefield," Xu   
said pointedly. She didn't want to have Quistis in harm's way any longer than   
absolutely necessary. Not that she was especially interested in him to begin   
with.  
  
"I get you," he held up his hands to concede the point as they entered the   
outskirts of Balamb.  
  
The seaside town had a 'friendly' air to it. A crisp breeze played with   
the many banners that hung from lampposts and outside some of the businesses.   
The roads were made from a blue-green brick that well matched the color of the   
sea and abundant vegetation. The residences were constructed from a dull   
whitewashed stone that made them appear to be one building with several doors   
leading into it.  
  
"How about we stop by the cafe that's near the pier and I'll buy you   
lunch?" Sean tried his best to sound charming, but Xu promptly stepped on his   
hopes of conquest.  
  
"Can't, we have plans," she took hold of Quistis' hand as she led her into   
Balamb proper.  
  
"Man, you *are* cold today," he shook his head and followed them.  
  
"Don't you have your own things to do?" Xu stopped on the sidewalk and   
glared at him.  
  
"Nope! So, where are we going?" He leaned against a lamppost as he waited   
for Xu to lead the way.  
  
Quistis watched the two cadets with a puzzled expression on her face. He   
was trying to pick up Xu, that much was obvious to her, and Xu was giving him   
the cold shoulder. Despite this, he continued to pursue her. Quistis wasn't   
entirely sure what to make of the situation. It struck her as a battle to see   
who could make the other give up first.  
  
Xu sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and   
forefinger, a sure sign that a headache was come on. "I heard a rumor that the   
Queen of Cards has been hanging around Balamb lately. If that's true, I want   
to challenge her to a game. Even if she's not around, I want to build Quistis   
a starter deck."  
  
"A starter deck for what?" Quistis asked.  
  
"Triple Triad, what else?" Sean answered. "It's the gaming craze the   
world over from what I hear. I can believe it considering how popular it is at   
the Garden."  
  
"It'll help you meet more people. Most of the students carry a deck on   
them at all times and will play a game between classes with anyone who   
challenges them. You should have a deck for when people come to challenge   
you," Xu took hold of her hand again as she led them down the boulevard. Sean   
followed on their heels.  
  
"The mechanics of the game are simple enough. You play on a three by   
three grid with five cards that have four numbers in the upper left-hand   
corner. The two players take turns laying down cards. The object is to flip   
over your opponent's cards by laying down a card next to it with a higher   
value. So, if your opponent has a card down on the board with a three to the   
west, you could lay down a card with a four to the east next to it and flip it   
over," Xu checked to see if Quistis was following her.  
  
"It's one of those things that's better explained while watching a game,"   
Sean chimed in.  
  
"We'll show you, don't worry," Xu promised. "Different regions of the   
world play by different rules. While the basis is always the same, additional   
rules can be agreed upon by both players before the game starts to make it more   
interesting. A common rule for this area is called 'trade one', which means   
that the winner gets to take one card from the five the loser played with and   
keep it."  
  
"It sounds like if you're good you could end up with a lot of cards,"   
Quistis commented.  
  
"Yep, and those cards will all be hard won since you can't purchase them   
from any shop, you have to play for them," her eyes widened at the thought of   
the challenge behind that. Sean shrugged before the grin returned to his face.   
"It's a hobby."  
  
It didn't take them long to spot a young woman a few years Xu's elder   
playing Triple Triad with someone near the staircase that lead up to the train   
depot. Once the game was finished, Xu approached the young woman to ask about   
playing a game. Sean and Quistis kept a respectful distance away as the two   
began setting up.  
  
"I use the trade one rule for card exchange."  
  
Xu nodded her agreement to the proposed rules for the game. That done   
they began laying down cards. The Queen was no slouch, but Xu eked out a win   
by flipping over two cards with a single one being laid down late in the game.  
  
The Queen of Cards frowned when she realized that she'd just lost one of   
her better cards to Xu. Instead of picking the best card from her hand, Xu   
proposed another form of trade. "Say, I'm trying to build a starter deck for   
my friend over there. If you're willing to donate a few low level cards to the   
cause, I'd be satisfied with that for trade."  
  
The Queen of Cards blinked with surprise. This one would give up a high   
level rare card in favor of a few low-level common cards for a starter deck?   
"Alright," she thumbed through her cards and pulled out four cards she had   
duplicates of. "Will these be satisfactory?"  
  
"Quite, thank you," Xu accepted the cards, then bid her a good day before   
rejoining her friends.  
  
"Your turn, Sean. Do you have a few cards you can donate or do I have to   
win them from you?"  
  
He chuckled hesitantly as he drew a deck of cards from his shirt pocket.   
He selected three cards and handed them to Xu. Xu then pulled out her deck and   
added three more cards to the others she had already collected. These she   
handed to Quistis.  
  
"Here's a starter deck. I would recommend practicing against either Sean   
or myself before taking on the Garden. Neither of us will enforce the trade   
rule while you're learning how to play," she shot Sean a look that said if he   
did, she'd come to reclaim the cards herself.  
  
Quistis held the cards carefully in her hands more interested in the   
monster portraits than any sort of game she may try to play with them.  
  
Sean cajoled them into going to the cafe he'd mentioned earlier. They   
showed Quistis how to play while Sean ate a lunch large enough for someone   
twice his size. Quistis nibbled on half a sandwich as her mind quickly picked   
up on the mechanics of the game. She was well on her way towards developing a   
strategy by the time they left the cafe.  
  
They then went to the junk shop so that Sean could see if any   
modifications could be made to his pistol, which would improve its performance.   
He was missing a few of the raw materials needed to modify the weapon, so   
nothing could be done in those regards. That started him talking about some   
very nice pistols he'd seen in the Garden's armory.  
  
"What's your weapon preference?" He asked Quistis, suddenly realizing that   
she was unarmed as far as he could tell. That didn't mean much since she could   
easily have a knife stored in a calf-sheath or be a hand-to-hand student.  
  
"I haven't used any weapons," she admitted.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"She's only been here a week," Xu pointed out. "I suspect they'll start   
her with some hand-to-hand training before too much longer."  
  
"Don't let yourself get stuck with hand-to-hand," Sean recommended in an   
undertone meant only for her, but was audible to Xu as well. "If I were you, I   
would go for the guns as soon as they allowed me one."  
  
Xu snorted. "Guns are for those without the physical stamina for a more   
demanding art."  
  
"You see, Xu is biased," Sean continued with the undertone to Quistis.   
"She's one of those crazy people who likes to sweat. Not to say that she isn't   
sexy when she's dripping with perspiration, but there are more entertaining way   
to get into that conditi- OW!"  
  
Sean reached for the foot Xu stomped on. "That's quite enough of *that*!"   
She huffed angrily.  
  
"You're such a prude!" He grumbled, favoring his squished foot.  
  
"There's no reason to be saying such things to a *ten year old*," she   
retorted.  
  
Quistis giggled, thinking that they were the perfect match. They couldn't   
bicker like they did and not have some feelings of friendship towards each   
other. She found herself coming to like the strange guy. She wouldn't mind if   
he came around more often.  
  
"You know I love being abused by you," he wiggled his eyebrows at her,   
undaunted by her rebuff.  
  
"Go court a T-Rexaur if you want abuse," she sniffed indignantly.  
  
"But I'm sure you'd look much better in lingerie than it would."  
  
"SEAN!"  
  
And so the rest of their afternoon went.  
  
*****  
  
  
Xu's prediction of upcoming hand-to-hand training had been right on the   
mark. A Faculty member took them to the Garden's training room to begin   
getting them into shape. It was several weeks before they learned more than a   
few simple stances and punches. Most of their time was spent exercising and   
changing the flabby child-flesh into honed muscle. It would take months -- if   
not years -- for Quistis to match the physical conditioning of her roommate,   
but she was well on her way.  
  
Her roommate gladly worked out with her when their schedules allowed it.   
Sean was correct in saying that Xu liked to sweat. She worked herself very   
hard to keep in peak condition.  
  
Sean didn't let himself become a stranger either. It didn't take him long   
to figure out when Xu and/or Quistis would be training and would join one or   
both of them. Quistis enjoyed it when all three of them trained together.   
  
He had the advantage over Xu in raw strength, though the difference was   
entirely due to his being a man and her a woman. Xu often pointed out that he   
could be a lot stronger if he worked harder. He'd retort that she was a   
masochist while Quistis giggled to herself as she performed her exercises.  
  
They also took to eating their meals together. It was then that Quistis   
could get information out of her two mentors that couldn't be found in any   
textbook.  
  
Sean waved them over to the table he'd claimed for them. They'd all spent   
the afternoon in the training room and were still damp from the showers they'd   
recently taken. His tray had more plates on it than Quistis would have thought   
possible. Half of those were already cleared of the food they once held.  
  
"Sorry that I didn't wait. I was so hungry!" He paused in his eating long   
enough to say.  
  
"You're a walking stomach. I'm surprised that you don't blimp out from   
all you put down," Xu set her tray on the side of the square table opposite   
him. Quistis took one of the sides between them.  
  
"I'm a growing boy," he patted his belly, "and I worked hard today."  
  
"There's a first time for everything," Xu conceded since he had put in a   
solid training session this afternoon.  
  
"That tongue of yours is going to get you into trouble one of these days,"   
he wagged his spoon at her.  
  
"You're right there with me," she pointed out, neatly cutting the boiled   
potato on her plate into bite-sized chunks with her knife.  
  
"Heh," was all he said since he couldn't argue that. He turned to Quistis   
to start a new conversation. "You be careful not to pick up any of your   
roommate's nasty habits such as eating lots of vegetables, sweating for the   
wrong reasons, and doing all your homework, got that?"  
  
Xu gave Sean an exasperated look and continued eating without comment.  
  
"I always eat my vegetables, though I do like meat too," Quistis glanced   
over to Xu before going on. "There's nothing wrong with sweating. I do that a   
lot since I'm not in very good shape yet. Once I am, I'll be able to run   
around the track without having to catch my breath!"  
  
"And Quistis is more of a bookworm than I am," Xu added, smiling fondly at   
her roommate.  
  
"Gyah! I'm too late," he placed a hand over his heart in a dramatic   
fashion.  
  
"Troublemaker," Xu muttered.  
  
"Would you have me any other way?" He asked sweetly.  
  
They settled down and ate for several minutes before Quistis worked up the   
nerve to ask a question of Sean. "Where are you from?"  
  
"Deling City," he answered promptly.  
  
"Deling City? Why aren't you training at Galbadia Garden then?" Xu's   
curiosity was piqued by this irregularity. Galbadia Garden was a short train   
ride away from Deling City, why not study there?  
  
"Galbadia is too militaristic for my liking," he shrugged before taking   
another bite of food.  
  
"You're in the wrong profession if you're trying to get away from the   
military," Xu commented thoughtfully.  
  
"There's a difference and you know it."  
  
"What's the difference?" Quistis piped up.  
  
"You know that Deling City is the capital of Galbadia and that Galbadia is   
a dictatorship headed by President Vinzer Deling?" Quistis nodded.  
  
"The military controls the city, the Garden, and pretty much everything   
else. They have a program at that Garden for unsuccessful SeeD candidates to   
be integrated into the military officer corps. In practice, Galbadia Garden is   
more of an academy for future Galbadian officers than it is a home for SeeD   
members.  
  
"I've known since I was little that I wanted to be in some sort of   
profession that made a difference for the common man. It was natural for me to   
see either SeeD or the Galbadian Army as my two choices. When it came down to   
that, I would much rather be in SeeD. Not only is the pay scale better, but I   
can live with fighting for a man with a conscience -- like the Headmaster --   
instead of a cold, mechanistic organization like the military." He shrugged.   
"Balamb Garden is where I can follow my dreams in a manner that I consider   
honorable."  
  
"I never realized there was so much behind your being here," Xu admitted   
sheepishly.  
  
"Thought I had the depth of a plate, didn't you?" A bark of laughter   
followed. "I like it here. Balamb is my home and my heart will never leave it   
-- even if my body must."  
  
He grinned slyly. "So, tell us Xu, where do you hail from?"  
  
Her head quirked to one side, then she returned his grin. "Balamb Garden.   
Any home I had before this one matters not."  
  
Sean glanced over to Quistis. "And you, sprout?"  
  
"Balamb Garden is my home," she answered after a few moments of careful   
thought. Sure, Matron was her family as well, but not in the way the people   
here were becoming. Matron had many children to look after. She couldn't be a   
true mother to them all. Not that anyone here was her mother either, but in   
her heart, she considered Xu a sister. The idea made her smile on the inside,   
but also feel insecure wondering if Xu would be all right with that?  
  
Sean's grin was now broad enough to crack his face in two. He held up his   
glass of water for a toast. "To our home, sweet home!"  
  
"To Balamb Garden!" Both girls clinked their glasses with his and drank.  
  
If the occupants of the nearby tables though that they were a bit weird   
for cheering on Balamb, no one mentioned it. The fact that they all had a   
special place in their hearts for this Garden allowed them to join the toast to   
Balamb in silence.  
  
*****  
  
  
Quistis hit the Submit key on the study panel after giving her nightly   
homework one more look through. She'd actually finished this assignment a   
couple weeks ago, but wanted to double check her answers. That done, she   
picked up the history book she'd borrowed from the Library and resumed reading   
it.  
  
Xu had some student evaluation tonight, thus she wouldn't be in until   
late. That didn't bother her like it would have her first week here. She was   
feeling comfortable with her surroundings now.  
  
The academics half of Quistis' life was a cinch for her. She challenged   
herself in that arena by raiding the Library for books on advanced topics. She   
was consistently ranked at or near the top of her classes.  
  
Her diligence scholastically hadn't gone unnoticed by the other students.   
At first, she hadn't bothered to hide the fact that she was studying out of   
higher level books. Once the teasing started, she was careful to do all her   
reading in her room, where Xu enthusiastically supported her efforts to excel.   
As long as she kept sending her homework in on time, no one important would   
complain.  
  
It was on the physical side of her training that she needed more work.   
Even with Xu's help, she wasn't progressing at a rate that was fast enough for   
her.  
  
A tapping on the door broke her train of thought. Sean was standing on   
the other side of it with a textbook in hand. "Hey, sprout, is Xu around by   
any chance?"  
  
"No, sir," she used the proper form of address that they had learned in   
class today for speaking with an upper classman.  
  
His eyebrows raised in surprised. "Since when have I been a 'sir' to   
you?"  
  
She blushed. "The Faculty told us that was how we were to address upper   
classmen."  
  
"Huh, I seem to remember being taught that too, Miss Trepe."  
  
She was really blushing now, for he'd addressed her as one would a SeeD   
cadet. The fact was she wasn't a cadet yet and probably won't be for a few   
years still. They all knew she would join the SeeD program as soon as she was   
eligible. It was just a matter of finishing the junior classman   
pre-requisites.  
  
He chuckled at her discomfort. "Let's not stand on ceremony unless we   
have to, deal?"  
  
"Deal," she agreed.  
  
"I don't know if the Faculty mentioned this or not (probably not)," he   
muttered. "But all students here are ranked as equals. The form of address   
and privileges may vary, but we're all 'children' of the Headmaster. This even   
applies to SeeDs when they are stationed here. A first year junior classmen is   
to be treated with as much respect as a top-ranked 'A' SeeD."  
  
Sean was right, the Faculty had neglected to mention that. Now that he   
mentioned it, she seemed to remember reading something to that effect in the   
Regulation Handbook.  
  
He leaned against the doorframe as he thought. "No Xu, huh..? Guess I   
can't ask her how to do this problem. Oh well... I don't suppose that you'd be   
up for a game of cards? I could really use a study break."  
  
"I've already finished my homework," she stepped aside to let him in.   
  
She returned to her desk and neatly stacked her books onto a corner so   
that they had room to play. He pulled the chair from Xu's desk over and was   
drawing out his cards when he noticed the book on top of the stack. He looked   
over at the book he'd set on Xu's desk. They were the same math book.  
  
"Is that Xu's math book you have there?" He asked, pointing to the stack.  
  
"Yes, it was Xu's book from her last class. I've been working problems   
out of it after I finish my regular homework."  
  
Sean somehow kept his jaw from cracking on the desk when it dropped down   
in surprise. He readily admitted that math wasn't his strong suit, but to have   
Quistis working out of the same book!  
  
"You wouldn't happen to have done lesson three from chapter five yet?" He   
asked.  
  
Her cheeks flushed red. "I did it this weekend," she admitted meekly.  
  
"Excellent! Could you show me how to do problem fifteen?" He reached his   
long arm behind his back to retrieve his book. He opened it to the appropriate   
page and set it in front of the girl.  
  
"You aren't angry with me?"  
  
"Angry? Heavens no! I've been stuck on this one for the last half-hour.   
If you know how to do it, I'd be grateful if you showed me," he drew a pencil   
from a belt pouch and prepared to take notes on some sheets of paper that were   
slid between the pages of the book.  
  
Quistis gave a small sigh of relief and showed him how to do the problem.   
It really wasn't that hard once one had the trick of it figured out.  
  
"By the mythical Cafeteria hot dogs, I am dense!" He proclaimed, slapping   
his forehead. "You have a real knack for this," he complimented as he jotted   
down a few more notes.  
  
"I like math. It's logical; kind of like a puzzle."  
  
"You're a rare one, sprout," he patted her on the head by way of thanks.   
"How about we play that game of cards now?"  
  
"Don't you want to finish your homework?"  
  
He laughed. "I'm still in need of a break. This is the last thing I have   
to do tonight, so I have plenty of time to finish it and play a game or two."  
  
Quistis took her deck of cards out of a desk drawer. She still played   
primarily with Sean and Xu, though a few students had challenged her with mixed   
results. She had eleven cards now, she thought proudly. Neither of her   
mentors played to trade cards, but they did agree to randomly selecting five   
cards from the deck to play with to keep things interesting. That made the   
outcome of the game not only a matter of skill, but a test of luck as well.  
  
"How have your classes been going?" He asked as he won the dice toss, and   
thus got to lay down the first card.  
  
"They're going well. I'm scoring highly," she said with justifiable   
pride. "Though I wish I was better at hand-to-hand combat."  
  
He clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Don't workout too   
much, and I say that will all sincerity. You're going to start maturing here   
soon. You'll see many changes as far as your body is concern in the upcoming   
years, and, if I may be so bold, I don't think you'll be disappointed with the   
results."  
  
She stared intently at her cards as she tried to regain her composure. "I   
want to be pretty like Xu."  
  
"My dear girl, you don't need to worry about that. For one thing, true   
beauty is a reflection of the spirit, and yours shines brightly. Secondly, you   
have the natural makings of a beautiful woman. I don't doubt that you'll be   
beating the boys off with a stick once they come to their senses and realize   
girls don't have cooties," he smiled encouragingly.  
  
That wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear, but his intentions were good.   
"Thank you," she mumbled. She quickly put down a card since she'd been holding   
up the game.  
  
He placed a card before asking another question. "Is there anything else   
on your mind?"  
  
She shook her head, wondering if she'd already said too much. She didn't   
want to bother him with her insignificant problems and insecurities. So far,   
she was holding her own and would continue to do so.  
  
They played a few more games, keeping the conversation to neutral topics,   
until Sean noted that he really should get back to working on his math   
assignment. He thanked her again for helping him out before leaving.  
  
He walked past the room he shared with his roommate and down the main   
corridor out of the Dormitory block. He continued to the elevator that was at   
the center of the Garden complex and punched the button for the third floor.   
Students weren't permitted on that level without the Headmaster's permission,   
but he was expected.  
  
He saluted upon entering the Headmaster's office. Xu was already seated   
across from Cid, who was at his desk looking over some printouts. He motioned   
for Sean to sit on the chair next to Xu before giving his report.  
  
He slid a few pages of notes across the desk to the Headmaster. "There's   
no doubt about it, Quistis is definitely at an advanced level in math. I   
didn't believed you when you told me that she was studying out of your old   
book, Xu," he shook his head. "Those are the notes I took when I asked her to   
help me with a problem from chapter five."  
  
"Anything else?" Cid glanced up from the papers before him.  
  
"Besides her becoming a demon at Triple Triad?" Sean thought carefully on   
how to best express something he only sensed. "I'm not sure how solid this is,   
but I get the feeling that she's terribly insecure. She asked me if I was   
angry with her when I asked her to show me how to do the problem I noted."  
  
He turned to address Xu directly. "And she really looks up to you. Says   
she wants to be pretty like Xu is."  
  
Xu shook her head while Cid chuckled.   
  
"I assured her that the beauty she sought would be forthcoming with age.   
With every hormone in my body, that much I'm sure of," he grinned impishly.  
  
Xu refrained from making any scathing comments in the presence of the   
Headmaster, though she was sorely tempted. Sean seemingly realized that she   
was behaving herself and winked at her when Cid looked back down at the papers   
on his desk.  
  
"Yes, indeed," he looked up again. "It's not unusual for someone her age   
to be insecure. As long as she gains confidence as she grows things will turn   
out fine.  
  
"You both have been very informative regarding this student's evaluation.   
I remind you that all matters discussed here tonight are to not be repeated.   
Your reports combined with those of the Faculty have confirmed that we aren't   
challenging young Quistis enough. Adjustments will be made that'll hopefully   
better test her skills. I trust that both of you will help smooth the way if   
any problems present themselves."  
  
"Of course, Headmaster." "Yes, Headmaster," were the responses he   
received.  
  
"Thank you both, dismissed."  
  
They rode together in the elevator to the ground level when Sean spoke.   
"I think things are about to get interesting," he combed his fingers through   
his hair, then shoved his hands into his trouser pockets.  
  
"On this, I agree with you..." Xu reflected thoughtfully. "Bet you're   
regretting chasing me around now that the Headmaster has you pulled into his   
web."  
  
"My dear Xu, I will *never* regret chasing you," he said with all   
sincerity.  
  
Xu felt herself begin to blush.  
  
"Especially if it was from behind," he added, spoiling the mood.  
  
"Pervert," she stepped off the elevator and headed back to the dorms.  
  
He followed on her heels, feigning hurt. "I speak with my heart!"  
  
"And something else," she amended.  
  
"That isn't my heart?" He asked in a confused tone.  
  
"Is this how you swoon the ladies?"  
  
He shook his head. "It's all for you!"  
  
Xu pinched the bridge of her nose. He was too much sometimes! Perhaps if   
he was less aggressive in his pursuit... No, she was a SeeD cadet, not a prom   
queen. At least he was mostly harmless.  
  
*****  
  
  
Quistis' new schedule was slid under the door the next morning. She   
puzzled over it for several minutes before asking Xu what it was.  
  
"You know what a schedule looks like," Xu said while tweaking her bow   
straight.  
  
"Yes, but all except one of my classes have changed," she showed the paper   
to her roommate.  
  
"Hum... So they have. Guess whoever makes the schedules caught wind that   
you weren't challenged enough with your current classes," she shrugged.  
  
"Are student's class schedules changed often?" She knew that Xu changing   
classes was unusual because she jumped a grade level entirely. Quistis'   
homeroom remained the same, but she was moved to higher level classes in every   
other subject.  
  
"All the time, especially when you're younger and they're still trying to   
figure out what your skill level is. You learn to just roll with it," she made   
a waving motion with her hands. "If anything, this new schedule allows us more   
time in the training room if you want?"  
  
Quistis looked over it again and saw that Xu was right about being able to   
fit more training in. On the other hand, Sean said not to overdo it.   
"Maybe..." she said finally.  
  
"Either way, you need to get ready," Xu prompted. "You now have class in   
20 minutes instead of in an hour and a half. If you don't hurry, you won't   
have time for breakfast."  
  
Quistis did have time to grab a roll on her way to her first class. Upon   
entering the classroom, the first thing she noticed was that everyone who was   
standing around was Xu's age. The second thing she noticed was that all of   
them had the embroidered patch on their sleeves that indicated they were SeeD   
cadets -- meaning that she was the only junior classman in the room.  
  
She sat at an unclaimed study panel in the back. None of the other   
students sat down next to her. She was beginning to feel rejected when a   
familiar face entered.  
  
"Hey!" Sean waved, coming back to sit next to her. "What are you doing   
here?"  
  
"This is my new class," she showed him her schedule. He gave a low   
whistle as he looked over it.  
  
"If it makes you feel any better, we share another class besides this one.   
I'm also in the military tactics class right before lunch break."  
  
Hearing that *did* make her feel better. It meant a familiar face and a   
study partner.  
  
"Attention!" The Faculty member called as it entered the room. They all   
stood and saluted, including Quistis. She wasn't required to do so, but it   
would look odd to be the only one not saluting, in her opinion.  
  
It shuffled to its desk before releasing them to sit down. It then looked   
through some papers it'd brought with it. "We have a new student joining us.   
Student Quistis Trepe stand up."  
  
She did so. Now the entire class knew for certain that a junior classmen   
was among their ranks. She returned to her seat when it motioned for her to do   
so. If she could have turned into a puddle of goo and slinked under her desk,   
she would have done so.  
  
She glanced over at Sean. His attention was completely focused on the   
lecture it began giving. She locked her mind onto that and discovered that she   
was a few lessons ahead of the class. Maybe this won't be so bad.   
  
The Faculty was a good lecturer, explaining the concepts presented in a   
variety of ways so that all of its students understood. It demonstrated a new   
way to do the problems that wasn't in the book. That was the mark of a good   
teacher, in her opinion. When they didn't just feed you the book, but truly   
offered new insights regarding the material.  
  
The class went faster than she thought it had. By the end, she was   
furiously taking down notes that she would copy over more neatly tonight. It   
had been a stimulating class, and she was glad for the change of pace. She   
disliked being bored. Even more than that, she disliked knowing that she was   
bored. That's why she challenged herself; to sharpen the dull edge that was   
everyday school life.  
  
Sean left, promising to catch up with her again when they met for military   
tactics. She had her homeroom to go to, which used to be her first class of   
the day.  
  
They all stood as their teacher glided in, not saluting as SeeD cadets   
were required to. By now, Quistis had come to the conclusion that her homeroom   
was nothing more then a sort of 'welcoming' class to help them get acquainted   
with the Garden and its facilities. She also believed that the Faculty member   
that taught this class had a sense of humor, despite what people told her about   
the Shumi lacking one. It was too accepting of the off questions to be   
completely humorless.  
  
"Students are keeping up with their homework?" It asked, looking around   
the room. She doubted anyone would have answered 'no' regardless of what the   
case may be. "Any questions for today?"  
  
Quistis raised her hand. It acknowledged her. She stood up as she asked   
her question. "Why are all the Shumi here called 'Faculty'? Don't you have   
given names?"  
  
A gasp ran through the class as she retook her seat. Her classmates   
waited for the axe to fall, but she was confident that it wouldn't punish her   
for her impudence.  
  
It rustled its robes, then stood beside her desk. "You are a curious one,   
Student Quistis Trepe. Shumi do not have given names as humans use them. Our   
function is our title and what we are referred to as. I am Faculty. If   
Student Quistis Trepe were Shumi, she would be Student. Understand?"  
  
"I understand. Thank you, Faculty," she answered respectfully.  
  
"Any other questions?"  
  
The class was too stunned by her receiving an answer to ask any more. It   
took their silence as a 'no' and launched into the day's lesson. All through   
class students kept shooting glances at her like she was suddenly going to be   
struck down or something. She shook it off. There was nothing wrong with an   
honest question.  
  
After homeroom, she went to tactics. Sean was already there and had a   
seat saved for her.  
  
"I think you'll like this class. It's very logical," he winked at her.  
  
He was right. It was a subject she could get into because it stretched   
her mind to think creatively while remembering the lessons of the past.  
  
When she finished her homework later that night, she was happy because she   
didn't have as much free time before bed as usual.  
  
*****  
  
  
"I dun like it, I tell ya! She's makin' us all look bad," a cadet   
complained to his tablemates.  
  
"What are you going on about now, Lee?" Sean stopped eating his pastrami   
sandwich to ask fairly certain he already knew the answer.  
  
"Never you mind," he growled.  
  
One of their companions, a female cadet, glared at Lee and then answered   
Sean. "He's upset about that Trepe girl. It was okay when she was top of her   
own class, but she's quickly gaining ground on the SeeD cadets in the upper   
division courses."  
  
"Dun tell him that, he's in cahoots with her and Xu."  
  
Sean laughed. "You're feeling threatened by a junior classman? That's   
rich!"  
  
"Shut yer mouth! This ain't a laughin' matter. We gots to do something   
about her o' we'all look bad," he pound his heavy fist on the table. He was   
one of the larger cadets at Balamb Garden, hovering near the seven-foot mark.  
  
"Studying harder is one solution," Sean suggested.  
  
"Studyin' does no good if she's blowin' the curve!" Lee thumped his fist   
on the table again.  
  
"Why should you even need a curve? If you put in as much time studying as   
she does, you'd be ranked second and still get the grades," he said between   
bites. "Besides, we're all aiming for the same goal here -- to be SeeDs.   
Spend less time worrying about what she's doing and more on your own efforts."  
  
"Ya dun understand. They only graduate so many SeeDs y'know? If she   
keeps goin', she'll take one ah our slots and one ah us won't graduate," he   
leaned closer to Sean. "How y'd like to be bumped from bein' a SeeD by her?"  
  
Sean swallowed, then shrugged. "If she's better qualified than I am, more   
power to her."  
  
"Bah!" Every plate on the table jumped as both hands came down this time.   
"Yer just sayin' that because yer from Galbadia. They'll take ya in their   
military if ya don't make it as a SeeD."  
  
He sighed, commenting to himself that he wouldn't join the Galbadian Army   
if it were the only military establishment on the planet. "So, what are you   
going to do about it?"  
  
"Ha! Like I'd tell you! Y'll go runnin' to the Headmaster and squeal   
like a pig, y'will," he favored Sean with a menacing smile. It sent a chill   
down his spine to think of it being directed against him. He did shiver when   
he thought of the anger behind it being used against Quistis.  
  
"He doesn't need to," a very authoritative voice said from behind Lee.   
The cadets all stood and saluted the Headmaster, who had a frighteningly calm   
look on his face.   
  
"I trust that you have the time to come with me to my office to discuss   
your dislike of *Miss* Trepe, Mister Lee," he emphasized the title.  
  
"O- o' course, Headmaster." Their size difference would have been comical   
in any other context. At the moment, Lee was about three inches tall compared   
to the Headmaster and the strong aura of displeasure he was emitting.   
  
Cid motioned for a waiting Faculty member to escort the cadet to his   
office. Once he was out of the Cafeteria, he spoke again in a voice loud   
enough so that all could hear him. His message was abundantly clear.  
  
"I would remind all of you that disloyalty towards your fellow students is   
equivalent to insubordination of myself, a SeeD, or a Faculty member. Those at   
Balamb Garden are a team, and even more so, a *family*. You would not speak   
poorly of your sister. I will not tolerate my students behaving in such a   
contemptuous manner," he glared around the room, careful to catch every   
student's eyes before leaving.  
  
"God, I don't think I've ever seen the Headmaster so angry," the female   
cadet sitting next to Sean whispered. The room was subdued with resuming   
conversations sparse.  
  
"Lee was out of line," he shook himself mentally and returned to eating.   
Would he have believed that so firmly if Quistis wasn't involved? There would   
always be some students jealous of those who achieved great things. It was a   
demon she will face her entire life, he suspected.  
  
Should he even mention this to her? Rumors spread like wildfire around   
this place and the Headmaster had made no efforts to keep this quiet. In fact,   
scolding the students like he did would guarantee the opposite effect. He   
decided to take his cue from the Headmaster. He'd make sure that *everyone*   
knew how angry Cid was to discover a cadet bad mouthing a junior classman.  
  
It came as no surprise to Sean when a Faculty member got him from his   
afternoon group session to speak with Cid. The Headmaster wanted his account   
of the conversation since he'd heard only the end of it. Sean repeated what   
was said to the best of his recollection and without using Lee's heavy accent.   
'Where did they pick him up from, a barn?' He asked himself silently as he   
recalled Lee's truly sloppy speech patterns.  
  
"Yes, that was the gist of what others reported as well," he typed a few   
more notes into his terminal. "Thank you, dismissed."  
  
"Headmaster?" He remained standing before Cid's desk.  
  
"Yes, Sean?"  
  
"May I ask how you wish for me to proceed?" He kept his eyes locked   
forward, not allowing the nerves he felt to be shown in his expression.  
  
"In what regards?" Cid was being obtuse and they both knew it, but he   
needed to say this.  
  
"It is my opinion that the sentiments expressed by Mister Lee are not an   
isolated thing. I wonder if the Headmaster has any specific orders for me in   
regards to the protection of Miss Trepe."  
  
"Indeed..." Cid's eyes gleamed with amusement as he considered the   
situation. "Xu would be touched if she knew you cared so," he teased lightly.  
  
Sean wasn't prepared for that remark as a small smile creased his stoic   
expression.  
  
"I believe that the arrangements as they are now should be adequate. Xu   
has done a fine job of intimidating any troublemakers through sheer force of   
will -- that or converting them to the cause," Sean's expression quirked again   
at the laughter in Cid's eyes. "You have a knack for finding those who would   
cause trouble. Use your best judgement should you find yourself in another   
situation."  
  
"Yes, Headmaster. May I ask what is to become of Mister Lee?"  
  
Cid's expression creased into a frown. "I dislike releasing students on   
principle, so I've decided to transfer him to Trabia Garden. We recently set   
up an exchange program with them. I hate to use the system to get rid of our   
troublemakers, but he does have the talent to be a SeeD member. I don't   
believe that he would be a positively contributing member of our family if he   
remained at Balamb."  
  
Sean didn't respond since his opinion wasn't asked for regarding the   
matter. He saluted once more, then went to the elevator. He had some time to   
kill before Xu would likely be in the training room, so he played a couple   
games of Triple Triad with one of the junior classman who was running about.  
  
The training room could be entered via a side entrance or the locker   
rooms. He skipped the locker rooms for the time being to see if Xu was even   
here yet. He was pretty sure that she would be, but things came up from time   
to time. She wasn't in the weight room or at any of the workout machines.   
That led him to check the sparring area next. He found her there with   
Headmaster Cid.  
  
She was dressed in her usual workout garb: a sports bra with a sleeveless   
turtleneck over it, shorts, and her short hair pulled back in a tail that   
inevitability fell free. Today's lesson was apparently weapon work because her   
sai were drawn and flashing from the speed she was wielding them with. Cid   
watched her from the safety of the sidelines, his arms crossed and a scowl   
marring his features.  
  
Xu finished the exercise, panting some from her efforts. Sweat traced   
down the sides of her face and made her loose shirt cling to her back. The   
Headmaster shook his head with disapproval.  
  
"You slowed down after the second jab coming off of the twist. Repeat the   
exercise faster this time!"  
  
She took a deep breath and settled back into her ready stance. Suddenly,   
fury exploded as Xu lashed out at an imagined target. Anything that was the   
focus of her attack would have surely been killed within the first few strikes,   
in his opinion. Sean dragged his eyes away from the marvelous display Xu was   
putting on to see how the Headmaster was taking it. His expression hadn't   
changed.  
  
"What's wrong Xu? We both know that you're faster than this. Step up the   
pace!"  
  
She grunted as she immediately launched into the exercise again without   
pausing. Even Sean's inexpert eye could tell that she was indeed faster this   
time. It was amazing.  
  
He caught himself before he stepped further into the room for a better   
view. This was something that shouldn't be interrupted by an unexpected   
visitor. He made himself as small against the doorframe as he could.  
  
The Headmaster was pushing Xu so hard! He never rode Sean like this, and   
he wasn't nearly the fighter Xu was. Could it be because Cid expected greater   
things from those more capable of delivering them? Sean held no illusions that   
his career in SeeD would be unremarkable and as completely average as they   
came. He simply didn't have the drive to change the world like Xu did.  
  
He rested his head against the doorframe as he watched Xu practice. She   
really was a lovely woman. Her dedication to her cause made her spirit shine   
brightly and her physical looks were nothing to scoff at either. The years of   
training had given her a strong, athletic build and honed a woman's curves into   
something breathtaking.  
  
He liked her. He admired her. And a very small part of him was willing   
to admit that he loved her...  
  
*****  
  
  
Any troublemakers that remained quickly buried themselves in a hole after   
Lee was transferred to Trabia Garden. His transfer was seen as an exile by   
some. A justifiable fear considering that Trabia was near the northern pole   
and *very* cold most of the year. Trabia did have a reputation for producing   
some very fine SeeDs. That's because there's nothing else to do there but   
study. With only one tiny village nearby and roaming monsters that were a   
challenge for even graduated SeeDs, few distractions present themselves.  



	2. Part 02

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 2  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans gbeans@tyrlen.org  
additions by Nightbreak nightbreak@hotmail.com  
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. www.squaresoft.com  
  
  
Life settled down to its normal, hectic pace. They were all so busy with   
their studies that the summer slipped into fall and winter was upon them before   
they knew it. Quistis had two more minor adjustments made to her schedule   
before the Headmaster was satisfied with her class placement. Finally learning   
the ropes of Garden life, she was making great strides towards completing her   
pre-requisite courses. Some of her more difficult lessons were soon in coming.  
  
"Magic?" Quistis squeaked with surprise.  
  
"Yes, magic," Xu continued fiddling with the pouch on her belt.  
  
"Aren't I too young to be learning it?"  
  
"Now you're going to let your age dictate what you can learn?" Xu asked in   
turn. "You turned eleven not long ago and have enough sense in your head to   
act responsibly."  
  
"It is okay for you to be teaching it to me? Instead of a Faculty member,   
I mean," she flustered. She was startled that Xu wanted to start teaching her   
magic. It was one of those things that she saw as a cadet level skill, not   
something a junior classman would be permitted to participate in.  
  
"No harm can come from you knowing how to use a low-level Cure spell.   
It'll help keep Sean out of trouble when he does something mischievous. But if   
it makes you feel any better, I did clear it with the Headmaster. He agrees   
with my assessment that you're ready to start learning some simple spells."  
  
Quistis stood there with a dumbfounded look on her face. She tried to   
take things in stride, but this was completely unexpected!  
  
Xu opened the door to the hallway and arched an eyebrow. "Are you   
coming?"  
  
"Of course!" Quistis rushed past her. Once she accepted the offer of   
learning magic, she wasn't going to let Xu go back on it.  
  
Xu closed the door after checking to make sure that she had everything she   
needed. She refrained from mentioning to her roommate that this was entirely   
the Headmaster's idea. Xu did agree that Quistis was ready to learn some   
simple spells such a Cure and Scan. She wouldn't feel comfortable teaching   
Quistis any offensive magic until the girl had a solid grasp of the ones that   
couldn't kill her if she made a mistake.  
  
Two different techniques for performing magic were taught at the Garden.   
The simpler one was the method Xu intended to teach Quistis today. 'Bead   
magic' was performed by using small beads that were a physical storage of the   
spell itself. The advantage to this form of magic was that *anyone* could   
perform it as long as they had a bead. The disadvantage was that beads   
resulted in much weaker casts and junctioned poorly when used along with a   
Guardian Force.  
  
The other technique taught was called 'energy quanta'. It required a very   
controlled use of internal energies since the spells were stored within the   
physical self. Spells that were stored in energy form were stronger and   
junction beautifully. The downside was the rather steep learning curve   
involved with mastering control.  
  
Each of the three Gardens took a different approach towards magic. Trabia   
believed in producing strong magic users, thus requiring all of its students to   
master energy quanta. Galbadia with its many officer trainees mixed in with   
SeeD cadets went the simpler route of teaching beads. Galbadia tended to take   
a more physical approach towards conflict resolution as it was. Magic was too   
'unreliable' for them (meaning they didn't fully understand its usage).  
  
Balamb went for the middle ground by teaching both techniques to its   
students. On top of that, every SeeD cadet was required to master the use of   
Guardian Forces. Guardian Forces not only lent their incredible energy to a   
battle when summoned, they also allowed their human partner to junction spells   
through them. For example, using a Guardian Force as a 'bridge', a supply of   
Fire spells could be used to align one's weapon to be a fire elemental -- which   
would make it more effective against monsters that were elementally aligned   
towards ice.  
  
It was a skill that first required a healthy stockpile of spells. To   
gather the spells needed a person had to either find a draw point -- which is   
much like a natural spring -- or draw them from a monster during battle. She   
had spent much of yesterday wandering around the Alcauld Plains drawing spells   
from the monsters for today's lesson.  
  
The belt pouch she used for storing spells was bulging from all that she   
had gathered. She carried a second pouch with her that she would give to   
Quistis once they were in the Quad. The Quad was a nice open place for   
practicing non-offensive magic. They couldn't do any damage to people or   
property plus they didn't run the risk of being attacked if they went off   
campus or to the Training Center.  
  
"Here, hook this pouch onto your belt," Xu instructed as she took out a   
couple of tiny beads. "This bead is a Scan spell," she pointed to a shiny blue   
bead that was in the palm of her hand. "The one next to it is Cure," it was a   
dull white, almost like a pearl.  
  
"There's more involved with casting magic than having the beads to do it.   
It also requires a certain mindset and natural inclination for the magical   
arts. It's a skill you should practice just like physical training. The more   
you cast, the better you'll become at it. How powerful the spell is depends   
heavily upon the ability of the caster. If the caster is weak, it won't be as   
powerful of a spell as if someone who has a knack for magic had cast it. Make   
sense?" Xu waited for Quistis to digest the information before continuing.  
  
"Almost all magic falls into one of three categories: attack, restore, and   
indirect. Examples of attack spells are Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder. We won't   
be practicing those anytime soon. Restore spells are things like Cure and the   
ever-useful Esuna, which counteracts most indirect spells. Indirect spells   
effect your status. They can do things like cause you to float, blind you, or   
silence you so that you can't cast any spells yourself. From that group, I'll   
show you how to use Scan. It's a spell that allows you to know the strengths   
and weaknesses of the monster or person you cast it on."  
  
"That's an awful lot to remember," Quistis said, suddenly wishing that   
she'd brought a notebook with her.  
  
"It gets a lot more complicated. Don't worry, I won't bog you down with   
details that you don't need to know yet. It's a subject with a rich history.   
You might want to check out a book from the Library about it," Xu teased,   
knowing that Quistis had already done that without prior knowledge of what the   
Headmaster planned.  
  
"The pouch I gave you has 25 Scans and 25 Cures in it. Since magic is   
dependent upon beads and beads take up space, you're limited in how many you   
can carry. That's not a concern in most cases, but I wouldn't recommend having   
more then 100 beads of any given spell."   
  
Xu put the Scan bead in her hand back into the pouch. "Like so much that   
we do here, magic is a practice of focus," she fisted her right hand and   
brought it against her side. "Performing a sequence of movements helps to   
focus mental concentration," her left arm came up in a guarded position across   
her body. "Lock your mind onto what you want the spell to accomplish. Follow   
its progress as you go through the movements and-" She punched her right fist   
forward with the left guiding it. "CURE!"  
  
Quistis felt the tingle of the spell as it healed any wounds she might   
have had. It was a gentle spell in both its sensation and effect. She could   
tell that Xu had 'pulled her punch' to make the spell not have a significant   
effect. Xu pulled back from her final position. "Verbal announcement of the   
spell you're casting is a key to its success. It's kind of like a final   
focusing point."  
  
"How do I do that? Do I motion just like you did?" Xu's movements weren't   
that complicated, she could duplicate them if that was the key.  
  
"What form your focusing technique takes is entirely up to you, just so   
long as it really does help you focus. A lot of people make them overly   
complicated, which does more to distract from the spell than add to it."  
  
Quistis nodded her understanding and drew a Cure spell from her pouch.   
She rolled the tiny bead around between her fingers. It didn't feel any more   
important than a stone she might have picked up off the ground. It emitted no   
special energy and seemed quite ordinary.  
  
"Focus in your mind. Focus on healing a wound. Picture it mending up and   
the person being refreshed," Xu coached.  
  
She closed her eyes and tried to picture those things. She could feel the   
bead stirring in her hand and she tried to coax the power from it. Her mind   
followed her motions and she put everything she had behind accomplishing her   
goal.  
  
"Cure!" The results were disappointing. The power of the spell wouldn't   
have healed a paper cut.  
  
"Excellent!" Xu clasped her on the shoulder. "You're going to be good at   
this, I can tell all ready."  
  
"How can you say that?" Quistis lamented. "That was pathetically weak."  
  
Xu snorted in a very unlady-like manner. "When I first learned magic it   
took a full pouch of Cure spells before I had *any* results."  
  
"You're kidding!" She refused to believe that Xu had that much trouble   
learning something.  
  
Xu shrugged in dismissal of the point. "You at least have the idea of how   
to focus your mind on the magic. I noticed that your movements were jerky as   
you focused. Let's work on smoothing those out. I'm sure that will go a long   
ways towards increasing the power of your spells."  
  
In a few hours time they had exhausted Quistis' supply of Cure and Scan   
spells and had made a significant dent in Xu's bag. Quistis was feeling more   
confident in her ability to cast. Xu assured her that it was impossible to   
become a strong caster in a day, reiterating that it was a skill one built up   
over time like physical strength.  
  
They called it a day once the sun was set and the lights in the Quad came   
to life. Xu sent Quistis ahead to the Cafeteria for dinner while she returned   
to their room to store the spells away.  
  
"Why can't we bring them with us?" Quistis asked when Xu stated why she'd   
catch up with the younger girl at the Cafeteria.  
  
"Spells are dangerous things -- especially attack magic. Cadets are   
allowed to keep spells since they are a part of SeeD training, but there are   
strict regulations regarding where they are and aren't allowed to be. Just   
like no weapons are allowed in the classrooms, no spells are allowed either.   
The Cafeteria is another area where weapons and spells aren't welcome," Xu   
shooed her off to go claim them a table before it got crowded.  
  
Quistis didn't have to since Sean was already there eating.  
  
"What were you up to today, sprout?" He asked.  
  
"Xu taught me some magic," Quistis announced proudly. She sat on a chair   
and waited for her roommate to arrive before joining the dinner line.  
  
"Is that so?" In fact, he'd seen them practicing in the Quad when he was   
passing through. He wasn't sure *what* Xu was thinking by making a public   
spectacle of Quistis learning magic. That would only rile up those who   
believed Quistis was getting special treatment. He knew that Xu was instructed   
by the Headmaster to begin Quistis' magic training, but she could have chosen a   
less obvious place to do it. Their room wouldn't have worked, but perhaps the   
Infirmary with Doctor Kadowaki's permission...  
  
Xu came into the Cafeteria and Quistis rushed into line with her to get   
dinner.  
  
Sean put his elbow on the table and leaned his chin onto the palm of his   
hand heavily. No good could come of this. Never mind that the Quad was the   
training ground the Faculty used when they taught new students magic. Xu had   
thrown down the gantlet regarding a matter that had *finally* simmered down   
after Lee was transferred. He wondered if the Headmaster ordered her to make   
this public display? Xu could be very in your face at times, but he couldn't   
quite believe that she'd make this bold of a statement without some outside   
prompting.  
  
"Rude beast, get your elbow off the table," Xu knocked it out from under   
him after she set her tray down. He caught himself before his head bobbed too   
far.  
  
"Ah... Sorry," he corrected his posture and resumed eating. "Um, Xu,   
could we go for a walk? After dinner, you know?" Why was he suddenly so   
nervous? They'd gone out together several times for walks around the Garden to   
discuss things.  
  
"Yes."  
  
He waited for her to add some scathing remark to her answer. When none   
came he asked, "Yes?"  
  
She blinked and gave him a funny look. "Yes, we can go for a walk after   
dinner if you want."  
  
"You're not going to say anything else?"  
  
"I can tell that you have something on your mind," she took a bite of her   
dinner.  
  
"Y- you can?" Now he was feeling confused.  
  
"Yes, I can. There's still food on your plate," she pointed to his tray   
with her fork.  
  
He grinned. "That's the Xu I know."  
  
Quistis was glad to hear that her two mentors were getting along nicely.   
She knew that they went out together sometimes, but had no idea what they did.   
She liked them both and thought it was the perfect arrangement for them to be   
together.  
  
After dinner, Sean and Xu walked to the courtyard beyond the guarded inner   
gate of the Garden. They sat on a bench by one of the many fountains before   
either of them spoke.  
  
"What's on your mind?" Curiosity colored Xu's tone.  
  
Sean leaned back lazily, placing an arm across the back of the bench (and   
coincidentally behind her). He closed his eyes and sighed softly. "That's   
what I wanted to ask you," he said in a low voice. "What's up with making sure   
everyone saw Quistis learning magic today? We don't need any more problems."  
  
Xu leaned forward, her knees pressed together and her hands tightly   
clasped on her lap. "I know what you're thinking, it's what I thought when the   
Headmaster told me to train her in the Quad. We can't -- we *shouldn't* --   
hold her back because of their jealousy!" Xu's knuckles were white with barely   
contained anger.  
  
"You think I don't hear the murmurs, the slurs and the senseless rantings?   
Let every last one of them come and try to undermine her! She's better -- ten   
times better -- than they are. We'll come out on top in the end!"  
  
Sean felt a pang sorrow. Xu rarely became so frustrated, so distressed,   
with the world around her. She wanted nothing more than to lift Quistis higher   
up, beyond the reach of such petty human emotions -- Xu believed in the girl   
*that* much.  
  
He wanted to yell at her that Quistis could fend for herself. Xu had her   
own life to look after. Quistis had the Headmaster on her side; thus it wasn't   
Xu's responsibility to 'baby-sit' her. But he couldn't. He wouldn't believe   
such things if they were pointed out to him. For as firmly as his feet were   
grounded in reality, he knew what it meant to believe in someone that much. He   
believed in Xu with such fervor.  
  
Slowly, he brought his arm from the back of the bench and reached over to   
take her clinched hands in his own. Startled, she looked up at him. He held   
their hands up between them before speaking. "We'll make things work out   
together. I promise, my dear Xu."  
  
"Sean?"  
  
He smiled impishly; the shadows cast by the outside lights caused it to   
look more menacing than it was intended. "They can't defeat all three of us.   
We'll pull through this together."  
  
She returned his smile. "Thank you," she leaned back, relaxed now that   
her concerns were eased.  
  
"Any thoughts on what sort of fall-out this little stunt will reap?"  
  
"Nasty looks? Notes? Mean spirited things scrawled on the bathroom stall   
doors?" She shook her head. "No idea. We'll just have to keep our eyes open   
and make sure Quistis tells us if anything happens."  
  
"That's all we can do," Sean replied.  
  
A Faculty member came through the courtyard and warned them that lights   
out was in 15 minutes. The two students took the hint and began walking back   
to the Dormitory block. Sean was perhaps more of a gentleman than necessary   
when he opened all the doors for her and kept closer than social etiquette   
dictated as they walked. Xu didn't push him away and he didn't much care what   
others thought if they saw them. He wanted to make sure Xu understood that he   
was behind her completely and would do all he could to assist her and Quistis.  
  
"Thank you again, Sean," Xu squeezed his hand before going into her room.   
He stood in the hallway and sighed to himself.  
  
"You'll make an honest man of me yet."  
  
Back in the room Xu shared with Quistis the junior classman was still   
exuberant regarding today's magic training. She finished reading the books   
about magic that she'd checked out a few days ago and was anxious to pick up   
more tomorrow. One of the books mentioned a term that she didn't understand.   
Now that Xu was back, she could get answers.  
  
"What's a Guardian Force? One of the books I read mentioned it, but   
didn't go into details," Quistis sat on her chair and tried to not kick it back   
and forth. If she was going to be mature, she shouldn't be doing such things.  
  
"Well, let me show you," Xu pulled something out of a pouch on her utility   
belt. She placed a small, smooth stone in Quistis' hands. It was a striking   
icy-blue color and cold to the touch.  
  
"This is Shiva," she introduced. "Or, more precisely, a piece of Shiva's   
spirit. Guardian Forces are powerful creatures who allow humans to call them   
if they have their stone. When the time comes, you'll enter the Fire Cavern   
east of here to battle Ifrit. If you defeat him, Ifrit will award you a piece   
of his spirit, which will allow you to call him during battle.  
  
"Guardian Forces -- GFs for short -- cast their magic when summoned. For   
example, if you don't have any Blizzard spells, you could summon Shiva and have   
her cast a powerful ice spell for you."   
  
Quistis peered intently at the stone in her hand. A person could cast a   
powerful spell with just this? Was it like a super bead? Did it disappear   
after being used like beads did?  
  
Xu chuckled at all the questions as she voiced them. "GFs are unique.   
They won't disappear after a single use unless they are killed." Quistis'   
eyebrows crept up in surprise.  
  
"You heard right, they can die if they take too much damage. That's a   
living spirit-fragment you have in your hands. GFs have personalities,   
feelings, and become closely bound to their humans. If you don't use them for   
long periods of time, they can become stubborn and take longer to come when you   
do summon them. They're also very jealous of each other. Summoning one GF   
more often than the others will make the others rebellious and slow in reacting   
to your call."  
  
The stone was beginning to warm up as she held it in her hand. She could   
almost feel the spirit enjoying the attention it was receiving. "You make them   
sound like pets," Quistis commented as she stroked the stone. It *was*   
reacting to her touch.  
  
"Some *do* regard GFs as pets. I was raised to see them as spirits to be   
revered, but that's neither here nor there. The bottom line is that Guardian   
Forces, like any other living thing, need attention and love.  
  
"I could go on for hours regarding the various aspects of Guardian Forces,   
but I think I've answered your question. Did you have any others?"  
  
"When do I begin training with them?" The stone was a cozy warmth in her   
hand. For being a spirit of ice it was quite friendly towards her.  
  
"You'll learn about them after becoming a cadet. Actually using them is   
taught during the last year of SeeD training," Xu took the stone back and   
stored it away in her pouch. "Don't worry, you'll get your own piece of Shiva   
soon enough. Knowing her, she'll remember you and expect to be petted again."   
The look of amusement on Xu's face made Quistis smile.  
  
*****  
  
The consequences from Quistis' magic training began as early as breakfast   
the next morning. Sean was eating alone at a table when a group of his friends   
joined him.  
  
"Hey there, Sean, you lucky dog you," Eugene punched him on the arm after   
sitting down.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I saw you and Xu talking in the courtyard last night," Jessie explained,   
smiling with joy for his friend. "Things are really getting hot between you   
two, huh?"  
  
"It's not official until it's posted on the message board," another of his   
friends, LeVar, said dryly without looking up from the book he was reading.   
The message board was meant for school related announcements, but was more   
often used for rumor-mongering and spam posts.  
  
"We're not going out," Sean protested, though he wished he could say that   
they were...  
  
"Oh? It's probably better that way, to be honest. Xu is Quistis'   
roommate and I wouldn't want to be Quistis for anything right now," Eugene   
began shoveling food into his mouth before Sean could get what he meant by that   
out of him. He turned to one of the others to fill him in.  
  
"What's wrong with Quistis?"  
  
"Xu was teaching her magic in the Quad yesterday. I heard that some of   
the newbie SeeD cadets are taking offense at a junior classman learning   
something they haven't been taught yet," Jessie frowned. "I can understand why   
they're mad, but she's only a kid."  
  
"They'd be stupid to try anything after the Headmaster busted Lee," Eugene   
snorted.  
  
"They would have to be caught first," LeVar pointed out, finally looking   
up from his book. LeVar was a close contender to besting Quistis for the   
bookworm award. Being richly intelligent himself, LeVar was probably the one   
who understood Quistis' gift the most.  
  
"You guys wouldn't do anything, would you?" He'd be in over his head if   
Xu scared off his contacts to the more restless crowd. She could battle them   
head-on if she wanted. Subversion was more his tactic.  
  
"Why do you think we're telling you this?" Eugene quickly finished eating   
then stood up. "Take care!" He patted Sean on the chest, slipping a small   
piece of paper into his shirt pocket. The other two left with Eugene.  
  
Sean didn't fish into his pocket for the paper until he went to the   
bathroom to wash his hands after breakfast. The paper was a short list of   
numbers. He puzzled over it for a minute. There was the right number of   
digits to be student ID numbers, but they were all over the spectrum on the   
number scale. If these were student numbers, some of them would have left the   
Garden years ago. Then he noticed that most of them *ended* with the same   
number. He reversed the digit order in his mind and immediately started   
putting numbers to faces. It was a list of people to watch out for.  
  
"Thanks guys," he whispered before slipping the paper back into his   
pocket.  
  
The next few days were spent going down the list to have heart-to-heart   
talks with each of the students on it. To convince some of them, it meant   
encouraging them to do better on their own studies and not to worry about a   
girl. For others, it involved promising the wrath of Xu should anything   
unfavorable happen to Quistis. The truly stubborn ones needed to be reminded   
of the lesson the Headmaster taught with Lee.  
  
Most of it wasn't pretty. There *was* a lot of anger and resentment going   
around. He didn't report to the Headmaster or Xu what he was finding. Things   
would only get worse if either of them stuck their nose into this morale   
problem. Keeping Quistis' extraordinary abilities out of sight for a while   
would calm most of them down, but Xu was right -- why should they hold Quistis   
back because of petty jealousy?  
  
What they really needed was something to rally behind. Perhaps a little   
spinning to make Quistis into a poster child for the Garden? Now *that* wasn't   
a half-bad idea! He invited the same group of guys who had originally tipped   
him off to his room for a meeting. He was going to need their help if he   
wanted to start a trend.  
  
"You're joking, right?" Eugene grimaced. "Sean, things will get *worse*   
if you start polarizing the student body."  
  
Sean nodded to acknowledge the possibility of that happening. "On the   
other hand, we could unite the student body if it works. Things can't continue   
as they're going. What kind of example will this set for the classes *after*   
Quistis if they see that she's ostracized for excelling?"  
  
"I hadn't thought of that," Eugene murmured, leaning back in his chair.   
"What do you guys think?" He addressed LeVar and Jessie for the first time   
during their conversation.  
  
"We need a catch phrase or a motto or something," Jessie scowled as he   
tried to think of one.  
  
"A name would be a nice start," LeVar was looking rather bored with this   
entire discussion. Sean knew that, more than the other two, LeVar had the most   
riding on Quistis -- if for no other reason then as a sign of acceptance for   
bookworms Garden-wide.  
  
"'Defenders of Quistis'?" Jessie suggested.  
  
"Don't be stupid. That would *definitely* polarize the student body!"   
Eugene snapped.  
  
Sean rubbed his chin. "How about... 'Trepies'?"  
  
"Trepies?" That name didn't bounce off of Eugene well either.  
  
"Clever play of the words 'groupies' and 'Trepe'," LeVar commented.  
  
"And it sounds cute!" Jessie's eyes lit up already sold on the idea.  
  
"So what are we Trepies going to do? Go around the defend Quistis   
whenever someone criticizes her?" Eugene was skeptical of the idea as a whole,   
but was at least willing to be persuaded.  
  
"Hardly," LeVar said firmly. "We will *celebrate* the gifts of this youth   
and the brilliance of the Garden at being able to develop them to their fullest   
potential."  
  
"There you go!" Sean clapped his hands together at their cleverness. "We   
shouldn't be bold in our approach, but infectious; like a disease. We'll sneak   
her into their hearts and cause the student body to love her."  
  
"You've finally fallen off the deep end, my friend," Eugene patted Sean on   
the shoulder. "Come along, boys, we've got work to do." He stood up and led   
the other two cadets out of Sean's room. The idea might be a half-cracked one,   
but if it worked...  
  
Shifting the outlook of a student body was hard work, but Sean was up to   
the task. He *begged* Xu not to throw Quistis into anyone's face for a few   
months. He needed that time to get people acclimated to the idea that Quistis   
was what they were striving for. If a child could do it, they could too.  
  
Xu swore that he was off his rocker, but agreed to do things his way for   
the time being. She spent more time with Quistis, tutoring her in private,   
while he spent his spare time promoting their cause. He never did speak with   
the Headmaster about what he was doing, nor did he know if Xu had.  
  
He did request that they keep Quistis ignorant regarding this matter. The   
girl was insecure as it was, knowing that they were out there trying to stop   
people from hating her for doing what she was supposed to wouldn't do anything   
for her self-esteem. And it might encourage her to take matters into her own   
hands by holding herself back. Social acceptance was a natural thing to crave,   
but it could also be like a ball and chain at times.  
  
Quistis did notice that Sean wasn't spending as much time with them as he   
used to. She asked Xu why he wasn't coming around much anymore. Did they get   
into a fight?  
  
Xu assured the girl that they hadn't fought more than they usually did.   
He was simply busy with his current class load. And didn't she get to see him   
twice a day because of her classes? That was more than Xu got to see him.  
  
The girl's heart was set at ease by the last point, though she was sad   
that Xu didn't get to see Sean as much as she did. Xu said that it was all   
right, school had to take priority. Sean would come around again once he had   
the time to.  
  
*****  
  
"So, any plans for the winter break?" Sean was sitting next to Xu on a   
bench in the outer courtyard. They'd mutually agreed on this spot as their   
place to unwind and talk about whatever was on their minds. Usually it was   
Quistis or their progress in SeeD training. Sometimes they talked about their   
dreams for the future, or the pasts they'd given up to go chasing those dreams.  
  
"I'm going to stay here," her breath was visible on this chilly winter   
evening as it hung between them.  
  
"Because of Quistis?" He hazarded a guess. Xu hadn't spent her breaks at   
the Garden before and there really wasn't any reason for her to besides that   
one.  
  
She nodded. "You know that she's an orphan, right? She doesn't have any   
place to go during the break, so I figured that I would stay here and keep her   
company."  
  
"Alright then, I'll stay here as well," he grinned at her.  
  
"Silly man, you should go visit your family. I remember you telling me   
that your sister had a baby not long ago. You should go see your niece before   
you become a SeeD. You might not have the opportunity for a while afterwards,"   
she chided. The offer to stay here and keep them company was very sweet of   
him. Because they might not have the opportunity to go home for years most   
people vacated the Garden during the breaks.  
  
"I've been neglecting the two ladies in my life. I must spend my break   
with you both to make up for it," he effected a charming air about him.  
  
Xu smiled softly, feeling for the first time in a long while that all was   
right with the world. Sean had gone the distance to calm the waters when she   
would have mixed things up. They took two different approaches on life and   
somehow ended up meeting in the middle. She wasn't sure where the line between   
friendship and relationship was drawn, but didn't think they'd crossed it yet.   
'Yet' being the operative word since she wasn't sure where the growth of   
understanding between them would stop.  
  
A part of her truly enjoyed their friendship as it was. Another part of   
her longed for it to be more. Then the dutiful part of her would come stomping   
in and squish the longing and remind her that she had other matters to attend   
to. She considered the confusion that she felt as a given and hoped that it   
would pass quickly.  
  
When Xu spoke with Quistis later that evening, she was thrilled to learn   
that they were going to stay during the winter break. She'd assumed that they   
would return to their hometowns.  
  
"What did we say about the Garden being our home?" Xu teased her gently.   
"I've heard that Balamb has a Winter Festival. I've often wondered what it   
was. I'm sure we'll get the chance to check it out."  
  
They did that among many other activities. The Garden was nearly emptied   
of its student body, leaving most of the facilities free of crowds when they   
wanted to use them. They did maintain a work out schedule filled with more   
games than things like weight training. Quistis would sometimes go to the   
Library while Xu and Sean took long walks together. She didn't mind giving   
them time to themselves and was pleased to see them getting along so well.  
  
Quistis took a great deal of joy in being the first one out to the Quad in   
the mornings to look at (and then play in) the new snow fall. Xu and Sean   
usually weren't long in joining her. Snowball fights often erupted between the   
three of them. They would wage their battles uninterrupted until one morning   
when an unexpected visitor was hit in the crossfire.  
  
"Headmaster!" Quistis scurried out from behind the tree she was hiding   
behind. Sean and Xu came from their positions to stand before the Headmaster.  
  
"Hmph, yes, indeed," he brushed the snow off of his winter coat. "It's   
been quite a while since a student has managed to get me with a snowball, and   
that's not for lack of trying, mind you." He waggled a finger at Quistis with   
a smile tugging at the stern expression on his face.  
  
He carefully looked over the small force. Judging by where the three of   
them came out from, it was two on one against Quistis. "It would seem to me   
that Miss Trepe has been woefully outnumbered by the upper classmen," he paced   
around them. "And so I have no choice but to join Miss Trepe's forces in hopes   
of turning the tide of the battle."  
  
"Headmaster?" Quistis couldn't believe her ears. He shoo-ed her to get   
back behind the tree. He then took cover near her while the two cadets hurried   
back to their previous positions. "If we work together, we can pick off one   
and then the other."  
  
Quistis nodded her understanding. She quickly made a pile of snowballs so   
that she wouldn't have to stop and 'reload' mid-battle. The Headmaster was   
likewise building a small pile of snowballs. "Let's attack the more aggressive   
unit first since they pose the most immediate threat," Cid motioned towards Xu.  
  
Cid positioned himself carefully so that he wasn't in Sean's direct line   
of fire while still being able to throw at Xu. He counted down the attack. At   
one, both of them stood up and began pelting Xu with a barrage of snowballs.   
She was forced to retreat behind a bench or come out covered in snow. The   
Headmaster then rushed to another position. They focused their attack on   
taking Sean out. He kept near a tree for cover. It would have been a draw if   
they hadn't finally caught him in a crossfire from either side, forcing him to   
yield.  
  
Cid came out and brushed off what snow clung to him. "There's a lesson in   
teamwork to be learned from this. How else could two SeeD cadets be defeated   
soundly by a crabby old man and a junior classman?" He gave them all an   
appraising look before walking off, acting as though he hadn't just engaged in   
a childish snow fight.  
  
Word of the snow wars in the Quad quickly spread and the Headmaster was   
prompt to organize those students who showed up into teams for more effective   
battling. Most of the students were willing to overlook the fact that they   
were actually learning something because they were enjoying themselves so much.   
Many of them also came to know Quistis better, and thus realized that while she   
may be book smart she was still very much a child. That, Sean was glad to   
discover, did more for boosting her reputation than the Trepies had managed   
thus far.  
  
When the rest of the student body began returning, those who had stayed at   
Balamb Garden were able to match them story for story. It was a rare thing to   
have such adventures when few people were around. Some students were already   
planning on sticking around next break if this was what they were missing out   
on.  
  
*****  
  
Spring came early to the Alcauld Plains. Quistis found herself missing   
the snow, but not too much. She was more fascinated with how the numerous   
gardens of Balamb were blooming from their seasonal rest. The many bright   
flowers were a delight to her eyes and treat for her nose.  
  
Sean's idea of enjoying the outdoors was to spend his free days in Balamb   
fishing off of the dock with his friends. Xu and she would sometimes walk to   
town with him and then part ways as they went to explore the coastal town's   
shops.   
  
It did come as a surprise when Sean invited Quistis to go fishing with him   
during the next free day. Xu was scheduled to be gone for a few days on a   
training mission, so it would be just the two of them. Quistis was unsure how   
much she'd enjoy fishing. It didn't seem to be a very *active* sport, just   
sitting there for several hours while waiting for something to happen. Sean   
coaxed her into coming by pointing out that she could bring a book with her to   
read if she was bored.  
  
"We've got to get you outdoors more. You're pasty white as it is!" He   
teased.  
  
He came by her room early in the morning, bringing with him two breakfasts   
he'd ordered the previous night. They left the Garden as soon as the guard   
would let them off the grounds. The monsters didn't so much as sniff at them   
as they walked to Balamb. 'Guess they're not early risers,' Quistis thought to   
herself with a yawn punctuating her own opinion of being up so early.  
  
Sean had a fisherman friend who lent him a pole whenever he came around to   
spend a day on the dock. They caught up with the man as he was preparing to go   
out fishing himself. He gave Sean his usual pole and found a shorter one for   
Quistis that his grandchildren used whenever they visited him. Out on the dock   
Sean got her set up and helped her cast her line before doing so himself.  
  
It was as boring as Quistis thought it would be. She kicked her feet off   
the edge of the dock as she watched her reflection in the water. Idly, she   
wondered what the little fishies under the water were thinking about. Were   
they laughing at her feeble attempt to catch them? If she were in their   
position, she'd probably be laughing.  
  
"How are you doing, sprout?" Sean asked while reeling his line in to   
recast it.  
  
"Okay. Just thinking about the fishies," she yawned hugely. The sun   
hadn't been up for an hour yet and she was already tired.  
  
"Yeah, that's why I like fishing. It gives me the chance to get away from   
the Garden and to sit and think," he flicked his wrists, sending the line out   
into the water. "I'm glad you came with me today. I've been wanting to talk   
to you when Xu wasn't around."  
  
"Oh?" Quistis' curiosity was piqued. She felt a bit guilty about having a   
conversation with Sean that purposefully excluded Xu, but he must have a good   
reason.  
  
He scooted himself closer to her. "You've come a long way. I don't think   
even the Headmaster himself could've imagined the things you've accomplished.   
We're all very proud of you and want to see you continue to succeed.  
  
"I say this because a lot of things are going to happen during the next   
school year. Most important of these events is Xu's graduation. If I'm   
figuring her classes correctly, she should finish up around winter break. I   
don't doubt that Xu *will* complete her training and become a member of SeeD,   
do you?"  
  
Quistis shook her head, her mind already racing ahead to where this   
conversation was leading.  
  
"In short, she'd going to be leaving us. SeeDs are in high demand right   
now and the Headmaster won't waste a person with Xu's talent by having her   
stationed at the Garden."  
  
She felt her lower lip begin to quiver. The thought of Xu leaving her was   
crushing, just like her parents had left her-- Sean quickly put an arm around   
her and held her close. "Aww, sprout, I didn't mean to make you cry, but this   
is something we need to discuss. It's not like Xu will never come back, she   
will eventually.  
  
"I'm not far behind Xu. I'll be graduating next summer if I pass the   
exams. I want to make sure that there are no surprises for you, and for you to   
appreciate the time we have together before duty claims us."  
  
"You both will be leaving me," she was crying now, the tears streaking   
down her face. He quickly pulled his line up from the water and put the pole   
on the dock, then did the same for her pole. He pulled her up onto his lap so   
that he could hold her.  
  
"The life of a SeeD requires us to be mobile -- to be able to put down   
roots and pull them up again at a moment's notice. But even if we do leave,   
that doesn't mean our friendship ends.   
Rest assured that I will always be your friend and that you are in my thoughts   
and heart," he rocked them back and forth gently.  
  
This was as difficult as he thought it would be. Children tended to live   
in the moment without any concept of what the upcoming months -- or even   
tomorrow -- would bring. It wouldn't be right to disappear on the kid without   
warning her of the inevitability. He and Xu had discussed this difficult   
moment and figured it would be easier on Quistis if he was the one to say it.  
  
It was easy to forget how emotionally uncertain Quistis was. She had such   
a commanding grasp of knowledge-based materials that it was easy to assume her   
control applied in other areas as well. Alas, intellectual prowess and   
emotional maturity were two entirely different things. They'd done all they   
could to create a safe environment for her to explore her intellect at the   
possible cost of her emotional growth. Sometimes the best-learned lessons were   
those which are the most painful. He hated to think that way, but it was an   
unfortunate truth.  
  
Quistis continued to sob softly into his tee shirt. He stroked her hair   
reassuringly while cooing that things would be all right. "Nothing can stay as   
it is forever," he whispered softly. "For better or worst, things will always   
keep changing. Let that be a comforting thought."  
  
"But I *like* how things are now. I'm happy being at Balamb with you and   
Xu and the Headmaster," she sniffled, then rubbed her face against his chest.  
  
He forced himself not to scold her for soiling his tee shirt. Instead he   
replied, "What if things are even *better* further along? You never know what   
the future holds. You'll make new friends *in addition to* the ones you have   
now." He was careful to emphasize that she wasn't replacing her current   
friends, only adding to them.  
  
"Do I need more friends?" She gave him a questioning look.  
  
"Sprout, a person should go for as many friends as they can get. A friend   
will help you out when you're in a jam. Just be sure that they are *true*   
friends and not people who are simply using you."  
  
"Why would someone try to use me?" Her tears were drying up as this new   
topic caught her interest.  
  
"Well, because you're smart. They might want you to do their work for   
them," he quickly thought of an example. He didn't think their was anyone at   
Balamb who would try to take advantage of the girl, but if she was willing to   
be warned about such people at this point in time...  
  
She considered it. "They wouldn't learn anything if I did their work for   
them," she reasoned.  
  
"That's part of it. It's also dishonest to pass someone else's work off   
as your own. You shouldn't use other people's work, nor give your work out for   
others to use." She laid her head back against his chest, her thin arms   
wrapped around him for support. He stopped speaking. Right now, whatever he   
had to say could wait, just so long as Quistis was comforted.  
  
He was startled when he discovered that she was sleeping soundly. He must   
have gotten her up too early. 'And Xu said that Quistis woke up at the same   
time she did,' he chuckled to himself. It would give him something to tease   
her about later. He shifted his legs to prevent them from falling sleep.   
Quistis didn't even stir. Sean resigned himself to the fact that the next   
couple hours of his life were going to be spent as a bed for the girl sleeping   
on his lap.  
  
*****  
  
A new class of students joined Balamb Garden. Quistis was glad to no   
longer be one of the new students. Xu told her that she had to be an example   
for the newer students and help them out when they needed it. That didn't   
bother her at all. She liked showing the new ones around the Garden.  
  
It also meant that Quistis' classes changed again, though most of her   
classmates remained the same as they advanced a grade with her. The one major   
change for her was that her hand-to-hand class was now a weapons course. Part   
of their time was spent in a classroom studying the history of various weapons,   
while the rest was in the training room to study their use.  
  
It was a topic both Sean and Xu were glad to discuss and offer advice on.   
Having them together often turned the discussion into a debate since they   
believed in radically different styles. Sean preferred an approach that   
emphasized defense and attacking only when it was safe to do so. Xu favored a   
strong offense that gambled on taking out the enemy before a defense was   
necessary.  
  
Quistis wasn't sure which ideology fit her better since she could see the   
merits of both. She mentioned this to Xu, who replied that there were many   
other ideologies besides the ones they presented. There was plenty of middle   
ground between where she and Sean stood for Quistis to find a spot.  
  
Every person at the Garden, upper and junior classman alike, was required   
to learn basic hand-to-hand skills and how to use a belt knife before they were   
allowed to choose a weapon to specialize in. Both of these disciplines were   
high energy and left her feeling exhausted by the end of a training session.   
Sean insisted that she eat a solid, high calorie breakfast on the mornings that   
she was training in the afternoon. 'You're going to need every ounce of it,   
sprout,' he'd then mess up her hair or tug on her pony tail.  
  
When her mentors could join her for open training sessions, they would.   
Sean laid claim to her as a hand-to-hand partner. He instructed her to go at   
him with everything she had and to not worry about hurting him. She was   
hesitant at first, not because she was afraid of hurting him, but because it   
seemed wrong to strike at her mentor. So he would taunt her verbally and take   
cheap shots until she was provoked into retaliating.  
  
"Come on, Quistis, you can throw me!" He stood perfectly still as she   
struggled to get the leverage she needed to bring him over her shoulder.   
Frustrated, he knocked her feet out from under her, causing her to fall solidly   
on her butt.  
  
"How can I throw you?! You're so much bigger than I am," she pouted as   
she resumed standing.  
  
"Size will fall to technique, you know that," he scolded. "Be mindful of   
where you put your feet. They were way out of position."  
  
He stood still again as she grabbed hold of his gi and tried to set   
herself into the correct position. She just couldn't quite get him around--   
He unceremoniously dumped her on her butt again.  
  
"Do you need to be shown the position again?" He asked her. She shook her   
head angrily and took hold of his gi after standing.  
  
The third time he knocked her down with impatience was too much. She   
lunged at him, dropping him to the mat with an unexpected tackle to the waist.  
  
He blinked in surprise, then grinned. "That's one way to bring me down,   
though I wouldn't use that technique too often in battle," he offered her a   
hand up after standing himself.  
  
"I'm sorry," she apologized meekly.  
  
"You shouldn't be. You should be riled up while in combat, but in a   
controlled manner. It's good to see you fired up," he tugged on his gi to   
straighten it back out. "Let me show you the throw again. I don't doubt that   
you have the concept of how to do it, but foot placement is crucial."  
  
Once Sean had worn away her inhibitions of striking her mentors, she began   
training against Xu. It was difficult for her to attack Xu under any   
circumstances, but the fact that Xu wanted her to do it with a belt knife made   
it all the more so.  
  
"You have to trust in Xu's ability to stop you. Personally, I trust her   
ability to stop most anything with her technique except the train between   
Deling City and Timber," Sean winked at Quistis. She was still unconvinced.  
  
Sean frowned for a moment. "Ah, we'll demonstrate that it's okay!" He   
pulled out the knife that was sheathed on his belt. Xu acknowledge his   
challenge with a quick bow then put her sai up.   
  
Quistis' eyes glazed over as she watched them fight. Xu had an incredible   
speed advantage, while Sean's advantage in reach was just as significant. It   
did appear as if both of them were going all out with Xu successfully defending   
against his jabs and swipes. A junior classman like her wouldn't be nearly as   
difficult to defend against as Sean was. After a few more minutes they   
disengaged and acknowledged the other's efforts.  
  
"Ready to give it a try?" Sean asked, panting slightly. Xu hadn't even   
broken a sweat.  
  
"You have Cure spells, right?" Quistis asked.  
  
He patted one of the pouches that was on his belt. "Don't I always when   
we're here?"  
  
She took her position across the mat from Xu and pulled out the knife that   
was on her belt. Xu bowed briefly to acknowledge their upcoming battle.   
Quistis advanced carefully on the guarding Xu. She stuck her knife out only to   
have it promptly knocked out of her hand by a quick motion of the sai.  
  
"Er-" Quistis looked over at her knife where landed against the wall.  
  
"Well? Go get it," Sean prompted when she just stood there. "Keep a firm   
grip on your knife. Xu isn't known for pulling her punches very well."  
  
Xu sniffed indignantly. "I pull them for everyone but you," she   
corrected.  
  
Quistis scurried back into position with her knife in hand. Her attacks   
were still timid and easily blocked by her roommate.  
  
"Strike at her more aggressively," Sean coached from the edge of the mat.   
"Xu's a big girl, she can take it!"  
  
She swiped at Xu with her knife, then came back in to jab at her. Picking   
up the pace of the battle could only work to Xu's advantage, but her body   
wanted to go faster. She lunged, then swung. Xu avoided the last two advances   
by simply dodging.  
  
"Don't get too wild! Aggressive, controlled strikes are what you're   
trying for," Sean called to her.  
  
She disengaged for a moment to wipe away the sweat on her forehead. She   
resisted the urge to giggle when she noticed that Xu's hair had almost   
completely freed itself from the tail it was once in. 'If she grew it just a   
bit longer, she wouldn't have that problem,' Quistis thought to herself.  
  
She battled Xu for a while longer before Sean called a stop to their   
session. "It's nearly dinner time and you both are in desperate need of a   
shower."  
  
"Trust you to know when a meal time is fast approaching," Xu glanced up at   
the wall chronometer and saw that he was correct. "Nice work, Quistis.   
There's a lot to be done with your technique, but you kept your attacks varied,   
which is a good start."  
  
"Indeed," Sean agreed. "I'm going to take a quick shower myself and then   
claim us a table."  
  
"What makes you think that we won't beat you there?" Xu asked with a   
challenging edge to her tone.  
  
"You're women. It's your obligation to keep men waiting!" He waved at   
them as he left for the locker room.  
  
Xu shook her head at being stun by that clever rascal.  
  
Point in fact, Sean did beat them to the Cafeteria. He already had his   
tray of food and was politely waiting for them to get their dinners before   
eating. They were well into their meals when Quistis noticed that Sean had   
something sitting across his lap.  
  
"Oh! Sorry, my mind was focused on something else," he said as he looked   
down.  
  
Xu snorted from her edge of the square table.  
  
"Hush you," he growled playfully. He turned to speak with Quistis.   
"There are a lot of things they don't tell you about in the classroom. One of   
those things is the importance of a good utility belt, or, in lieu of that, the   
importance of wearing clothes with many pockets. As you may have noticed,   
there are a lot of things SeeDs have to keep on them -- belt knife, spell   
beads, items, Guardian Forces, cards -- they're a mobile shop!  
  
"So, I had a belt made for you last time I went fishing in Balamb," he   
handed the leather belt over to her. It was very broad, as wide as the palm of   
her hand. It had a heavy metal buckle with two teeth to thread through the   
holes.  
  
"Thank you, Sean," she admired her new belt.  
  
Xu raised an eyebrow once she got a good look at it. "Your heart's in the   
right place, Sean, but women don't wear clothes with belt loops quite *that*   
large." 'Not that men do either,' she added silently.  
  
"I know. I figured she could let it ride on her hips once she has them,"   
his impish grin appeared.  
  
"Impudent, you are," Xu chided lightly.  
  
"I live to perv," he quipped. Quistis didn't understand that remark, but   
judging by the look on Xu's face; Sean was going to get it later on.  
  
Whether or not he did, she'd never know. He did come by later that   
evening to ask her if she wanted to go fishing with him during the next free   
day. Xu was already committed to go play war games with some of her   
classmates, so it would be the two of them again. She accepted his offer,   
though not to fish. She'd just sit on the dock and read as he tried to catch   
the clever fishies with his silly pole and line.  
  
Sean didn't wake her up quite as early has he did last time. The sun was   
fully above the horizon as they walked to Balamb. The monsters seemed to be as   
restless as she was feeling. Twice Bite Bugs attacked them as they made their   
way. Each time, Sean quickly picked off the Bite Bugs until there was only one   
left. That one he left for her to battle.  
  
She wasn't too confident in her knife skills the first time she struck at   
the monster. It retaliated by attacking Sean for insignificant damage. Her   
mentor encouraged her to boldly go up there and plunge her knife into it. She   
tried that tactic, shoving the belt knife as hard as she could into the   
monster's small body. It seized up then fell to the ground.  
  
She was both fascinated and horrified that killing monsters came so   
easily. She felt little remorse for the life she just ended, even if it was   
the life of a monster. Once they were settled in on the dock for the day, she   
asked Sean about it.  
  
"Not feeling sorry for killing a monster, huh?" He slowly reeled his line   
in as he considered it. "I won't belittle you by saying that they're lesser   
creatures and deserve death for attacking humans, though that is a point some   
use. I've been told that the reason we don't feel remorse when we kill   
monsters is because humans naturally devalue the life of lesser creatures."  
  
"I see..." she did, sort of. From the point of view of a Shumi, humans   
must be only a step up from the monsters they fought against.  
  
Sean continued musing aloud. "It's an interesting subject to think about   
-- the whole issue of monsters. Xu might be a better person to ask. Has she   
told you much about her family's beliefs?"  
  
"She told me that they don't believe in eating meat since that would make   
them just like the monsters," she answered promptly.  
  
He had drawn his line in all the way by now. He cast it out again and   
repeated the slow reeling in process before speaking. "That's part of it. Her   
family is very traditionalist. They have a long history and can tell you   
stories of times when there were no monsters roaming around, if you can believe   
that!  
  
"Her family doesn't believe that monsters are the Ultimate Evil that they   
are generally portrayed as. They tend to think that monsters have as much of a   
right to life as humans do. They consider them as just another class of   
animal. An aggressive animal, certainly, but not deserving of outright   
extermination (like that's possible)," he added in an aside.  
  
Quistis blinked with surprise. She had assumed that *everyone* viewed   
monsters as a common enemy. The thought that her *roommate* was related to a   
group that afforded them the same rights as a human was shocking. "Then why   
does Xu kill monsters?"  
  
Sean chuckled, knowing what was going through her mind. "She's an only   
child, but she's had more than one cousin killed by the buggers.  
  
"Her parents didn't exactly approve of her career choice, but they didn't   
stop her either," he added thoughtfully. "They're into peaceful co-existence   
while their 'rebellious' daughter has chosen the path of violence. Such an   
ideological difference in any other family probably would have resulted in Xu   
being disowned. Fortunately, her parents believe that following her destined   
path takes precedence over their personal convictions," he shrugged in a way to   
indicate that he held no opinion on that matter.  
  
"Xu has kept the diet her family has maintained for generations. She also   
respects their beliefs while visiting them and refrains from killing any   
monsters unless a person's life is in immediate danger. Living without killing   
*can* be done, it just involves a lot of inconveniences and being constantly   
vigilant."  
  
"I never realized there was so much behind Xu," Quistis admitted.  
  
"*Every* person has a story, sprout. That's why listening is one of the   
most important skills you can develop. The more you know about a person and   
their past, the better you will be able to work with them in the future." It   
was a profound thought for her to mull over.  
  
They sat together in amiable silence until the sun reached mid-sky. Sean   
stood up and stretched. He'd only had a few nibbles and was getting the   
nibbles himself. "Let's get some lunch," he put the pole over his shoulder and   
led them to the nearby cafe.  
  
A broad umbrella guarded them from the sun as they sat at a small table on   
a patio. Soon a man with an apron tied about his waist came out to take their   
order. Sean ordered his usual -- whatever that was -- while she got a   
sandwich.  
  
"You should appreciate these quiet days while you have," he said, closing   
his eyes as he enjoyed the cool spring breeze that blew gently.  
  
"What do you mean?" She asked.  
  
He leaned forward in his chair. "There's no denying that you're going to   
live an exciting life. Things may have settled down after the Sorceress Wars,   
but there are still monsters roaming this planet and SeeDs are in demand. Me?   
I'll probably end up as some sort of SeeD grunt, but I see you leading a unit   
of SeeDs into battle."  
  
Quistis blushed and slid down in her chair. She was eleven years old.   
Where were all these qualities they said they could see in her hiding? She   
certainly didn't see them.  
  
Sean chuckled at her discomfort, and then motioned for her to sit up when   
their food arrived. The waiter set a sandwich before her. In front of Sean he   
set a medium sized pizza.  
  
"Are you really going to eat all that?" She boggled.  
  
"Every delicious slice," he pulled one off the pan, the stringy cheese   
making it difficult to do so neatly, and took a bite. "Unless you want some,   
of course," he motioned for her to eat up. She shook her head, then changed   
the subject.  
  
"You know, I don't think I've ever seen you catch a fish."  
  
Sean gagged on his pizza, pounding his chest as he swallowed it down.  
  
"I catch plenty of fish! I just let them go," he waved away her doubts   
about his fishing skill. "Balamb fish aren't very good for eating anyway."  
  
She smiled between bites of her sandwich. She'd been learning from Xu how   
to tease Sean. He reflexively ran his fingers through his hair before   
returning to his meal. After lunch, he spent the rest of the day trying to   
prove that he really could catch a fish. If only someone had told the fish to   
co-operate with him.  
  
*****  
  
With Sean and Xu tutoring her it didn't take long for Quistis to pass the   
pre-requisite weapons tests that came before selecting a weapon to specialize   
in. She thought hard regarding which one she would choose. Her research led   
her to a weapon that didn't require the stamina of Xu's sai, yet had the   
finesse Sean's pistol lacked.  
  
"I'm going to study the whip!" Quistis told them both while they played a   
game of Triple Triad during a study break one night.  
  
Xu shot Sean a glare that could have pinned him to the wall. "Don't you   
*dare* say anything," she growled under her breath.  
  
"My mind wasn't in the gutter, was yours?" He asked innocently as he put a   
card down.  
  
Once again she didn't understand what they were talking about. Sometimes   
she thought that teenagers had a language of their own.  
  
Xu began asking her questions about the whip since she didn't think there   
were any cadets currently training with one. In fact, there was one other. He   
was in the class ahead of Quistis. The Faculty already stated its intentions   
of training them together, so some scheduling adjustments might be needed.  
  
It was tougher than Quistis thought. Not only did the whip require fine   
wrist control, but there was also the risk of it snapping back and hitting her.   
She learned to not be timid when trying to master her weapon from her training   
sessions with Xu and Sean.  
  
Her diligence paid off sooner than she expected. A few short months after   
picking up the whip for the first time and the Faculty passed her as competent   
enough to enter the SeeD program. Weapons work was the last hurdle she had to   
cross before she had the pre-requisites to join.  
  
Happy coincidence had picked the day for her becoming a cadet to be the   
same as her birthday. It was the only thing she wanted and she got it. Sean   
was anxious to see Quistis in her new uniform. She giggled at his enthusiasm   
since the new uniform looked just like her old one with the exception of a SeeD   
patch being sewn on the upper arm.  
  
The patch on her arm and the new set of goals were the only things to   
change in her life. Her classes remained the same since she was already doing   
upper division work. Her weapons and magic training would become more intense   
now, but not until after the winter break when they reevaluated and placed   
students. 'It would be easier to continue as you have been for six more weeks   
than to disrupt your learning with the pressures of catching up,' the   
Headmaster explained to her.  
  
That brought an abrupt halt to her exuberance. How could time pass so   
quickly? Xu would be up for the SeeD exams by the winter break!  
  
Six weeks. The time seemed to drag on but to also pass too quickly. Xu   
was incredibly busy with finishing up final requirements. It seemed like she   
was gone more than she was around. Sean tried to spend more time with Quistis,   
knowing that she was sometimes lonely without her roommate around.  
  
She tried to accept that Xu would be leaving soon as best as she could.   
It would be hard for her to say good-bye, but Sean was right, good-bye wasn't   
forever. She would see Xu again.  
  
*****  
  
Sean tapped on the door to the room Quistis and Xu shared. He knew Xu was   
in, and so waited patiently when she was slow in answering. The group of   
cadets Xu was with on a training mission had returned an hour earlier. After   
getting a look at the rest of them, he knew that Xu would be in less than   
excellent condition.  
  
"You look like you were slapped around by a Grat," he said sympathetically   
after coming in. Xu had called for whoever it was to let themselves in, too   
tired to get up and answer the door herself. She was stretched out along   
Quistis' lower bunk, which doubled as a couch.  
  
"I'd feel better if I were. I found muscles I didn't know I had. They're   
tight all over," she winced as she leaned up to greet him.  
  
"It's a good thing I stopped by." Sean gave one of his charming grins.   
"Nothing loosens tight muscles better than a nice rub down."  
  
Xu sighed. "That sounds pleasant, but how do I know you're not doing this   
so that you can feel me up?"  
  
He didn't even try for innocence as he sat down beside her head. "There   
has to be something in this deal for me. Think of it as being mutually   
beneficial. You won't even have to change. The tee-shirt and sweats you're in   
now won't get in the way."  
  
The idea was so tempting that better sense was disregarded. Sitting up,   
she let Sean move over on the bed, then stretched out across his lap. Quistis   
wouldn't mind as long as she was sure to straighten the covers when they were   
done.  
  
Sean's long fingers reached across her back as he caressed her shoulder   
muscles. His touch felt so good... She couldn't resist the urge to close her   
eyes and drift off as he smoothed away the knots. His fingertips sought the   
small, tight areas and worked them out in little motions, circling deep into   
her skin. Xu sighed and rolled her head on her arms, nodding off.  
  
"Xu?" He woke her gently as he stretched her shirt's neckline. If he   
wanted her to take it off, she would refuse. For a while.  
  
"Hum?" She responded sleepily.  
  
"I'm curious. What's this tattoo between your shoulder blades? I   
wouldn't have figured you as one for such things," he carefully pulled at the   
neckline to better view the marking. He couldn't make heads or tails of it.   
It consisted of a few symbols of varying complexity that totaled about five   
centimeters square in size.  
  
"It's my name," she turned her head to regard him through half-closed   
eyes.  
  
He looked at it again. He knew that the standard language wasn't her   
first. She never offered to demonstrate her native tongue and he hadn't asked.   
Were these symbols its written form? If so, it appeared to be quite complex.  
  
"All that equals 'Xu'?" He replaced her shirt before resuming work on her   
back. He left her shoulders alone, working the heels of his hands along her   
ribs. She sighed with pleasure before answering.  
  
"More or less -- a bit more, actually. It doesn't translate very well."  
  
"May I ask why? I mean, I doubt you'd forget your own name. And having   
it on your back where you can't easily see it doesn't accomplish much." She   
winced as he ran his hands firmly along her rib cage, the sore muscles sliding   
along the bones and slowly unkinking.  
  
Lazily, she rolled over onto her side with her left arm propping her head   
up. "It's part of my coming of age. It signifies that I'm a named member of   
my clan. You probably think that's silly, don't you?"  
  
He shook his head as he rested his hand on her side. "Hardly. My father   
made us prove that we were grown up before he would consider us adults. A   
coming of age trial is a good thing. It can change the mindset of children   
towards the responsibility of being adults."  
  
"Exactly. I wonder what Quistis' coming of age will be since she lacks   
the family to fill that role," Xu mused.  
  
"Becoming a SeeD?" He offered.  
  
She grimaced. "That's too late. I was a year order than she is now when   
I was named. It needs to happen sooner."  
  
"We'll think of something," he reassured. "Considering that you'll be   
leaving soon with me not far behind; being on her own might be the trial   
itself."  
  
"It could be..." she thought about it. She let her head fall to the   
mattress as she continued to think. Sean stroked her side without addressing   
the issue of tight muscles, moving his hand from shoulder to hip smoothly. Xu   
found herself relaxing more because she enjoyed his company than the services   
he offered.  
  
"There's just one thing," he drawled slowly. She watched his face as one   
of his impish grins tugged at his lips as his eyes lit up with mischief.   
"Let's skip the tattooing her name across her back part. I don't think she'd   
go for it."  
  
Xu snorted and rolled over onto her back, her arms holding her head up.   
"I wouldn't force that on anyone."  
  
Sean's grin remained as he playfully rubbed her belly. "So, any more body   
markings that I can find?"  
  
"Pervert," she moved off his lap to stand next to the bed.  
  
"You're no fun," he pouted. "It's an honest interest."  
  
"Not tonight," she leaned forward to give him a quick kiss on the   
forehead. "I need to get ready for tomorrow. I'll see you later, okay?"  
  
He stood up, knowing that it was time for him to leave. "You're so cruel,   
teasing me like you do. Alright, I'll try again tomorrow," his smile widened.   
"But remember, sooner or later I will catch you, my darling Xu." With that, he   
left.  
  
Xu leaned her head against the door after closing it. "What if you   
already have..?" She whispered before moving to straighten out the bed covers.  
  
*****  
  
"Don't you have your written SeeD exam tomorrow?" Quistis asked as she   
came into her dorm room and sat her book bag onto her bed. Sean and Xu were   
playing Triple Triad at Xu's desk.  
  
"I do," she put down a card, flipping over two of Sean's. He grimaced as   
he thought about what card to put down in response.  
  
"Aren't you going to study?" If it were she on the night before the exam   
that would determine the rest of her life, she'd be cramming every last bit of   
knowledge that she could.  
  
Xu shrugged indifferently. "By now I either know it or I don't. A   
night's worth of cramming can't substitute for the last five years of   
training." Sean nodded his agreement as he put a card down; flipping back over   
one Xu had captured. She immediately laid down another card with a capture   
resulting. Sean resumed his frowning.  
  
"You have a point," Quistis pulled her chair over to watch them play. One   
more round finished the game with Sean as the loser. They didn't exchange   
cards, opting instead to shuffle the cards back into their decks and pull out   
five more at random to play with.  
  
Xu did decide to go to bed early because of the long day ahead of her.   
The written exam began promptly at 0700 and wouldn't finish until late   
afternoon. By the time Quistis woke up in the morning, Xu was already gone and   
taking her test.  
  
The entire Garden had a heavy feeling to it with the emotions thick enough   
to taste them. All but the most junior of classman understood that 30 some odd   
students were being tested today and that everyone was pulling for them.   
Statistically speaking, only ten to fifteen of those 30 would pass the exam and   
go onto the field exam. The field exam could be held at any time after the   
written test, though it was usually within a few days of it. Of those students   
only a few would graduate and become SeeDs. It was the moment they were all   
preparing for. The pressure associated with it was almost more grueling than   
the exams themselves.  
  
Since the written test was given entirely on the study panels, they would   
know immediately if they passed or failed when they were finished. Some upper   
classmen set up a chalkboard near the classroom that the exam was being   
administered in. All of the names of the cadets taking the exam were written   
on the board. As they left the classroom their results were chalked up for the   
student body to see.  
  
Those who failed did their best to hide their disappointment by saying   
that they could try again next term. In fact, they could keep trying until   
their 20th birthday. If they weren't a graduated SeeD by then, they were asked   
to leave the Garden.  
  
The students who passed the exam were perhaps in worse shape than those   
who failed, for they had the field exam looming over them. That was the true   
test of a person's worthiness to be a SeeD. *Every* action performed during   
the field exam was noted and evaluated. The amount of emphasis put on this   
part of the testing would seem excessive to the uninitiated. But for SeeD to   
maintain its reputation as the best they could only allow the best to join   
their ranks.  
  
After her classes, Quistis joined the many students milling about in the   
hallway waiting for their friends to come out. She engaged in a few games of   
Triple Triad while waiting. Sean showed up about an hour after she did. He   
glanced up at the board to see if anyone he knew passed -- knowing that if   
Quistis was here Xu wasn't out yet. He leaned his back against the wall then   
slid down it to settle in for a long wait.  
  
Their wait wasn't as long as it was for some of the others who were there   
to support their friends. Shortly after Sean arrived, Xu was stopped at the   
door as she came out of the room. She nodded a few times then scanned the   
crowd. The upper classman strode over to the board and boldly wrote "PASSED"   
next to Xu's name. The loud yip from Quistis allowed her to zoom in on where   
they were waiting for her.  
  
"You did it!" Quistis hugged Xu tightly around the waist. Xu returned the   
embrace, not bothering to hide the joy she was feeling at overcoming this   
obstacle. Sean allowed them their moment before quickly embracing Xu himself.   
Many of the people waiting added their congratulations and best wishes for the   
next part of the exam.  
  
"Ah, all this nerve-wrenching sitting certainly works up an appetite.   
Let's go eat," Sean suggested as they walked towards the elevator to return   
them to the ground floor.  
  
"I don't know how you're going to make it through the field exam if   
sitting on your butt manages to leave you feeling famished," Xu commented as   
she pressed the button to call the lift.  
  
"As long as I'm allowed to bring some rations with me I should be able to   
stick it out," he answered with all seriousness, though his eyes gleamed with   
unrestrained humor. He motioned for the ladies to precede him when the doors   
opened. With Quistis in front of him, he slipped his hand over to catch Xu's   
and give it a squeeze before stuffing his hands into his pockets. Xu met his   
eyes and nodded slightly. She understood that he wanted to meet privately   
later.  
  
Sean's food choices for dinner were more appalling than usual. It was   
difficult to eat a meal in the Cafeteria that was completely devoid of any   
nutritional value, but Xu was convinced Sean would find a way. Fortunately,   
she was winning out on being the one to influence Quistis' food choices. Xu   
wasn't sure how he could eat like he did and not blimp out. He was blessed   
with an overactive metabolism was her guess.  
  
Quistis wanted to go to the Library and get a few books, conveniently   
leaving them to go off together. She would have to thank the girl later for   
her thoughtfulness. The inner gate guard was used to their courtyard talks and   
quickly passed them. Sean brushed a light dusting of snow off of the bench   
they usually shared before letting Xu sit down on it.  
  
"I've been expecting this for a long time," he said after they were   
comfortably seated.  
  
"So have I..." Xu knew that he wasn't referring to her passing the written   
exam. It had come time to decide what to do about their friendship. It was   
likely that she didn't have another week at Balamb Garden and she couldn't   
leave without them deciding upon a direction to take.  
  
"Xu," he took her mittened hands up in his, holding them tightly, "it's   
difficult to say this, but we both know how things will work out. Our hearts   
belong to our duty first."  
  
She swallowed, knowing what he said to be true. They'd both dedicated   
their lives to SeeD and wouldn't let anything -- including love -- distract   
them. She couldn't deny the pang of regret that she felt because of that.   
Never before had she doubted her conviction as she did at this moment.  
  
He gazed intently into her eyes. "I know... If things were different...   
If we'd met under other circumstances... If you weren't so damn good," he   
smiled fondly at her. "So many 'if's."  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
He placed a finger on her lips to stop her.  
  
"I'm not. I've felt so alive during these last two years. You've given   
me a goal to strive for and something important to protect. I *thank* you for   
allowing me into your life.  
  
"There's only one thing I ask of you -- and you can refuse if you wish --   
but may I kiss you? I want to know what I'm missing out on," he said it with a   
light tone, but the sincerity behind it was there.  
  
She ducked her head and blushed. "You may."  
  
He placed a gloved hand gently under her chin to bring her head back up.   
He leaned forward, smiling reassuringly as he drew closer. Xu closed her eyes   
as his lips pressed against hers. Sean tried to convey all of the warm, love,   
and respect he felt for her in that moment. It was an impossible thing to do,   
but he tried anyway. They finally parted, Xu feeling breathless from the   
experience.  
  
He savored the taste she left in his mouth. "Life is so cruel sometimes,"   
he touched her cheek affectionately before standing up. "Congratulations again   
on passing the written exam. I know you'll pass the upcoming field exam with   
flying colors."  
  
He walked away then. Not as her lover, but even more so her friend. She   
would have given herself to him for a night to demonstrate that she truly did   
share his feelings. Deep down, she knew that he wouldn't have accepted her   
gift. He may tease, but he was far too much the gentleman.  
  
The snow began falling again. It coated her in a soft, white blanket   
before she stood up and returned to the warmth of the Garden.  
  
*****  
  
Sean whistled as he walked down the hallway. A meeting he just had with   
the Headmaster left him feeling quite well. During their discussion Cid had   
confirmed that the field exam was being held today. That was a tidbit of   
information he wasn't to let drop, especially to any of the testing cadets. It   
wasn't likely that he'd even see Xu before she was ordered to depart.  
  
It was her roommate that he was tracking down at the moment. He knew that   
they'd both be on edge waiting to see how Xu did. So he thought that a trip to   
the Training Center would get their minds off of things for a while. It   
wouldn't hurt either of them to get more time in there.  
  
Quistis was excited by the prospect of getting to practice at the Center.   
They agreed to meet there after the lunch break. His day was shaping up to be   
a very good one indeed.  
  
*****  
  
The Headmaster purposefully strode into the classroom. Every cadet stood   
and saluted. "Those of you who aren't eligible for the field exam have a free   
afternoon. The rest of you are to change into your uniforms and meet by the   
directory out front at 1400. Dismissed," he left the room with them still at   
attention.  
  
"The field exam!" One of them gasped. They knew it would be soon, but it   
was still a surprise.  
  
Xu checked the chronometer on the wall. They had 20 minutes to get their   
acts together. She walked quickly to her room to get her weapons and pouches.   
She'd had her belt prepared for three days now. Despite that, she checked over   
the pouch's contents quickly before putting it on.  
  
A few of the cadets were already at the designated gathering spot when she   
arrived. None of them were letting the nerves they felt show -- much to their   
credit. Xu stood off to the side and crossed her arms. She focused on the   
tight knot of nerves that was balled up in her belly. Mentally, she untied it   
until she was feeling better physically.  
  
"You're all here early? Very good," Cid walked down the stairs from the   
elevator and presumably from his office. "Yes, indeed," he looked them all   
over. This term's exam had nine people taking it. He always hoped that one of   
these terms every student who took the field exam would pass. It never   
happened though. The highest number ever graduated from a single exam was   
seven.  
  
"There will be two squads. Squad A's leader is Xu. Squad B's leader is   
Kei," Cid announced.  
  
Kei was another one of those students with odd tendencies that the   
Headmaster indulged. She flat out *refused* to wear the female uniform when   
she entered Garden. Fortunately, she looked very sharp in the male uniform,   
which probably didn't hurt her any when she made her case to be allowed to do   
so. A mark of Kei's defiant spirit was the single earring she wore in her left   
ear like many males instead of one in each like females tended.  
  
Kei smirked slightly as she brushed back her short black hair, then rested   
her right hand lightly on the katana hanging from her belt. The Garden rumor   
mill had Xu and Kei in close competition as to who was more lethal cadet in the   
Training Center. Neither woman liked to think in those terms, instead   
considering their *proficiency* as simply another aspect of the job.  
  
"You'll receive your briefing en route. Go to the Parking Garage and get   
onto the transport," Cid motioned for them to go. They jogged quickly to the   
Parking Garage.  
  
No one said a word as they rode to the Balamb port. It was a given that   
wherever the field exam was being conducted, it wasn't on the small continent   
of Balamb. They quickly transferred to a waiting battle skimmer. The battle   
skimmer was SeeDs vehicle of choice for moving units off Balamb to other parts   
of the world in a hurry. It was high speed, well armed, and had the capacity   
to transport land vehicles. The skimmer also featured a briefing room complete   
with advanced communications technologies and wall display.  
  
It was this cabin they moved to. Xu sat down on one of the padded benches   
next to a classmate and waited. Once they were underway, the Headmaster   
cleared his throat to begin the briefing. He walked over to a wall display and   
pulled up a map of the region they were traveling to.  
  
"SeeD has been contracted to assist with the capture of two escaped   
criminals from D-District Prison in the Dingo Desert. It's believed that   
they're heading north to Desert Prison Station where they could board a train   
and escape. They'll soon discover train service to that region has been   
cancelled. Their best bet is to head up the Winhill Bluffs and make their way   
north towards civilization."  
  
The display zoomed in on a northern section of the desert. "The prisoners   
have been boxed in this region. SeeD will go in and retrieve the criminals   
alive and return them to the prison.  
  
"Squads A and B will be assigned to positions that maintain a perimeter   
around the area believed to shelter the criminals. You will not proceed to   
capture the criminals yourselves unless ordered to do otherwise. Keep them   
boxed in and allow the SeeDs to perform the capture. Any questions?"  
  
No one spoke, indicating that they understood their orders. Cid stepped   
away from the wall display that had a map of the target region on it. His   
voice took on a less formal tone, though it didn't lose any of its weight.   
"The monsters in this region of the world are more powerful than many of those   
that can be found on the Alcauld Plains. I ask you to be especially careful   
should you engage a Blood Soul. The status magic it uses is deceptively potent   
in battle."  
  
It wasn't long before the battle skimmers rammed up onto the beach and   
scattered SeeDs and cadets across the shore. The Dingo Desert was less than a   
kilometer east of their current position and the Bluffs were due north. Xu   
ordered her Squad into a jog to get them into position. Squad B ran off to the   
east to take up their part of the perimeter. Xu could *sense* the presence of   
monsters, but none presented themselves.  
  
New orders were issued over a small com unit she'd be issued. "Squad A   
tighten the perimeter by 200 meters."  
  
"Yes, sir," she acknowledged.  
  
They moved cautiously inward. The squad members were within visual   
distance of each other. When one of them began to wave to Xu, she moved over   
to him so that the entire plateau wouldn't hear him yelling.  
  
"Sir, I think there's a monster nest near the position I am to maintain,"   
he reported. He didn't add that he wasn't too fond of the idea of taking up   
that position should she order him to do so.  
  
She nodded. "I'm going to confirm that there is a nest. If so, we'll   
shift the line to make the nest the endpoint. Let's use this to our   
advantage." He saluted and jogged off to take up her former position in the   
line. She moved cautiously towards the spot the squad member had indicated.   
Rustling of the tall grasses when no wind blew was a good hint that monsters   
were indeed hiding there. She caught enough of a glimpse of a Blood Soul to be   
convinced.  
  
Blood Souls were small, flying monsters that looked to be almost entirely   
head. What made them dangerous was their undead status and willingness to make   
you join their ranks. Just as carefully as she'd come in, Xu retraced her   
steps.  
  
"Shift the line," she ordered. The monsters would work for them. No one   
in their right mind would challenge a nest of monsters, especially if they   
wished to live afterwards.  
  
The com unit soon buzzed again after they took their new positions. "The   
criminals are being driven your way. Squad B is en route. Don't allow them to   
pass!"  
  
"Permission to act if engaged?"  
  
The unit was silent for several moments. "Granted," it squeaked finally.  
  
"On your guard!" She warned her squad. All of them put their weapons up   
in a ready position. Nothing would get past them if she could help it!  
  
The underbrush rustled and then two blurs erupted from it. The criminals!   
They charged forward without regard as to what was immediately ahead of them.   
Xu called for them to halt. They spotted Squad A and ran around them through   
the 'hole' in the line.  
  
"Stop! There's a monsters nest!" Xu yelled at them. They didn't stop   
until the monsters were upon them. They wouldn't last long if she didn't do   
something.  
  
"Squad A, protect the criminals and defeat the monsters!"  
  
"Yes, sir!" Three voices chorused as they began to engage the Blood Souls.   
It wouldn't be an easy battle with them outnumbered as they were. Not only did   
they need to defend the prisoners; they couldn't allow them to escape either.  
  
Xu tried to keep close to the two prisoners, covering them from attacks.   
With two people to defend and three Blood Souls engaging her, she would soon be   
in a world of hurt. One of the sickly looking monsters swooped in and clotted   
a prisoner hard enough to send him to the ground. Dammit! She didn't have the   
time to be curing them also.  
  
Her redemption came by way of a powerful female voice calling 'CURE!' from   
behind them. Squad B arrived and engaged the monsters as well. Kei charged at   
one of the Blood Souls tormenting Xu with her katana drawn. It had fallen to   
the ground by the time she knocked another out of the air.  
  
Xu focused her attentions on keeping the prisoners alive and within her   
custody until a SeeD relieved her. She put her efforts into defending and   
curing. It wasn't her usual niche, but it's what the situation demanded of   
her.  
  
The SeeDs were quick in arriving and made short work of the remaining   
Blood Souls. Xu was proud of the swath in the monster numbers the cadets   
managed to cut before the SeeDs showed up. The prisoners were put into   
restraints and escorted away.  
  
The cadets were allowed to search the Blood Soul carcasses for magic stone   
fragments before being ordered back to the beach. Back on the battle skimmer,   
Xu and Kei sat next to each other. The exam was over and they were free to   
discuss the mission amongst themselves. Many of the cadets were trading their   
battle stories with one another. Xu smiled as she listened.  
  
"Thanks for coming to our aid," Xu inclined the upper half of her body in   
a bow to the other woman.  
  
"Anything for you, cousin," softly Kei answered with a chuckle.  
  
"Shhhhh!" Xu hissed. "You know that we aren't related while in uniform."  
  
Kei snorted as she continued to laugh softly. Few people had ever figured   
out that they were cousins. Fewer still knew that they hailed from the   
eccentric 'monster's rights' Anshin clan of the Serengetti Plains. Both had   
left their home wishing to find a life free of the biases their relations   
earned them. When they discovered each other at the Garden, they promised to   
not acknowledge the relation to each other or to the Anshin unless confronted   
with it directly.  
  
Her cousin was more of an outcast than Xu was. Kei was stubborn -- even   
for one of their clan -- and refused to believe that monsters had any role in   
the scheme of things beyond creating havoc for humans. She'd also refused to   
engage in the traditional coming of age ceremony. That distressed the elders   
to no end. The final result was Kei digging her heels in until they accepted   
her for who she was -- nothing more, nothing less.  
  
When compared to their sibling's difficulties with Kei, her parents   
considered their problems with her minor. The elders were already calling them   
the 'generation of fury'. She was unsure as to whose fury was being reflected   
in that titled -- the parents, the elders, or theirs. More than likely, all   
three now that she thought about it.  
  
For better or worse, it was time to see where her lot in life had landed   
her. She sincerely hoped it was where both her and her cousin wished to be.  
  
*****  
  
"Hey, Sean, want to place your bet on the SeeD graduates?" Eugene slid in   
next to him at the table during lunch. Jessie and LeVar weren't long in   
joining them.  
  
"Sean won't place a bet this time," LeVar stated matter-of-factly.  
  
He didn't like the idea of losing face in front of his friends. Betting   
on the SeeD outcome certainly wasn't something that was condoned at the Garden,   
but that didn't keep a small pool from forming. "Have I missed one yet?" He   
pointed out. "Put me down for 200 gil on Xu."  
  
LeVar gave a short bark of laughter. "I told you so."  
  
"You can't bet on Xu, Sean," Jessie explained. "She's been excluded from   
the pool since she's a shoe-in."  
  
He sniffed with indignation. "Well, fine then, count me out."  
  
LeVar laughed again because he'd accurately predicted that response.  
  
"Anyway," he drawled as he stood and picked up his tray, "I'm meeting   
Quistis shortly. Do try to keep out of trouble while I'm away." He put his   
tray on the dish room conveyor belt as he passed by it.  
  
The sprout was waiting for him outside the Training Center. The belt he'd   
given her looked ridiculous on her narrow frame, but he was certain she'd grow   
into it well.  
  
"Ready?" He asked as they passed through the first gate.  
  
Quistis nodded, her eyes wide as she took in her surroundings. This   
couldn't be her first time in the Center, could it? When he asked, she   
confirmed that it was. That struck him as odd. He was certain Xu would have   
brought her here by now.  
  
"Well, watch your back, sprout. The monsters here are tougher than the   
ones outside and if we come across a T-Rexaur, we run," he checked them into   
the Center. According to the registry, there were no other students currently   
training. It was early enough in the afternoon that they were probably still   
doing class work.  
  
He kept his eye out for any lone Grats that they could challenge. When   
they found one, he quickly gave Quistis a run down of the monster's tendencies   
and how to defeat it. She boggled at its long limbs and giant maw. It   
certainly was a *strange* looking monster. She'd seen pictures of a Grat   
before, but they didn't do it justice at all.  
  
Sean drew his pistol and maintained an out-of-the-way, yet protective,   
position by Quistis. She was skilled enough with the whip that he didn't fear   
being hit with it by mistake, but it was still a weapon that required giving   
the wielder their space. He also wanted to be able to take the hit if the Grat   
did more than give her a love tap. She wouldn't have the strength yet to take   
much of that without constant curing. He brought as many Cure spells as he   
could carry with him today to be on the safe side.  
  
The Grat waves its limbs with indignation as Quistis snapped her whip at   
it. The hit did more to startle it than damage. It tried to return the favor,   
but Sean neatly covered Quistis. He then squared up and took a shot at the   
monster.  
  
It *definitely* didn't like that. The Grat's maw worked furiously before   
it spat its sleeping gas out at them. Sean avoided the cloud of gas, but   
Quistis didn't dodge in time.  
  
"Enough games," he said coolly as he shot the Grat right in its bulbous   
belly. The monster squirmed before falling over dead.  
  
Sean knelt down and gently shook Quistis awake. The girl had never been   
under a Sleep spell before and was unsure of what to make of the experience.   
He recommended against repeating it, though it was inevitable.  
  
They got into the groove of things soon afterwards. They took on only   
single Grats until Quistis felt comfortable challenging two. It was a credit   
to their skill by how little curing he'd done since they came in.  
  
It was nearly impossible for a lumbering T-Rexaur to sneak up on its   
intended victim. So, when Sean saw one heading their way, he took the hint and   
ran the other direction with Quistis in tow. Unfortunately, he'd forgotten how   
clever the buggers could be. The one T-Rexaur had driven them right into   
another and escape without engaging one of them first was impossible.  
  
The T-Rexaur before them roared. It swiped its large tail at them,   
knocking both to the ground. Sean took a majority of the hit since he'd been   
guarding Quistis.  
  
"As soon as I challenge the T-Rexaur I want you to dart past it and *don't   
stop* until you're through the final set of gates!" He picked himself up from   
the ground slowly.  
  
"Sean!" She protested. There was no way he could take on a T-Rexaur on   
his own. There was no way they could take on a T-Rexaur together.  
  
"DO IT!" He barked at her with an authority he'd never used with her   
before. "I'll try to escape after you're gone."  
  
He pulled his hand back into a position that Quistis recognized as his   
spell casting motion. "On my mark, sprout." He completed his movements for   
casting with her running when he called 'BLIZZARD!' Quistis moved as fast as   
her legs would carry her. The T-Rexaur was hit with the spell and couldn't   
snap at her as she jetted by.  
  
Her mind raced as fast as her body did. Despite that, or perhaps because   
of it, time moved in slow motion when she heard a terrible cry from the battle.   
She looked over her shoulder and instantly wished she hadn't. The T-Rexaur had   
taken Sean into its giant mouth and had bitten down on him. His legs hung out   
limply as the monster bit down a couple more times with a sickening crunch.  
  
The scream that ripped from her throat could have shattered glass. Then   
she felt herself ram into something. Fearing it was another monster she   
screamed again, but it was a Faculty member who'd noticed that something was   
awry. It blew a whistle, scaring the monsters away from the gate. It quickly   
pushed her into the arms of another Faculty member as yet a third called for   
Doctor Kadowaki.  
  
The Doctor was quick in coming. Quistis was huddled up in a corner   
sobbing uncontrollably. Kadowaki ordered one of the Faculty members to take   
Quistis to the Infirmary and have her assistant on duty administer a sedative   
to relieve her body from the convulsions she was experiencing. The Doctor   
added that she was to be confined to the Infirmary until further notice.  
  
In a very un-Shumi like move, the Faculty picked her up and placed her   
over its shoulders as it hurried her to the Infirmary. The assistant on duty   
had been alerted that there was an accident and to prepare. He wasn't   
expecting the crying girl that the Faculty laid out on the examination table.   
It passed the Doctor's orders along faithfully. The assistant gave Quistis a   
sedative that would loosen her tightened muscles and mellow her down. He then   
asked the Faculty to move her along to one of the small recovery rooms.  
  
The sedative worked quickly. She couldn't stand on her own two feet if   
her life depended on it. The Faculty stretched her out carefully on a bed,   
then took up a position by the room's door to enforce the Doctor's ordered   
confinement.  
  
"Miss Quistis Trepe has been understanding of Faculty. Faculty will not   
let harm come to Miss Quistis Trepe while Faculty stands here," it told the   
assistant when he commented that it really wasn't necessary for it to stay   
there.  
  
*****  
  
"This is horrible," Cid said from his end of the com as the battle   
skimmers returned from Galbadia. "You couldn't revive him? A Life spell   
didn't work?"  
  
"Cid, there wasn't enough of him *left* to cast a Life spell on," the   
strain in Kadowaki's voice was easily detected. Professionalism kept her from   
falling apart for the time being, but tonight she would cry herself to sleep.   
It was always hard when she couldn't save a patient. It made her feel all the   
worse by the violent way this one had died. She hadn't even the chance *to*   
save him.  
  
Cid kept his emotions reigned in behind a mask. He too would mourn when   
duty allowed him the opportunity. "Has the T-Rexaur been put down?"  
  
Kadowaki nodded sharply. "We're currently retrieving what we can for   
proper burial."  
  
Cid didn't envy those assigned that gruesome task. "Has the word gotten   
out?"  
  
This time the Doctor shook her head. "Sean and Quistis were the only ones   
in the Training Center when it happened. As far as the student body knows the   
Center is closed down for maintenance."  
  
His heart froze. "You didn't mention that Quistis was there. Did she   
witness it?"  
  
Kadowaki bowed her head and Cid wanted to pound his fist on the console.   
"I've confined her to the Infirmary for the time being and given her a   
sedative. I'm sorry, Cid, this couldn't get much worse."  
  
"I can imagine a few ways," he muttered darkly. "We're not going to   
announce the cadet's death until tomorrow. Tonight, we're going to focus on   
the SeeD graduates. It may not be the most honest thing to do, but we   
shouldn't overshadow such an important event with this tragedy.  
  
"Keep Quistis confined to the Infirmary. I'll head off Xu if she goes   
looking for her roommate. Word mustn't leak about this until tomorrow.   
Contact Galbadia and Trabia Gardens and see if they can spare some counselors.   
I have a feeling that we're going to need them."  
  
The Doctor acknowledged the orders and cut the link. By all that's holy   
what a terrible thing to happen. The timing couldn't be worse. He looked over   
the score sheets from the exam again. Six people had passed including the two   
squad leaders. He briefly considered failing Xu in order to keep her at Balamb   
for a term longer, but that would be incredibly unfair of him. Xu had lead her   
squad with creativity (using the monster's nest to her advantage) and   
initiative (protecting the prisoners). These were qualities to be encouraged,   
not the opposite.  
  
He'd anticipated her graduation and had already lined up her first   
assignment. He couldn't pull her from that without creating bigger tangles for   
himself in the long run. No, all he could do would be to stonewall sending her   
off as long as possible to give her the chance to mourn that she needed.  
  
He had noticed the direction the two cadet's friendship was headed.   
Personally, he'd been pulling for them to come to an understanding, though he   
was certain that they would choose duty over love. He regretted that. Love   
was one of the most powerful forces known to man.  
  
He sighed heavily. There wasn't much to do on that account anymore. His   
heart went out to Xu. The upcoming months were going to be very difficult ones   
for her no matter how one sliced it. Her first assignment wasn't an easy one.   
What would have been a challenge before will likely be a trial after this.  
  
*****  
  
The cadets were ordered to wait by the second floor classrooms until a   
Faculty member came to get the ones who passed. Xu and Kei were leaned up   
against a wall, chatting about nothing to soothe their nerves. For as   
confident as Xu felt regarding this moment up to this point, now that she was   
standing here waiting, her heart raced. Kei noticed this and gave her hand a   
quick squeeze.  
  
"If they didn't graduate you, cousin, then I have no idea what a SeeD is,"   
she murmured her assurance in the language of their clan.  
  
"I hope you're right," she answered in kind. They were speaking low   
enough that no one should be able to overhear them. And even then, the chances   
of someone else knowing their native tongue were slim.  
  
"Ha! Aren't I always right?" She gave Xu a playful poke in the ribs.  
  
"You weren't right about grandmother being upset when we added sleeping   
powder to her soup," Xu commented, trying to get a rise from Kei.  
  
Kei waved it off. "She has no sense of humor. Besides, it's not like her   
stories weren't having the same effect!"  
  
A Faculty member entered the hallway then, ending their conversation. It   
looked at a sheet held in its hands and began reading off names. Kei's was the   
third to be called. She walked confidently past the Faculty member, but   
stopped in the hallway by the lift to wait for her cousin. Xu's name was the   
last to be called. The two women rode the lift to the Headmaster's office on   
the third floor.  
  
They stood in a line before the Headmaster. He shook their hand after   
giving them their diploma. He then leaned over and whisper something in their   
ear. Xu was at the end of the receiving line.  
  
He smiled broadly at her as he handed her the diploma. Leaning over to   
her ear he whispered, "Enjoy yourself tonight because I need to speak with you   
first thing in the morning."  
  
"Of course," she murmured.  
  
He returned to his desk to address them. "Congratulations, all of you.   
Balamb Garden takes great pride in your accomplishments today. As you may have   
expected, a ball in your honor is being held tonight. It begins at 1900 and   
ends when people stop dancing," his eyes creased closed as he smiled.  
  
"You've an hour to eat dinner and get dressed. You'll find your new   
uniforms in your rooms. Tomorrow we will discuss your assignments and   
postings. Tonight, focus on celebrating a hard-earned achievement.   
Dismissed."  
  
Xu promised to meet up with Kei at the ball as they parted ways on the   
ground floor. She was anxious to get to her room and see what *her* SeeD   
uniform looked like on her. No more silly yellow bow and no more skirt that   
seemed to be indecently short.   
  
Quistis wasn't there when Xu came in. The girl was probably off eating   
dinner with Sean. She took a quick shower then changed into the black uniform.   
It fit her like a glove. She looked as good as she imagined she would, she   
thought with no false modesty. She could have passed on the knee socks, but at   
least the skirt was only a hand-span above her knees now.  
  
Xu rushed to the Cafeteria for a quick bite before going to the ball.   
Everyone who saw her in her new uniform offered their congratulations. It was   
odd that Sean and Quistis weren't here. Perhaps he took her to Balamb for the   
day? She would have to track down one of his friends and ask later. She   
didn't have the time to do so now if she was going to meet up with Kei.  
  
*****  
  
After graduating the cadets Cid went to the Infirmary to check on Quistis.   
Kadowaki stood up from her seat behind her desk as soon as he came through the   
door.  
  
"How is she?"  
  
"Still sedated." Kadowaki led him to the small recovery room. The   
Faculty that had refused to leave even after the Doctor returned shuffled aside   
for the Headmaster. The girl was stretched out on a bed sleeping. She looked   
gaunt, her hair a mess, and still wore clothes splattered with monster blood.  
  
"Isn't there something that can be done to clean her up? At least get her   
out of those clothes," he gestured to the form before him.  
  
"I apologize. I didn't realize my assistant hadn't taken care of her,"   
Kadowaki frowned. She'd have a word with him when he came in tomorrow. He was   
one of the Balamb locals that were employed by the Garden. They didn't always   
understand how important certain traditions were here -- such as the amount of   
time dedicated towards preparing the dead for burial. He should have cleaned   
up Quistis while she was performing her duty.  
  
Cid didn't say anything, trusting that the Doctor would handle the matter.  
  
"How much longer before she comes around?" He brushed a strand of hair off   
of her face. The tail she'd been wearing it in had come loose, leaving locks   
of hair to go every which way.  
  
"Sometime within the next few hours. I don't want to sedate her again   
unless she starts convulsing. I'm planning on spending the night here. Would   
you pass my regards on to the graduates for me?"  
  
"I will," he agreed. Once they left the room, the Faculty moved back into   
position blocking the door. Cid stopped to speak with it. "It's good of you   
to guard Miss Trepe as you are."  
  
"Faculty watches Miss Quistis Trepe because Faculty cares," it answered.   
Those unacquainted with the Shumi would have been amazed at such a bold   
statement. Cid knew that they had very independent personalities and emotions,   
despite the masks they presented to the world.  
  
"Thank you," he patted it on the shoulder before turning back to Kadowaki.   
"I've got the ball to attend. I'll return after it's over."  
  
*****  
  
Laughter proceeded Xu as she met up with her cousin. Kei was dressed in   
the male SeeD uniform, filling it out nicely. Xu almost mistook her for a man   
as she walked up. Kei smiled broadly as she gave Xu an appraising look.  
  
"Not bad. Not bad at all," Kei complimented.  
  
"You're not looking bad yourself. Did the Headmaster finally cave in and   
issue you a male uniform without any fuss?"  
  
"Almost, both versions were on my bed when I went to change. I guess he   
was hoping that I'd indulge him for a night," Kei laughed.  
  
Cadets weren't invited to the ball, so her chances of seeing Sean or   
Quistis until the morning were slim. Kei, being ever the gentleman, had   
apparently appointed herself as Xu's escort for the evening in lieu of Sean.   
Kei offered her arm to her cousin as they walked into the auditorium the ball   
was being held in. Xu grinned as she slipped into the familiar role from their   
childhood of her playing the female escort to Kei's male. Music filled the   
room with many SeeDs and guests in attendance already.  
  
This was one event in which Xu didn't know what to expect. None of the   
SeeDs described it except to say that it was a ball. She was used to seeing   
the auditorium filled with cadets standing in long rows during assemblies. She   
couldn't have imagined that it would look *this* fantastic.  
  
They met two other graduates and marveled at how amazing this all was.   
SeeDs came by and welcomed them to the organization or offered bits of friendly   
advice. Then the Headmaster joined them. It took conscientious effort to stop   
herself from reflexively saluting him. Doing so at a social gathering such as   
this would be uncalled for.  
  
He again complimented them on their accomplishments today, then asked why   
they weren't dancing. A playful grin crossed Kei's face as she bowed ever so   
politely to the giggling Xu. "Would you dance with me, my lady?" She pitched   
her voice low, causing Xu to laugh harder.  
  
"How could I not accept such a gracious offer?" Xu quipped to the   
amusement of those around them.  
  
Neither of them were exceptional dancers, but they enjoyed themselves.   
Cid watched them with a small, sad smile on his face.  
  
*****  
  
Quistis woke up slowly, feeling *very* groggy as she did so. It took her   
a minute to remember what had happened, then she wished she hadn't. The desire   
to retch seized her as her mind played back the awful scene. A Faculty member   
was instantly at her side, trying to comfort her the best it could.  
  
"Sean," the tears began to well up around her eyes. She didn't try to   
hold them back, instead encouraging them to flow freely. There was no telling   
how long she sat there and cried before she finally realized that she was in   
the Infirmary. Through the window she could see that it was dark outside. The   
wall chronometer indicated that midnight was still a couple hours off.  
  
"I want to see Xu," she pled. More than anything else in the world right   
now she wanted a hug from her roommate.  
  
The Faculty shook its robes. "Miss Quistis Trepe is to stay in the   
Infirmary until Doctor Kadowaki says otherwise."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"SeeD Xu is at the graduation ball. Miss Quistis Trepe can see SeeD Xu in   
the morning," it said with a note of apology in its tone. The fact that it   
referred to Xu as a SeeD was lost on the girl in her desperation to see her   
roommate.  
  
"Where is Doctor Kadowaki?" She asked. If the Faculty wouldn't let her   
go, move further up the chain of command.  
  
"Doctor Kadowaki is attending to another matter," it answered. "Miss   
Quistis Trepe should go back to sleep. Long days are coming soon."  
  
"I- I just want to see Xu," she began crying again. It was a childish   
reaction. But the need to be comforted by someone she trusted and loved was   
more immediate than checking immature emotions.  
  
The Faculty was obviously distressed by this. Doctor Kadowaki had left it   
in charge of taking care of the girl. Wouldn't part of taking care of her be   
to give her what she needs the most?  
  
"Faculty must leave briefly. Miss Quistis Trepe must remain here while   
Faculty is gone," it said. It hoped the girl would read between the lines and   
take the opportunity to find her friend while it was gone. As long as she   
returned when it came to get her, things should be okay. It left the room to   
go relieve itself, a need that it had been neglecting for hours.  
  
*****  
  
Xu was tired. She didn't have the stamina that some of the social   
butterflies in her class did. Bidding her 'escort' a good night, she walked   
slowly back to the Dormitory block. At this hour, no one was around except the   
Faculty that kept the students from sneaking around.  
  
Suddenly, she heard someone order for someone else to halt. She spun   
around on her heel to see if the command was directed at her. What she   
received instead was a surprise.  
  
"Xu!" Quistis flung herself at her roommate and hugged her around the   
waist. This was more of a greeting than she would have ever expected from the   
normally reserved girl.  
  
"It's all right," Xu held a hand up, "she's with me."  
  
The Faculty member shook its robes in a way that indicated disagreement.   
"Miss Quistis Trepe has been confined to the Infirmary and must be returned   
there immediately."  
  
"Really?" Xu held Quistis away from her slightly to check her over for any   
injuries. Quistis was sporting a few bandages and had dark circles under her   
eyes, but nothing that looked serious enough to keep her in the Infirmary   
overnight.  
  
"Very well, I'll escort her there," Xu led her friend towards the   
Infirmary and away from the Faculty member.  
  
Quistis clung tightly to her hand, as though she was afraid someone would   
separate them. She didn't protest returning to the Infirmary just so long as   
Xu came with her. Another Faculty member shook its robes with displeasure when   
they arrived.  
  
"Miss Quistis Trepe left while Faculty used the facilities," it scolded   
the girl, but not too harshly. Something was amiss here... The Faculty shooed   
them both into one of the recovery rooms. The bed was disheveled. This was   
likely the place Quistis had been confined to, but why confined in the first   
place?  
  
She tried to ask the girl, but she wouldn't answer -- instead hugging even   
tighter.  
  
"What's going on here?" She asked the Faculty, who had taken up a guard   
position at the door. It turned to face her before it answered.  
  
"Faculty cannot say," it turned around again.  
  
Making herself comfortable on the bed with Quistis across her lap, she   
waited for something to happen. Quistis was sleeping when Xu heard some voices   
from the outer room of the Infirmary. One of them was the unmistakable timbre   
of the Headmaster. The other was Doctor Kadowaki if she hadn't missed her   
guess.  
  
"What's this I hear about Quistis finding Xu?" Cid demanded of the Faculty   
at the door.  
  
It shook its robes and stepped aside to let him pass. "Faculty had to use   
facility," it defended.  
  
The Headmaster waved the excuse aside as he entered the room. Xu remained   
seated, unwilling to disturb the sleeping Quistis by standing to salute. Cid   
gave a heavy sigh and pulled a stool over to the bedside.  
  
"Will you please tell me what's going on?" Xu asked as politely as she   
could, trying to hide the exasperation that she was feeling.  
  
He ducked his head before meeting her eyes. "There was an accident this   
afternoon. We're still trying to piece it all together. What we know so far   
is that Sean and Quistis went to the Training Center and encountered a   
T-Rexaur. The monster killed Sean. All attempts to revive him failed."  
  
Xu gasped, feeling as though someone had just struck her in the stomach.   
Sean was dead? That wasn't possible! He was alive yesterday playing Triple   
Triad with her. A knot of emotions grew in her throat. She tried to swallow   
them down, but they wouldn't go. The tears that formed wouldn't be willed away   
either. They coursed down her cheeks, traced along her chin, and then fell   
onto her uniform.  
  
She looked down at Quistis for several minutes, stroking her hair   
reassuringly as she slept. No wonder the girl was so out of sorts. Xu glance   
back up at the Headmaster and saw that he'd removed his glasses to wipe away   
tears of his own.  
  
"It's worse because young Quistis witnessed the deathblow. I would never   
wish that upon my worst enemy," Cid's voice cracked as he brushed away more   
tears.  
  
Xu instantly tightened her grip on the girl. If she could have pulled   
Quistis in any closer she would have. How could they ever ask her to return to   
the Training Center after witnessing her mentor die there?  
  
"I- I don't know what to say," Xu managed to get out between the deep   
breaths she drew in.  
  
"To be honest, my dear, I don't either." And so they said nothing, both   
crying from their grief. Xu's mind kept replaying the last few days, like it   
would somehow be a substitute for the man that was gone. He'd never kiss her   
again... She closed her eyes tightly; realizing that's what she wanted all   
along, but always denied. Why did he have to die before she understood   
herself?  
  
Doctor Kadowaki entered the room with warm cups of broth. She'd been   
crying as well, for there were dark, puffy bags under her eyes. They didn't   
wake Quistis, allowing her to get some solid rest without the assistance of   
drugs or spells.  
  
"I've finished making the preparations," the Doctor said before taking a   
sip of her broth. "The memorial service will be held the day after tomorrow,"   
she looked up at the chronometer on the wall. "Make that tomorrow. Galbadia   
Garden is taking care of arrangements on their end regarding final burial."  
  
"Thank you for your efforts, Doctor," Cid said with a voice that was   
drained of its usual passion. "I contacted his family this afternoon. They   
requested a burial in Deling City."  
  
Xu nodded her understanding regarding the arrangements that were being   
discussed. It crushed her to be thinking of such things. The Headmaster gave   
her a sympathetic look. "The upcoming days will be difficult for you, Xu. I   
apologize for asking so much of you so soon after graduation."  
  
"Whatever is needed of me, Headmaster. I'm at your service," she   
whispered, not entirely sure where she would draw the strength to carry out   
such a lofty promise, but knowing she would somehow.  
  
"We have much to discuss, but I do believe that Quistis has the right   
idea. Let's meet in my office at 0900. I'll make the announcement to the   
student body then," he stood up with a sigh. "Stay here tonight. I doubt you   
could pry Quistis off of you if you tried."  
  
"Yes, Headmaster. Good night," Xu continued stroking Quistis' hair.   
Somehow, she didn't think she'd be sleeping much tonight. Doctor Kadowaki   
offered to give her something to help her rest, but she declined. She *wanted*   
to think, never mind how much it might hurt. A purging of her soul would do   
some good.  
  
When was the last time someone close to her died..? That's right, her   
grandmother. The one who supported her decision to leave the clan and go   
explore the world. She sat alone in a room for two days after her death in   
meditation. Xu regretted that she didn't have the same amount of time to spend   
asking the Spirits to guide Sean back to the Path.  
  
Xu spoke softly in a language that was rarely heard away from her   
homeland. It was a mantra to help clear and focus ones thoughts. Her thoughts   
snapped onto Sean, or more exactly, the essence of his being. She would honor   
him by drawing out the best of his life and offering that to the Spirits.  
  
She remembered when he learned about her clan...  
  
'I've always wanted to ask you, what's your family name?' His voice   
whispered in her mind as she recalled the conversation.  
  
'My name is Xu, just Xu...'  
  
'Where are from, just Xu?'  
  
'No where of importance...'  
  
His essence's color fluctuated. 'You are from the Centra continent. The   
transport you ride when you return home goes south.'  
  
'There's nothing to the south...'  
  
'There's you.'  
  
'What does it matter..?'  
  
'It matters to me. I want to know you, *all* of you.' The essence   
colored again, vibrant with renewed purpose.  
  
'What do you know..?'  
  
'I met those of your clan -- the Anshin clan -- last time I visited   
Deling City. They asked me how the wayward children were? I couldn't answer   
since I didn't *know* you.'  
  
She cheeks grew flush as she remembered. He was so adamant that the ill   
opinion most held for her clan was not reflected upon her. And even if it was,   
it didn't matter. *Xu* was the person who mattered to him, relations be   
damned.  
  
She tucked this memory away in a pocket of her heart where the Spirits   
could find it. When they came to guide his essence, they would see this   
precious moment and be gladdened by it.  
  
Xu didn't acknowledge the world around her until she felt something   
shaking her gently. She quickly stored the memory she was working with away,   
then brought herself out of her meditations. Quistis had a concerned look on   
her face as she continued to tug on her arm.  
  
"What is it, Quistis?" She whispered softly.  
  
"You were just sitting there and not moving. I was afraid-"  
  
Xu quickly hugged her.  
  
"I'm fine. I was asking the Spirits to guide Sean to the Path of Life,"   
she stood up, hoping that her uniform wasn't too wrinkled. She should stop by   
her room and change before eating.  
  
"'...Path of Life..?'"  
  
Xu shook her head, indicating that it wasn't something she wished to   
discuss. Such remembrances were a private matter since each person's memories   
of another varied. Hands linked together, they walked back to their dorm room   
to prepare for the day.  
  
"You won't be going to classes today, but please wear a uniform," Xu said   
to Quistis. "Are you hungry?" Quistis shook her head in the negative. They   
could skip breakfast for now, but they would have a solid lunch for certain.   
  
The hour the Headmaster had appointed for their meeting was drawing near.   
They both went up to his office. Cid seemed relieved when he saw that Quistis   
was accompanying her.  
  
"I hope you don't disapprove," Xu said while motioning to Quistis.  
  
He shook his head. "No, she needs to be here as much as you. I didn't   
think that she'd be up and about this soon," he smiled at Quistis   
encouragingly. He gestured for them to sit down before he began.  
  
"I must admit that I anticipated your graduation, Xu, and already had a   
posting lined up. You're going to Galbadia Garden to join their two-year   
Instructor training program. Once you've completed that, I want you back   
*here* helping me teach this unruly bunch," he winked at Quistis, causing her   
to giggle.  
  
"It's sad coincidence that the Garden that will bury Sean is also   
Galbadia. Balamb will be sending an Honor Guard to escort the remains and   
witness the funeral. You will be part of that Guard, along with Kei and two   
others. After that is done report to Martine, the Headmaster of Galbadia, for   
training," he sighed softly. "I planned on giving you a couple weeks to go   
visit your family. But since you'll already be at Galbadia Garden, I can't   
justify giving you leave then."  
  
"It's all right, Headmaster," she said. Visiting her family right now   
wouldn't be for the best. They would pester her about the man she lost and   
tell her that it was her punishment for killing monsters. Such condemnations   
would be unbearable.  
  
"As for you, Quistis," he turned his attention to the girl. "You will   
begin meeting with Doctor Kadowaki twice a week. You are likely having many   
thoughts and feelings that need to be sorted out. She will help you do that.  
  
"The same goes for you, Xu. The Galbadia Doctor will contact you once you   
have reported for duty," Xu nodded, accepting her fate even if she didn't want   
to go. They couldn't understand how she mourned for the dead...  
  
Quistis began crying softly at all the talk of Sean's final arrangements.   
Xu pulled her over to hug her reassuringly.  
  
The Headmaster mumbled to himself as he shuffled through the papers on his   
desk. Finding the one he wanted, he picked up the microphone for the PA   
system. His voice was somber as he spoke slowly. After he read the   
announcement he prepared, he added a few words from the heart. There would be   
no classes held tomorrow, and all students were invited to attend the memorial.  
  
Xu began to cry herself. She could only be strong for so long and having   
the reality of the situation confirmed again broke her. Every student would be   
at the memorial, she knew. Those at the Garden were very respectful of the   
dead and in how they honored them.  
  
The Headmaster put down the microphone and sighed again. "I need to make   
myself available to the students now. You're welcome to stay here for as long   
as you wish. If you don't want to speak with anyone when you leave, call for   
the Faculty to escort you." He walked around his desk and gave each of them a   
comforting squeeze on the shoulder.  
  
The student body was reeling. It would have been easier to accept if one   
of the graduating candidates had died during the field exam, but not a cadet at   
the Training Center. Many of Sean's closest friends went looking for Xu to no   
avail. They taped notes to her door offering their sympathies and a shoulder   
to lean on. When Quistis and Xu returned later that evening the door was   
blanketed solid with notes.  
  
*****  
  
Xu made sure she and Quistis were immaculately dressed in their best   
uniforms for the memorial service. She also insisted that they both wear their   
utility belt complete with spells and knives. Quistis stroked her belt,   
thinking of when Sean had given it to her. It made her miss him even more.  
  
Xu held her hand as they entered the auditorium that was the location of   
the graduation ball a two short days ago. Long lines of chairs had been set   
out. People parted before them as they walked towards the front of the room.   
Xu shuffled her down a row, then sat down on a chair near the end with Quistis   
next to her.  
  
The room quickly filled with cadets and SeeDs. Faculty members lined the   
walls as a sort of Honor Guard. Sean's casket was at the head of the room.  
  
It all seemed so surreal to Quistis. Like Sean was going to pop out of   
the casket at any minute and laugh at them all. But that's impossible. She,   
more than any of them, knew what happened. She took hold of Xu's hand and   
squeezed it tightly as she tried to shove away that memory. Xu returned the   
squeeze, but kept her eyes locked forward. There was an oddly detached   
expression on her face.  
  
The Headmaster led the memorial, speaking at length about the future SeeD   
and friend that they lost. Quistis knew that she wasn't the only one crying as   
the Headmaster spoke with heart-wrenching sincerity. Other students and SeeDs   
took the podium and spoke, including Xu. Her speech was perhaps the hardest to   
listen to. Quistis bowed her head and closed her eyes, just listening to the   
words as the emotions washed over her.  
  
Xu returned to her seat and put an arm around her. A few more people   
spoke before the Headmaster came up again. He made some final remarks, then   
dismissed them. The Faculty turned and left as everyone stood. The rows began   
to file out, but not everyone was leaving -- some maintained their position as   
their classmates moved past.  
  
Quistis gave Xu a questioning look. "It's not over," she whispered. When   
their row filed out, they didn't leave their position. The broad double doors   
at the back of the room swung shut and those left standing all resumed their   
seats.  
  
A tall cadet with broad shoulders walked up to the podium. He'd spoken   
during the memorial. What was his name..? Eugene. He looked over those who   
remained and then spoke without the assistance of the microphone. "I thank you   
for remaining. Many of you are here because we have a common calling in life:   
to protect those under our charge. Sean believed in this very much. He wanted   
to be a SeeD so that he could live out this dream.  
  
"And so, I propose a pact. Let us bind ourselves as family as we strive   
to fulfill this goal. Let us reaffirm our commitment to our cause after losing   
our brother." He walked behind the casket where everyone could still see him.   
Slowly, he drew out his belt knife. "This day I swear that I will strive with   
all my heart and soul towards becoming a SeeD. I will help my brothers and   
sisters accomplish this goal to the best of my abilities. I will conduct   
myself with honor and dignity. As a SeeD I will protect my Garden and my   
cause. Should I not become a SeeD I will carry these traits with me throughout   
life."  
  
He glanced around the silent crowd again, then drew the knife across the   
palm of his hand. Quistis gasped as he let a few drops of his blood fall on   
the casket before pulling out a Cure spell and healing his hand. He wiped off   
the blade carefully with a white cloth.  
  
"Will anyone join me?" He asked simply, stepping aside, inviting someone   
else to take his position by the casket. A person from the back of the room   
stood and walked forward.  
  
"Xu?" She whispered. She wasn't sure what was going on here. Did they   
expect her to cut herself and take this oath?  
  
She leaned over to speak quietly as the next person walked slowly up the   
aisle. "When a cadet is killed it's traditional for their closest friend to   
propose a pact between that cadet's other friends -- regardless if they knew   
them already or not. It builds bonds that may not have formed otherwise and   
gives focus towards a goal. You don't have to join the pact if you don't want   
to, but you should at least witness it."  
  
They sat quietly as one person after another came forward and joined the   
pact. There seemed to be some order in how they were presenting themselves,   
from the back of the room forward. That would make them among the last to   
decide. Not everyone was coming forward. When someone was passing up the   
pact, they would stand up and bow deeply before sitting again.  
  
Quistis would have never figured on such a ceremonious thing occurring at   
the Garden. There was no mention of it in the Regulations Handbook. Did the   
Headmaster know this was going on? The highest-ranking people in the room were   
some SeeDs who seemed intent on witnessing the event instead of preventing it.   
She wondered if Xu would join?  
  
Over a dozen people had gone up when it came to be their turn. Xu stood   
up, but did not move. She bowed deeply to the casket before them, holding it   
for several long moments before standing upright. A tear slipped down her   
cheek as she sat down.  
  
All eyes were on Quistis now. She tried to swallow down the growing lump   
in her throat. What to do? Could she ever step into the Training Center again   
and not think of his death? She couldn't--  
  
She couldn't give up. It would be hard, but giving up wasn't an option.   
Matron sent her here to succeed and many people believed in her. Xu supported   
her, though she would be leaving soon. The Headmaster was sympathetic. She   
could count on him to help. Doctor Kadowaki would be there for her. And   
*them*... The nearly two dozen classmates and SeeDs who were here now. This   
was a promise to help each other.  
  
Quistis stood up and scooted by Xu. She tried to prevent her hands from   
shaking as she stepped up onto the platform. Standing behind the casket, she   
looked down at the small pool of blood that was formed there. She pulled out   
her knife and looked between it and her hand. The weapon was sharp and the   
idea of turning it on herself wasn't appealing.  
  
"I can't go back on my mission," she whispered softly as she hesitantly   
pulled the knife against her palm. The honed weapon parted the flesh and blood   
welled up. A few drops fell to join the others. She pulled a Cure spell from   
her pouch as quickly as she could and cast it on herself. The pain receded,   
but not the tears that slipped down her cheeks. Eugene cleaned her knife with   
an unused corner of the white cloth he'd used on everyone else's blades before   
handing it back to her. She sheathed the weapon and hurried back to her seat.  
  
Xu said nothing as Quistis resumed her seat and another person replaced   
her up on the platform. Once the last person had gone up, Eugene carefully   
folded the white cloth and placed it in a small wooden box. With the box under   
his arm, he left the room. Others followed him out. Apparently the ceremony   
was over now.  
  
They were among the last to leave the room. Xu took up her hand to see if   
there was a mark. Inexperience had prevented her from curing it completely.   
Xu traced the thin scar across her palm. "Did you want me to Cure you?" She   
asked softly.  
  
Quistis shook her head. "It'll heal on its own," she answered. That was   
a lie. The scar would never heal completely because the first Cure hadn't been   
strong enough. Xu could probably push it along a bit further, but she would   
have a scar across her palm for years if not permanently.  
  
As they left the room, a male SeeD joined them at Xu's side and said   
something in a language Quistis didn't understand. They embraced firmly,   
offering each other comfort before parting. The SeeD gave Quistis an   
appraising look, then bowed politely before dismissing himself.  
  
"Xu, may I ask you some questions?"  
  
"Always," the other replied, directing them towards an alcove with a   
bench.  
  
"Why didn't you join the pact?" It was a rather personal question, she   
realized, but she was truly curious. Of all the people there, she would have   
figured Xu on joining.  
  
"Every person has their own way of remembering those who have passed on.   
We each saw two different aspects of the same man. I agree with the pact   
entirely, but that is not how I will remember him.  
  
"I'm encouraged to see you make a commitment towards finishing your SeeD   
training. It's very brave of you to continue on after this tragedy," Xu smiled   
softly.  
  
"What did Eugene do with that cloth? It seemed to be important for some   
reason and I don't understand why," she refrained from mentioning how much of   
this ceremony left her feeling confused.  
  
"It is important. He's undoubtedly given it to the Headmaster by now," Xu   
reflected. "It's sort of like a reminder of today and a memorial to Sean. The   
Headmaster stores the boxes for the students in a safe place. He never opens   
them. He leaves this entirely in our hands."  
  
Quistis frowned slightly. "Every time I think I finally have this place   
figured out, something new happens."  
  
Xu chuckled lightly. "It keeps things interesting. Come on, we should   
eat dinner before the Cafeteria closes. Sean would be disappointed if we   
started to skip meals on his account."  
  
She giggled hesitantly, for that was very true. Sean would be upset if he   
knew that they were missing meals.  
  
At dinner they discussed upcoming events. Xu would depart tomorrow with   
the Honor Guard. Quistis was going to miss her roommate. Hopefully her new   
one would be as amiable as Xu.  
  
-----  
  
Please visit our website at http://www.centragarden.net  



	3. Part 03

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 3  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans gbeans@tyrlen.org  
edited by Helen Fong iriachan@yahoo.com  
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. www.squaresoft.com  
  
  
- Xu -  
  
Xu sat on the chair at her former desk and stared at the two duffel bags   
that were set by the door. It was odd to have all the things she owned   
condensed into that little of space. If life was to acquire material things,   
she was woefully behind in the game. Even more so considering that only one of   
the bags belonged to her. The other bag was filled with Sean's belongings.   
She was to return them to his family at the funeral.  
  
Leaning back in her chair she played with a small trinket on a chain   
between her fingers. The Headmaster gave it to her last night when she   
reported for her final briefing. It was a gift Sean entrusted with him to give   
to Xu when she left the Garden. She couldn't recall ever seeing the Headmaster   
so nervous as he hemmed and hawed then finally gave it to her when she was   
certain that he was going to launch into another one of his infamous speeches.  
  
The pendant itself was simplistic in that it appeared as though he had   
taken a bead of Fire, Thunder, and Blizzard magics and bound them together   
within a wire frame. She wasn't sure how she felt about having three   
potentially deadly spells hanging around her neck, but figured it wasn't much   
worse than having them hanging from her belt. Somehow, it struck her as a very   
Sean-ish gift. At least he hadn't asked the Headmaster to give her some   
undergarments. He was fully capable of that as well...  
  
The Headmaster covered a lot of ground during their last meeting. He'd   
given her charge of Sean's items and a letter with his condolences to give to   
the family. Among the other items given to her were copies of her orders for   
the Galbadian Headmaster and a packet of annual reports. She felt more like a   
courier than a SeeD.  
  
Then they discussed Quistis. The Headmaster had a way of asking one   
question when he was really interested in something else. There was an   
unspoken agreement that he wouldn't ask who had taken the pact that was   
performed at a memorial, but that didn't stop him from being curious.   
Especially when so much was riding on this particular one. He knew enough   
regarding pact tradition to know what was generally agreed upon. If Quistis   
didn't joined, that could indicate the type of uphill battle that was ahead of   
him.  
  
"What do you think Quistis' chances of successfully completing her   
training at Garden are?" The Headmaster asked. Translated it was, 'Will she   
continue her training at all?'  
  
"I'm confident that she will strive to complete her studies with the help   
of her new friends," was Xu's oblique answer. 'She's taken the pact and has   
her new 'family' to help her.'  
  
"I wonder if it was due to your influence," he added reflectively. 'Did   
she join because you joined?'  
  
"I've had no such influence on her," Xu shrugged. 'I didn't join the   
pact.'  
  
The Headmaster arched an eyebrow at that. "So I see," he drawled slowly.  
  
"Very well, let us move on to my expectations of you. I want you to learn   
everything that you can from Martine. He may not be the most *agreeable* of   
people, but he's an excellent teacher," Cid paused to give her an appraising   
look. "I would have never thought that I'd tell *you* this, but don't be   
afraid to stand your ground with him. He has some biases that won't rub you   
well. Not that they rub *me* well either, but that's neither here nor   
there..."  
  
Xu wondered exactly what the Headmaster was driving at. 'I'll likely find   
out when I get there,' she thought to herself.  
  
Indeed, she was still wondering what he meant as she sat there staring at   
the duffel bags. She stopped playing with necklace Sean left her, clasping it   
around her neck before tucking it safely under her tunic. It was nearly time   
for her to go. She said her good-byes this morning before people went to   
class. It was mid-morning now and the transport for Balamb would be leaving   
soon.  
  
Xu went to the Parking Garage with one duffel bag slung across her back   
and the other on her shoulder. Kei was waiting for her at the transport to   
help load the duffels.  
  
"Are you ready?"  
  
"Aren't I always?" Xu answered in kind.  
  
Kei didn't comment. She was of the opinion that it was too soon after   
Sean's death to send her out. Kei did agree with the Headmaster's decision for   
her to be part of the Honor Guard, but she wanted Xu to return to Balamb for a   
while afterwards. The instinct to protect her cousin was always a strong one,   
and it was kicking in full force right now.  
  
The train ride to Deling City was uneventful. Xu had never imagined that   
the cars reserved for SeeDs would be as plush as they were. It was like they   
were traveling VIPs instead of mercenaries. Not to say that being a SeeD was a   
disreputable job, she just wasn't accustomed to the perks that came with the   
position. Kei, of course, was taking things in stride. She was like that.   
  
Xu tried not to think about their destination too much. She didn't look   
forward to meeting Sean's parents -- not this way at least. If things had been   
different... She would've liked to meet them. If for no other reason than to   
see what kind of parents would produce a son with his sense of humor. This...   
This was terribly unfair. Life in and of itself wasn't a fair thing and he was   
right in saying that it could be so cruel at times.  
  
A complement of Galbadian SeeDs met them at the train depot in Deling   
City. The funeral would be held the following day. Arrangements had been made   
for them at the Galbadia Hotel.  
  
Kei wanted to explore the city. Xu didn't blame her, it was one of the   
largest in the world and quite a contrast to the sheltered clan they had grown   
up in. Kei dragged her from shop to shop along the arcade. She wasn't much   
interested in it until they passed a junk shop. She couldn't explain what drew   
her to it. There wasn't much to be done to improve upon the simplistic design   
of her sai. Perhaps it was because junk shops reminded her of Sean and his   
quest to find parts for his pistol.  
  
"I want to stop in here," Xu motioned to the shop. Kei shrugged and   
followed her in. It wasn't a very large store. It had weapons of all makes   
set up on display. The person behind the counter immediately perked up when   
the door opened, then stood up even straighter when he noticed that they were   
SeeDs.  
  
"What can I do for you gents?"  
  
"We're just looking around, thanks," Xu said with a smile.  
  
She walked over to one of the display cases and admired the craftsmanship   
of the weapons until the young man behind the counter spoke up again.  
  
"'Scuse me?" Xu looked up from the display with a questioning expression.   
"We don't get many SeeD coming around here in full dress uniform. Would you by   
any chance be here for Sean's funeral?"  
  
Xu turned sheet white. Kei was at her side in an instant. "Xu?"  
  
The man cocked his head to one side at hearing her name. "Xu? You're   
that lady Sean fancied, aren't you?"  
  
"You could say that," she whispered. "How do you know him?"  
  
"He was my younger brother," he answered; sorrow coloring his voice at   
speaking of Sean in the past tense. "Please wait here a moment," he pushed   
through a small door that led further back into the shop. Several minutes   
passed while Xu tried to regain her composure. Sean's family owning a junk   
shop would certainly explain his fascination with them.  
  
A towering older man with a mustache ducked through the low doorway. His   
sharp eyes immediately snapped onto Xu and her cousin. He moved around the   
counter and approached them. Kei pulled herself up to her full height, which   
was absurdly shorter than him. His eyes flicked over to Kei, then locked back   
onto Xu.  
  
"I'm Sean's father," his voice came from deep in his chest and rumbled out   
of his throat.  
  
"I'm SeeD Xu of the Anshin clan," she bowed formally to him. Now wasn't   
the time to be coy.  
  
His eyes slid over the Kei. She apparently had the same thought Xu did   
about not pulling any punches with this man. "I'm SeeD Kei of the Anshin clan,   
Xu's cousin," she bowed.  
  
He seemed satisfied with their introductions. Turning back to Xu, he   
said, "Sean spoke highly of you, young woman. I wish it were under other   
circumstances that we met."  
  
"You and me both, sir," she answered with meek sincerity.  
  
He nodded his head, an act that hardly seemed possible considering his   
thick, muscular neck. Sean was a runt compared to his sire -- inheriting the   
height, but none of the mass. "Would you be available for dinner tonight?   
There are many things my family and I would like to ask you if you were   
willing."  
  
"I'd be honored," Xu replied, surprised that they would even want to speak   
with her. She could understand their hatred of SeeD for the death of their   
son.  
  
"Excellent," he rumbled, then turned to Kei. "All members of the Anshin   
clan are welcome in our home if you'd care to join us as well."  
  
"I thank you for your generous invitation," Kei showed more diplomacy than   
usual with her answer. Perhaps becoming SeeDs did finally mature the two of   
them...  
  
"Please come with me," he led them to the back of the shop. Before going   
through the doorway he turned around and asked them to leave their weapons up   
front. "We don't allow them in the house," he said by way of explanation.  
  
The small shop gave way to a large living space in back. This much space   
of prime shopping arcade reality would surely fetch a high price if it were   
ever up for sale. The reason they had so much space quickly became apparent:   
children. Lots of children of all ages were seen scampering from one room to   
another, sitting on a couch reading, or helping prepare dinner. The members of   
the Anshin clan were close, but to have so many family members under one roof   
was extreme -- even for them.  
  
He led them into a large room with two long tables set up in it. He told   
one of the children that was milling about to set the larger of the two tables   
with two more place settings. Xu figured that one table was an 'adult' table   
and the other a 'children'.  
  
"Are all the people we've passed immediate family?" Kei asked, keeping a   
staggering mental tally of how many people they'd seen so far.  
  
"I only have six children and most of them are married. A few decided to   
live here with their families," he explained.  
  
Kei whistled appreciatively. "And some people call *us* a clan..."  
  
Xu jabbed her cousin in the ribs to silence her. There was no way to know   
how these people would react to such comments.  
  
A deep chuckle was their answered. "We've been called that on occasion,"   
he admitted with a small smile.  
  
"Let me introduce my wife," he went into the kitchen to retrieve her.   
They couldn't see the woman at first because she was completely shadowed by her   
husband's huge body. She was the exact opposite of his size, being a short and   
petite woman. The very idea of these two extremes having children together   
startled the SeeDs.  
  
"So you're the Xu we've heard so much about?" The woman actually had to   
look up to Xu. It was rare when that would happen with an adult considering   
her own small frame. "Sean spoke well of you."  
  
Xu flushed, uncomfortable with the idea of being well thought of among   
people she didn't know. "Allow me to introduce my cousin, SeeD Kei," she said   
to deflect the focus from herself.  
  
Sean's mother peered up at Kei. "He made no mention of you," she   
commented more to herself than to Kei. She leaned in closer as she examined   
the person standing before her. "You aren't a man, are you?"  
  
It was Kei's turn the flush. Usually she took such realizations in   
stride, but the humor of this tiny woman looking over her like a child to be   
reprimanded was too much. "I am a woman, madam," she answered politely.  
  
Sean's mother rocked on the balls of her feet for a moment before turning   
away. "Our Sean always had a knack for choosing *interesting* friends. Please   
be welcome in our home." She returned to the kitchen.  
  
"Maybe I should have shown her my teeth," Kei commented slyly in their   
native tongue.  
  
"Where are your manners?" Xu scolded in the standard language.  
  
Sean's father began to laugh. The two women gave each other a long look   
before he stopped to catch his breath. They were stunned when he spoke in   
their native language. "I can see why Sean liked you!" His accent was   
clipped, but understandable.  
  
"Please, ladies, sit," he gestured towards the dinner table. Once they   
had done so, he continued. "My parents, Sean's grandparents, were traveling   
traders by profession. When I was a hair younger than you, we went on a trip   
to the Centra continent. They realized that nothing of interest was there, but   
they'd never been. I'm certain it was their life goal to set foot on every   
square centimeter of this planet," he grinned broadly.  
  
"As you know, people *are* there. Your clan saved my family when a pair   
of Death Claws attacked us. It was the first and only time I've seen an Anshin   
kill a monster. A striking young man with long hair and strong features led us   
back to the compound where the clan lives. I stayed there for a few years. My   
parents felt that the Anshin would be able to mellow their wild son." He   
smiled softly at the memories. "I picked up the language quickly and learned   
many of the Anshin customs during my time there."  
  
"Sir, if I may, who was the man that saved you?" Xu asked. As far as she   
knew, their generation was the first to actively kill monsters. It would take   
some of the sting out of all the reprimands they had received over the years   
knowing that it wasn't just her and Kei.  
  
"A man you would know very well, child. He was your father," his eyes   
grew bright at the shocked expression on her face. "I know how your clan   
works. The elders told him that his unruly daughter was his punishment for   
killing the monsters that saved my family. That it was his violent heart that   
produced you. I also know that he has never regretted his actions, as I hope   
that you'll never regret yours. Please know that he sympathizes with your   
feelings more than he's allowed to show."  
  
"Do you still speak with him?" She asked to cover for being stunned.  
  
"Often. The last time he visited us was during one of Sean's breaks. The   
lad never put together the connection between us all. The story I just told   
you was one I never shared with him. Your father and I were both pleased that   
our children found each other. He will mourn when he hears of Sean's death.  
  
"The elders will likely says that his death is *your* punishment for your   
violent heart. Know that none of us blame you for the accident. We share the   
grief that you're feeling. The Anshin try to release it quickly through the   
Spirits, but it's never that easy."  
  
He reached across the table to place his large hand over hers. "You are a   
member of our family, Xu. Our 'clans' have been associated for many years. A   
marriage between them would have made us the proudest parents on the planet."  
  
Xu was torn between tears and embarrassment. It hurt to speak with such   
familiarity. The revelations Sean's father gave were overwhelming. And the   
assumption that they would have formed a bond... Could she honestly deny that   
the groundwork for one wasn't there? That thought made the loss all the more   
acute.  
  
Kei, who was seated next to Xu, pulled her into a comforting hug. She   
cried on her cousin's shoulder, trying to stop the tears that wouldn't.  
  
"I'm sorry. SeeDs shouldn't cry," she said between sobs.  
  
"Shut up, you fool. No where in the Regulations Manual does it say SeeDs   
can't cry," Kei scolded, hugging her tighter.  
  
"I agree," Sean's father said while standing. "I'm going to help prepare   
for dinner. The washroom is down the hall and to your left." He walked behind   
them and gave Xu a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. "We'll have dinner when   
you're ready, daughter."  
  
He left the room then with Xu's tears renewed at his easy acceptance of   
her.  
  
Later that evening, after the meal and a lengthy after dinner   
conversation, the SeeDs bid them a good night. Sean's father escorted them   
back out through the shop. When he returned their weapons to them, they   
immediately noticed that he had worked on them. Xu offered to pay for his   
services, but he staunchly refused.  
  
"I don't accept payment from my children," was all he would say as he   
showed them out.  
  
Kei comforted her cousin as they walked back to the Galbadia Hotel. The   
realizations of what she lost with Sean's death continued to strike her with   
every passing moment. He had a truly wonderful family who was supportive of   
him... and of her. Their love was amazing... and crushing.  
  
*****  
  
The Honor Guard stood at rigid attention as Sean's coffin was lowered into   
the ground. The 'professionalism' that restrained Xu's tears had worn away not   
long after they arrived. She could not -- would not -- hold back the sorrow   
she felt. This was a ceremony for the family, of which she was a part. She   
performed her duties faithfully as Headmaster Cid charged them to her despite   
the tears that traced along her face.  
  
After the services Kei bid her farewell. The SeeDs from Balamb had a   
train to catch. The SeeDs from Galbadia, who she would be joining, had some   
time before the train that would take them to the Garden departed.  
  
"Worry not, I'll hold down the fort while you're away," Kei assured her.   
"I sent the Spirits many memories of Sean last night. I may not have known him   
well, but I know how happy you were because of him."  
  
"Thank you, Kei," Xu was touched by her cousin's thoughtfulness. "If   
anything happens-"  
  
"You'll be the first I call after the Headmaster," she finished the   
request. "Have a little faith in my abilities!"  
  
Once the Balamb SeeDs were gone, others came up to speak with her. The   
Galbadian SeeDs knew her story and were maintaining a respectful distance from   
her. That didn't bother her; she didn't long for their comfort or sympathy.  
  
It was late evening when they arrived at the train depot. From there it   
was a short walk to the Garden. On the way, she coaxed one of the SeeDs into   
giving her directions to Headmaster Martine's office so that she could report   
in for duty. 'What's with these people?' She wondered as they seemingly   
avoided her like the plague.  
  
The waiting room she was directed to was on the second level of the   
Garden. She was amazed by Galbadia's size. She'd always known intellectually   
that it was the largest of the three Gardens, but seeing it for herself   
re-enforced that fact. After making her wait for over 45 minutes the   
Headmaster finally presented himself. She swallowed her annoyance and saluted   
promptly.  
  
"SeeD Xu reporting for Instructor training, Headmaster Martine," she said   
crisply.  
  
He didn't respond to that, instead pacing around her as she stood at   
polite attention. He sighed audibly and asked for her paperwork in a tone that   
certainly wasn't harboring any note of welcome for her.  
  
Martine was an older man with thinning, golden-blond hair that was turning   
gray at the edges. He wore a blue overcoat with gold trim. Deep wrinkles   
creased his face, making him look older than he probably was. He seemed to be   
the opposite of Cid's outgoing and friendly nature. She couldn't imagine   
herself warming up to him.  
  
He finished reading through her paperwork before looking at her with beady   
blue eyes. "Would the SeeD care to elaborate on these orders?"  
  
She clamped down on her growing distrust of the man. "How may I clarify,   
Headmaster?"  
  
"You could begin by telling me what your full name is," he drawled.  
  
"My name is Xu, sir."  
  
"Is Xu your given name or your family name?"  
  
"It is my name." Not a complete evasion. The argument could be made that   
her family name was Anshin, but the clan didn't see it that way. Anyone --   
related to them or not -- could be an Anshin if they lived by the precepts of   
the clan. Conversely, since she refused to live by the precepts, it could be   
said that she *wasn't* an Anshin. There was a lot of gray area to work with   
depending upon whose definition was used. Headmaster Cid understood this and   
hadn't pressed her on the issue.  
  
"Show me your diploma. I'll have no unqualified persons receiving   
Instructor training at my Garden."  
  
Xu opened her duffel and rummaged around in it until she found what the   
Headmaster wanted. She handed it over to him, careful to keep her emotions in   
check. How *dare* he imply that she wasn't who she said she was!  
  
His frown only deepened as he looked it over. "Why isn't your full name   
on this?" He demanded.  
  
She swallowed down the urge to yell at him. Instead she answered in a   
tight voice; "My full name is on the diploma. If the Headmaster believes it to   
be in error, may I recommend he contact Headmaster Cid of Balamb Garden?"  
  
"You can be certain that I will, SeeD Xu or whatever your name truly is,"   
he handed the diploma back to her. She carefully tucked it back into her   
duffel, using the act as a controlled exercise to contain her stunned pride.  
  
"Where are you from?" His eyes narrowed.  
  
"I'm from Balamb Garden, sir," she answered, growing tired of his games.  
  
"Don't be coy with me, girl!" He snapped.  
  
Her lips twitched. "With all due respect, Headmaster," the title felt   
dirty when applied to this man, "a Garden is a SeeD's home."  
  
He grumped and paced around the room with unconcealed anger. 'Enough of   
this nonsense,' Xu thought just as angry but better at hiding it.  
  
"Have accommodations been arranged for me, sir?" She could go to her room   
and shadow box or *something* to release her pent up frustrations.  
  
"Oh? You expect Galbadia Garden to put you up when we can't even confirm   
who you are?" His tone was patronizing.  
  
She wanted to ask him what Cactuar had gotten up his butt, but refrained.   
"When did the Gardens start turning away their SeeDs?" She asked instead.  
  
He didn't have a snippy response to that. Perhaps he finally remembered   
his duty to his SeeDs because he relented. "I'll assign you quarters in the   
Dormitory block. You will be a student before an Instructor." He called for a   
cadet to join them in the waiting room. The cadet arrived promptly and   
escorted her to her quarters.  
  
Xu was startled, though not really surprised, when she discovered that   
he'd put her in a room with a SeeD cadet. He hadn't shown her any of the other   
courtesies granted a SeeD thus far, why should he start now by giving her a   
private room? The cadet in the room saluted her when she entered. Judging by   
the condition of the room, she hadn't been expecting a roommate any more than   
Xu had.  
  
"I guess we're roommates," Xu said as the cadet who escorted her here   
quickly withdrew. "There's no need to salute me. When we're in a Garden we're   
all on equal terms." Well, that was almost true. SeeDs could walk around   
after curfew without being reprimanded like the students were. Cid was careful   
to maintain an atmosphere of mutual respect that didn't include letting SeeDs   
get on a high horse above the classmen they once were a member of.  
  
"Uh... yes, sir," she replied hesitantly. Xu could sympathize with the   
puzzlement she must be feeling. She was probably wondering if living with a   
SeeD was some part of the training that no one warned her about. It was   
terribly unfair of Martine to dump Xu on her like this.  
  
She shook the thought off. What's done is done. She held her hand out to   
the cadet. "My name is Xu. What's yours?"  
  
"I'm Summer, SeeD Xu," she took the offered hand in a loose grip when   
shaking it. 'Wasn't she capable of showing a bit more daring?' Xu wondered.   
Garden wasn't known for it's timid students. Those who started that way   
(usually due to their youth) would outgrow it by the time they were Summer's   
age. That was another thing; they appeared to be the same age.  
  
"How far along in training are you?" Xu asked, clearing the unused bed of   
the items that were scattered on it.  
  
"I haven't taken either exam yet," she answered meekly. "Mostly because I   
haven't learned my Limit Skill."  
  
If she was Xu's age, she still had time to learn her Limit and strengthen   
any skills that she needed to before taking the exams. Time was running short,   
but she wasn't in a crunch situation... yet.  
  
Xu finished putting her things away. The temptation to call Balamb Garden   
was strong, but she resisted. If she couldn't handle her own disagreements,   
what kind of SeeD was she? Why did the Headmaster dig into her in the first   
place? He didn't even know her.  
  
Nothing could be accomplished by worrying about it tonight. Getting   
something to eat and then going to bed would be for the best. Summer directed   
her to the Garden's Cafeteria. It was late in the evening with only a few   
people sitting around the large room eating.  
  
She walked up to the counter and ordered something light for dinner.  
  
"What meat would you like with that?" The lady behind it asked, bored.  
  
"No meat. I'm a vegetarian," she explained.  
  
"People at Galbadia Garden are expected to eat well-rounded meals."  
  
Xu sighed on the inside, too tired to become angry again. Was she going   
to have to fight with every person at this Garden for the next two years?   
"What I asked for is nutritionally sound. As you can see, I'm hardly wasting   
away for lack of meat."  
  
The lady glared at her. "I'll give it to you tonight, but I'll need the   
Headmaster's approval for your diet." She left the counter to get together her   
order. Now Xu was feeling angry. All she needed was another reason for   
Martine to take shots at her.. Oh well, they could put all the meat they   
wanted on her plate that didn't mean she had to eat it.  
  
*****  
  
The next morning she was startled awake by the most god-awful music being   
played over the public address.  
  
"What *is* that song?!" She demanded of Summer, wishing her pillow was   
thick enough to drown it out.  
  
"It's 'Cactus Jack', the Galbadian national anthem. They play it at the   
beginning of every school day," she explained while getting herself out of bed.  
  
"They do this six days a week?" She couldn't keep the despair she felt   
from her voice.  
  
"You get used to it after a while," Summer assured. "I know some cadets   
who can sleep through it easily."  
  
"..." Xu buried her head under her pillow again until the music stopped.   
This was not a good way to start the day.  
  
Unfortunately, things didn't improve.  
  
"I *will not* have you disrupting the smooth inner workings of my Garden!"   
Martine thundered at Xu. She blinked, surprised at the anger in his voice and   
because that statement was how he chose to greet her this morning. It was   
fairly early since he'd called her to his office first thing.  
  
"May I ask what offences I've committed so that I may avoid them in the   
future?" She could already feel her blood begin to boil. This was *not* going   
to be a good working relationship if her first days here were any indication.  
  
"Not even here for 24 hours and you've undermined the chain of command by   
telling a cadet that she didn't have to salute you. You then go to the   
Cafeteria and demand they prepare a special menu for you. What's next on your   
list? Would you like me to move the Garden for you?!"  
  
Xu's raged flared at his skewing of the facts. "Allow me to elaborate   
upon the details of the situations you mentioned."  
  
He waved his hand, inviting her to do so, but doubting it would change his   
mind.  
  
"It was my understanding that in a Garden SeeDs, cadets, and junior   
classmen are all equal in rank. Some are allowed more privileges than others,   
of course. But we are all members of a family in which the Headmaster is the   
'father' of. Is it not this way in Galbadia?"  
  
"It is not," Martine said. "Galbadia is a military state. The Garden   
here is ran like a military establishment. We provide a majority of the   
officers for Galbadia's armed forces. Discipline is *extremely* important and   
I will not have you bucking against it because you were raised soft in Balamb."  
  
She bristled at the insult to her home Garden, but didn't comment. "I   
understand, Headmaster. My apologies."  
  
"Now, in regards to the Cafeteria, I asked for nothing that wasn't readily   
available. My diet does not include meat. I have eaten this way all of my   
life and am fully capable of remaining healthy. I don't want to be an   
exception. I'm simply sparing the Garden portions that would be wasted on me   
if they were to be placed on my plate."  
  
"Have you a good reason for causing this inconvenience?" There was still   
an edge to his voice, but not nearly the anger that had greeted her earlier.  
  
"I do not believe it to be an inconvenience. In fact, I believe it would   
be *better* if more students followed such a diet. I'm sure the Garden's   
Doctor could fill you in as to the advantages. I simply ask that my request be   
respected to avoid unnecessary wastefulness."  
  
Martine's eyes narrowed as he regarded her. "I have already spoken with   
the Doctor and he's informed me that what you propose is nutritionally sound.   
If you want to maintain this diet instead of the one that the Garden follows I   
want you to prepare a weekly meal plan and submit it to the Doctor for   
approval. You'll continue submitting meal plans until he's confident in your   
ability to balance your diet."  
  
"As you wish, Headmaster," she sighed to herself, but felt somewhat   
encouraged. Her diet was well rounded and better than what most of the   
students ate at the Cafeteria. The Doctor shouldn't have any objections. She   
could gripe about having to make out meal plans in the first place, but she   
wasn't going to devalue small concessions.  
  
"Now that we understand each other, let's discuss your Instructor   
training," he opened a drawer and began to pull out file folders. He made no   
mention of her qualifications being in question or that she wasn't who she said   
she was. The call he made to Balamb, assuming he did, must have straightened   
him out some. Cid's way of placating people wasn't as emotionally satisfying   
as Xu's preferred method of digging her heels in and out-stubborning them, but   
it must have worked.  
  
Martine handed the folders to her. She thumbed through them quickly,   
noticing that they were mostly student progress reports.  
  
"The requirements for leaving here as an Instructor are simple: graduate   
twelve SeeDs in two years. Accomplishing that is significantly more complex.   
Those are the files for the first class you will take over from a Faculty   
member. Everything you need to know regarding the students is within those   
files. If you *don't* graduate twelve SeeDs within the allotted time, you will   
be sent back to Balamb Garden as a failure. That is all," Martine dismissed   
her with a gesture.  
  
"Wait, that's all?" That couldn't be it. Weren't there any classes or   
instruction or *something* that would teach her how to best help others?  
  
"That is all unless you have a specific question," he repeated. The   
expression on his face wasn't malicious, but he was definitely enjoying the   
spot he'd stuck her in.  
  
"Would it be possible for me to get a copy of the Regulations Handbook and   
any text books that are relevant?"  
  
He nodded. "I'll have them sent to your room by mid-morning. Anything   
else?"  
  
"Not that I can think of off the top of my head. Would it be possible for   
me to consult with you again if I have any other questions?" He owed her   
*that* much. If he refused to meet with his own student Instructor she was   
doomed.  
  
"I'm a busy man, so consult with your fellow Instructors first. If they   
are unable to assist you, a meeting can be arranged," he conceded.  
  
"Thank you, Headmaster," she saluted.  
  
"Good luck to you, Instructor Xu," she couldn't judge the sincerity in his   
tone, but she was certain she'd need all the luck she could get.  
  
She spent the rest of the day in her room reading the materials he   
provided her. The students were a real mixed bag. It appeared as if only   
three of the seventeen she was assigned had any real chance of becoming a SeeD.   
She was disturbed to discover that one of the students given to her was her own   
roommate. A note was made to remind her to speak with Martine in regards to   
conflicting interests. She was going to request that she either change dorm   
rooms or have Summer returned to the Faculty member from whence she came.  
  
As Martine promised, a cadet delivered the books she requested by   
mid-morning. 'At least he's prompt,' Xu noted. Her suspicions were confirmed   
when she saw the Regulations Handbook on top of the stack. The thick manual   
definitely was *not* the same rulebook Balamb Garden played from.  
  
She would need to read it thoroughly from cover to cover before long, but   
paused in her other studies to give it a quick flip through for now. Most of   
the additions were in regards to Galbadian military procedures and   
expectations. She quickly clued in on one glaring omission: Guardian Forces.   
The Handbook made absolutely no mention of them. Didn't the SeeDs from   
Galbadia learn the most powerful form of para-magic available to them? Another   
note was made to the growing list of things she would need to ask Martine when   
she saw him next.  
  
Sean's comments regarding the militaristic outlook of Galbadia were driven   
home as she glanced through the book. Her stomach felt queasy at the thought   
of having to live here for the next two years. Everything short of how to take   
a crap was precisely detailed in the Handbook.  
  
According to this, everyone had an exact ranking and was to be addressed   
accordingly. No wonder Martine was upset with her. She had so blithely told a   
cadet that was near the bottom that she was the equal to an Instructor who   
followed only the Headmaster, Doctor, and her fellow Instructors rank wise.   
With her Instructor rank, she was higher up in the chain of command than even a   
seasoned SeeD. She couldn't imagine that sitting well with all the SeeDs here.  
  
That was another thing to ask Martine. Why were their so many SeeDs   
stationed at Galbadia? Every Garden was permitted to maintain a small force   
for defensive and instructive purposes, but a majority were assigned to -- and   
deployed from -- Balamb Garden. She was also under the impression that all   
field exams for potential SeeDs were conducted at Balamb. From the way Martine   
and the Handbook described it, Galbadia did its own field exams independent of   
its sister Gardens.  
  
Galbadia struck her as a rogue Garden, if even such a term as 'Garden'   
could be applied to this Galbadian military academy. The training of SeeDs was   
to be the first priority of any Garden, but it wasn't here. Producing officers   
for Galbadia's military was the foremost goal. That disturbed Xu greatly. She   
was here to produce SeeDs. That may not be everyone else's priority, but that   
is what Headmaster Cid sent her here to learn.  
  
Xu sighed when she read a passage stating that Triple Triad was forbidden   
and that any cards found would be confiscated. Weren't these people allowed   
any fun at all? She should probably mail her cards to Kei as soon as possible   
or risk Martine scolding her for rebellious behavior.  
  
She closed the book feeling frustrated with the foreignness of a place   
that should be like a second home. Now would be good time to take a walk and   
clear her mind. Galbadia was significantly larger than Balamb. The directory   
she expected to find out front wasn't there. It was such a common sense item   
that the idea of a Garden not having one didn't even occur to her.  
  
The only option she was left with was to systematically explore the Garden   
until she felt familiar with it. Several puzzled looks were cast her way as   
she moved from one area to the next. The female cadet uniform of Galbadia   
looked just like the one from Balamb except that their bow was the same rich   
red color as the Balamb female SeeD's ties were. The male cadet uniforms from   
both Gardens looked identical. The overall result was that Xu's uniform, at   
first glance, made her look like a cadet. Upon closer examination the   
differences became clear.  
  
She briefly considered asking Martine to issue her Galbadian SeeD uniforms   
so that she didn't stick out so much, but then she would be hiding her Balamb   
roots. She finally decided that if Martine issued her uniforms of his own   
prompting, she would wear them, else she would stick with what she brought with   
her. The students should be able to identify the various uniforms from the   
different Gardens on sight any ways.  
  
It didn't take Xu long to notice that all the Faculty and Instructors here   
were humans. At Balamb, the Faculty was all of the Shumi Tribe with only a   
handful of humans being Instructors. The complete lack of Shumi was   
disconcerting. She was so used to seeing them that when they were absent, she   
missed their constant presence.  
  
She found the room that the papers Martine gave her indicated as her   
classroom. It was nicely set up with plenty of study panels and a large   
display at the head of the room. She had no complaints regarding the   
facilities. A part of her began to believe that she would find a way to make   
things work out.  
  
"Excuse me?" A woman dressed in the Galbadian SeeD uniform peered into the   
room. She was significantly taller than Xu. Her long red hair was flowing   
unrestrained past her shoulders. A slim finger nudged her glasses back up her   
nose before she moved the rest of the way into the room. "I saw that the light   
was on. Who are you?"  
  
"I'm SeeD Xu, excuse me, Instructor Xu. I just transferred here from   
Balamb Garden," she threw up a salute before offering her hand to shake.  
  
A smile played on the woman's lips as she returned the salute and   
handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm SeeD Instructor Jennifer   
Sakachi. I do believe that this brings the total number of female Instructors   
up to two. I'm impressed," she laughed. "Let me guess, you're here to earn   
your teaching credentials?"  
  
Xu nodded. "I am. I'll then return to Balamb Garden to teach there."  
  
"That's a shame. I liked the idea of having another woman around to help   
keep these aggressive males in line. Ah well, I'll enjoy it while it lasts,"   
she said. "Do you have any questions? I'd be happy to show you around the   
Garden if you would like?"  
  
"Would you? I'd certainly appreciate it," Xu gave a sigh of relief on the   
inside. Jennifer seemed to be nice enough. Xu placed her age to be mid to   
late 30's. That meant she should have perspective that Xu didn't while still   
being young enough to be in touch with her students.  
  
"Tell me about yourself," the older woman invited as they walked.  
  
"I'm a recently graduated SeeD from Balamb Garden. Physical training was   
my favorite subject when I was a student. My weapon of choice is a pair of   
sai, though I feel confident in my hand-to-hand skills if that's what I have to   
use," Xu was at a loss as to what else to add to that. Jennifer seemed willing   
to pick up the conversation from that point.  
  
"It sounds like you'll get along well with the Weapons Master here.   
Personally, I prefer history to combat, but one can't choose the roles SeeD   
will cast them into, can they? I use a sabre named 'Kedalion' for my weapon.   
I've been an Instructor at Galbadia Garden for nine years now. I joined SeeD   
shortly after Galbadia Garden was founded. Before that I was on active duty   
during the Sorceress War in the Galbadia army. That wasn't a good time to be   
an officer. I'm glad things have settled down -- for the most part -- since   
then," her brow creased slightly as she recalled the War.   
  
For as significant of an event as the War was, Xu still felt rather shaky   
in regards as to exactly *how* it ended. One day the world was falling apart   
and the next everyone was putting it back together again. If Jennifer was   
willing to discuss it she would have to coax some stories from her at some   
point. As it was, Jennifer was onto another subject already.  
  
"Eileen and I have built our home here at the Garden. Any complaints I   
have about life are minor. I can only hope that things will remain peaceful,   
but I'm not holding my breath."   
  
As they walked Jennifer pointed out things of interest. The layout didn't   
bare much resemblance to Balamb. The Garden was circular in floor plan with   
multiple levels. One could get to the second floor via an elevator along the   
'ring' or by a set of stairs that were tucked away in an alcove. At the center   
of the Garden was an open area. That did offer the advantage of not having to   
run around the corridors to get from one section to another, but it wasn't   
nearly as pleasing to the eye as the ringed fountain at Balamb.  
  
Galbadia was a lot more functional than Balamb. It wasn't exactly ugly;   
it just didn't have the detailed touches that Balamb sported. Balamb really   
was a garden with all the plants that grew on and around the campus. Galbadia   
lacked that.  
  
"Who's Eileen?" Xu asked.  
  
"Eileen Pearcy. She's an administrative assistant to Headmaster Martine.   
She's also my partner." There was no apology in Jennifer's tone. She spoke   
with pride of her mate.  
  
Xu smiled softly. The idea of having a significant other struck a chord   
with her as she fought back the pang of sorrow. The wound from Sean's death   
was still too fresh for such innocent comments to not sting. "I'm happy for   
you," she replied politely.  
  
Jennifer noticed the hollow expression on her face. "I'm sorry, I   
forgot... You were attached to the SeeD cadet at Balamb that died recently,   
weren't you?"  
  
"Yes, Sean," she shook off the sorrow. Now wasn't the time, not with   
Jennifer giving her the concerned look that she was. "I'll be fine."  
  
Jennifer took her hand in her own. "If you ever want to talk about   
*anything*, don't hesitate to find me."  
  
"Thank you," Xu smiled weakly.  
  
*****  
  
Xu found herself before the Headmaster of Galbadia Garden for the second   
morning in a row. This time, he greeted her a bit more civilly after she   
wished him a good morning.  
  
"I apologize for taking up your time, but the issues I wish to discuss   
could only be done so with you," she began respectfully. Perhaps he'd ease up   
on her if she showed that she really was trying to become a member of his team   
and play by his rules. She'd asked what questions she could of Jennifer, but   
some of them could only be answered by him.  
  
He grunted and motioned for to get on with it.  
  
"I've looked through the materials you provided and have questions   
regarding a few points. The first was about the use of Guardian Forces. I saw   
no mention of them in the SeeD Regulations Handbook. Is it in error?" She   
asked.  
  
"There is no error. We do not use Guardian Forces at Galbadia Garden. I   
suppose you brought some with you, didn't you? I won't confiscate them, but   
you are not to summon nor instruct others on how to use them. Is that clear?"  
  
Xu nodded sharply. "As the Headmaster wishes, though I do ask for your   
indulgence. Guardian Forces can become irritable if they're not kept on your   
person for extended periods of time. Would it be all right if I kept them in   
my belt pouch?"  
  
"They're like demanding children; always wanting to be pulled out and   
played with. Yes, you may keep them in your pouch. I wouldn't want to offend   
your little friends." The sarcasm in his voice wasn't lost on her, but she   
overlooked it. What mattered was that she wouldn't be forced to send them back   
to Balamb with her cards.  
  
Her concern for not angering them was a valid one. It took months to   
build a strong rapport with a Guardian Force and she didn't want to lose her   
hard work. Judging by his snippy answer, it wouldn't be a good idea to ask why   
they weren't allowed, so she moved to the next topic.  
  
"I have a question regarding a possible conflict of interests. My   
roommate is one of the students who have been transferred to me. I believe   
that maintaining our current living situation would be against everyone's best   
interests."  
  
"I disagree," Martine said promptly. "It will give Summer more access to   
you. Perhaps you can increase her slim chances of graduating if you're living   
together. If nothing else, give the girl a spine!"  
  
Xu took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Sir, wouldn't this   
undermine my authority as an Instructor?"  
  
"What authority do you have?" He snapped. "Only a title. While that   
counts for more at Galbadia than in most places, it's not enough. Your every   
action, your very essence, should speak of the authority you have over others.   
The girl standing before me in a SeeD uniform has no authority until she   
believes that she does!" He thumped his fist on his desk to emphasize his   
point. And he did have one, insults aside.  
  
She didn't carry herself with the authority her rank allowed her. Being   
trained at Balamb, she was used to thinking of everyone as equals. As an   
Instructor, she was responsible for others and needed to act accordingly. She   
could try to be as fair as possible, but situations will present themselves in   
which the only option is to insert herself into a position of authority.  
  
Martine's 'lesson' made sense, but it was a nasty way to drive home his   
point. She didn't want to have to be stuck in 'Instructor Mode' all day and   
night simply because Summer was there. On the other hand, that's exactly what   
she needed to practice. Two years of this treatment should break her of any   
reservations she had about taking command of those ranked beneath her.  
  
He gazed at her from across the desk for several long moments before   
speaking again. "Why, pray tell, are you wearing the Balamb SeeD uniform?"  
  
She flushed, but recovered quickly. "I wasn't issued any Galbadian   
uniforms. Who do I speak with to requisition some?"  
  
"Hum... Good answer," he commented as he jotted a few things down on a   
slip of paper before handing it to her. "Go down the hall and into the second   
door on the left. That's the requisition room. The slip I just gave you is a   
list of items they are to issue you. Be sure they give you everything listed.   
They're fond of leaving off hard to come by items."  
  
"Thank you, sir. One final question: when exactly will I begin teaching?"  
  
He leaned back as he considered the question. "You're as down to business   
as Cid said you were," he drawled before leaning forward again. "You'll begin   
next week once the students have returned from their winter break. Rushing   
ahead into a situation I doubt you fully understand after only a day's reading   
won't do anyone good. I want you to be comfortably familiar with the Garden,   
its facilities, and your fellow staff before you begin. Off with you now.   
Other matters demand my attention."  
  
Xu showed herself out of the office. Once in the hallway, she leaned up   
against the wall and sighed heavily. Martine was such a mixed bag of emotions!   
He would rage against her one moment and then be helpful the next. Somewhere   
between those two extremes she was to learn how to be a good Instructor. 'The   
first lesson should be emotional consistency,' she thought darkly.  
  
She didn't realize that Galbadia was in the middle of its winter break.   
Balamb's didn't begin until next week. There were enough students milling   
about that she'd assumed classes were in session. Either this Garden didn't   
empty like Balamb tended to or there were a lot more students than she thought.  
  
Pushing off the wall, she found the room Martine directed her to. A man   
in the uniform of a Galbadian enlisted man was inventorying items before she   
came in. He noticed her and walked up to the counter between them. "What do   
you need?"  
  
"Uniforms and the items on this list," she slipped the paper across the   
counter to him.  
  
He looked it over and grunted. "Fill out these papers for the uniforms.   
The list is going to take some time," he said as he laid the appropriate forms   
out before her.  
  
"How long?"  
  
"A few days," he shrugged. She didn't have a pressing need for any of the   
items Martine gave her, but was this a test? There was no reason it should   
take a few days to gather the items unless they had to be imported from Deling   
City. None of them were that rare.  
  
"That's unacceptable," she said boldly. "I'll come back after the lunch   
break to pick them up. I expect everything to be ready by then."  
  
"Yeah, whatever," he set a neat stack of uniforms on the counter for her   
to take.  
  
She wasn't timid by any means, but she didn't want to be throwing her   
weight around either. That aside, 'yeah, whatever' was an inappropriate   
response when given instructions. She leaned across the countered and *glared*   
at him until he began to fidget..  
  
"What is the correct response to an order?" She asked in a cool tone.  
  
"Yes, sir," he gulped. "I'll get right on it, sir." He scurried to the   
back shelves of the room to begin gathering her items.  
  
Feeling surprisingly satisfied with the result of their little discussion,   
Xu took her uniforms and left. A quick change later and she was looking the   
part of a Galbadian Instructor. Now all she needed was the attitude to match   
it.  
  
*****  
  
An attitude she found when she went to the training room to work out the   
next day. She could feel her muscles protesting slightly as she performed her   
pre-work out stretches. The others who were there gave her a wide berth.   
Doing so after she worked out was understandable, but not beforehand. A man   
who looked younger than he likely was approached her when she was nearly   
finished with her warm-up routine. His age led her to assume that he was an   
Instructor since his workout clothes gave no clue as to what rank he held.  
  
"Children aren't allowed in the training room," he warned. Xu paused to   
look around her. There weren't any children here that she could see.  
  
"I'll keep that in mind, thanks," she took hold of her toes as she slowly   
stretched the muscles of her calves.  
  
"I'm talking about you, Anshin," he spat the name out as though it were a   
curse.  
  
She slowly drew herself upright from her stretched position. "Is there a   
problem we need to discuss?"  
  
"There's no place at Galbadia Garden for an Anshin weakling. You people   
are the exact opposite of what we want to be. Take your monster loving ways   
and get the hell out of here!" He growled through gritted teeth. Every eye in   
the room was on them. Xu's anger flashed at being confronted like this.  
  
She stood up, careful to replace her sai from where they had been lying on   
the floor besides her into their belt loops. "You shouldn't make assumptions   
about people," she answered coolly.  
  
"You saying that you aren't an Anshin? We all know that you are, so don't   
even bother trying to deny it!"  
  
Denying the fact was never an option in her mind. "You shouldn't assume   
that I'm weak," was her answer instead. Her words were a carefully prepared   
barb. She knew that at some point someone was going to confront her and that a   
fight was very likely. When he came up accusing her of being an Anshin the   
pieces snapped together. Of course the peace-loving Anshin would be a threat   
to the aggressive Galbadians. Best to squash such foolishness to prove that   
the Anshin are truly inferior because of their way of life.  
  
Her words hit the mark. His nostrils flared as she calmly stood before   
him. He was larger than her, but she was used to encountering that   
disadvantage. That would also give him the greater reach, another common   
obstacle. He appeared to be well built. This wouldn't be a pushover victory   
for her if he chose to take up the gauntlet she'd thrown down.  
  
He was all too willing to accept her challenge. "I demand that you fight   
me. Prove yourself worthy of the SeeD rank you supposedly hold."  
  
"There's more to being a SeeD than fighting. But if one is what you want,   
so be it!"  
  
The students on the practice mat quickly cleared as the combatants took   
their positions. He snapped for someone to bring him his weapons. Xu's heart   
skipped a beat when he strapped on a belt that matched her own. He, like her,   
practiced the use of the sai.  
  
Xu drew her weapons and sketched a bow to him. He didn't return the   
common courtesy, instead gesturing rudely at her. The anger she felt was   
firmly kept in check. Anger was a valuable tool in battle, but it was also the   
thing most likely to defeat you..  
  
They circled around each other, making an occasional jab to test the   
other's reflexes. It appeared to be a near even match. The students lined the   
edges of the mat as they watched. The training facilities must be larger than   
she thought because there weren't nearly this many people in the room when she   
came in.  
  
Sai clashed as they locked together. His eyes gleamed as she held her own   
against his attempts to force her to the mat. She was caught off guard when he   
brought his foot up and booted her away with a kick to the belly. The blow   
knocked her back onto the mat. It wasn't hard enough to injure her, but it did   
get its point across. The next attack wouldn't be pulled. If that was how he   
was going to play...  
  
Xu quickly arched herself back to her feet. They dodged each other's   
feints and jabs. The speed with which they sparred left the students dazed.   
It looked more like a carefully choreographed danced than a battle of honor.   
Both fighters were coated with sweat by the time he managed to relieve Xu of   
one of her sai.  
  
In his haste to finish the job, she was able to return the favor by   
sending one of his weapons skittering across the mat. Both held their   
remaining sai in their left hand. It became obvious early on that they shared   
the advantage ambidextrously.  
  
They locked horns again with each having the others weapon hand captured   
by their right hand. Xu wasn't going to give him the opportunity to kick her   
away twice. She dug her fingernails into the tendons of his wrist. A whoop of   
pain was her reward as his weapon fell to the mat. Angered by her temerity, he   
took firm hold of her arm and threw her down, causing her to drop her weapon as   
well.  
  
Fire could be seen in both of their eyes as they prepared to grapple. He   
tried to use the size and strength advantage he would usually have as a man to   
throw her down, but she wouldn't fall. She had worn him down too much during   
their earlier scuffling for him to finish the match that easily.  
  
His patience was at an end with hers fairing about the same. He allowed   
himself to be put into a compromising position. It was a mistake no first year   
SeeD cadet at Balamb would make and she was going to make him painfully aware   
of that fact. She took hold of his shirt and threw him over her shoulder with   
a resounding 'THUD!' echoing throughout the room as he landed.  
  
He lay stunned on the mat briefly before recovering enough to snake an arm   
out to latch onto her ankle, preventing her from moving away. She could have   
freed herself with the gamble that he couldn't pull the leg out from under her   
before she could kick him in the head. Such an action against another person   
-- especially in the training room -- was totally inappropriate. Thus she was   
dragged down to the mat.  
  
His efforts to pin her down were admirable, but they were both so slick   
with sweat that it made grappling difficult. Whenever he thought he had her   
down, she would contort her body into a new position that was even harder than   
the last to untangle and hold down. They continued like this until it had   
drawn on to the point of absurd. The bored students on the sidelines began   
yelling for them to call it a draw. They were both too spent to finish the   
other.  
  
"Yield?" Xu asked as he weakly tried to pull her out of another one of the   
twisted positions she managed to work them into.  
  
He huffed as he gave one final 'hard' yank on her leg to no avail.   
"Yield," he agreed, releasing her.  
  
Utterly exhausted they both sprawled out on the mat. One of the students   
brought them each a drink and a towel to mop off with. He stretched out to   
retrieve one of her discarded sai. Sitting up, he examined it. "Hum... This   
weapon is 'Heart Breaker'. I'd recognize the work anywhere. You've been to   
the junk shop in Deling City, haven't you? You would be hard pressed to find a   
better Weapons Smith," he studied the sai more carefully.  
  
"This must have cost you a small fortune," he commented appreciatively.   
"Good to see that it's in the hands of a serious student." He leaned over and   
handed the weapon to her. She paused to look the sai over herself. She hadn't   
realized that the weapon was named, but now that she was looking in the right   
spot she noticed the faint etching of 'Heart Breaker'. The irony of it seemed   
somehow fitting.  
  
Various students scurried around them, returning their weapons and   
cleaning the mat. Taking the hint, Xu picked herself up and walked slowly to a   
nearby wall bench. He gave some instructions to the students around him before   
he sat down next to her.  
  
"I don't believe I've introduced myself. I'm Master Pan, the combat   
trainer here. I'm neither a SeeD or a Galbadia officer, so don't expect me to   
stand on ceremony for you," he inclined his head to her. "You do Balamb proud   
with your skill Xu Anshin, it's been quite some time since I've been so   
challenged."  
  
His demeanor was a complete turnaround from his earlier aggression. He   
was friendly towards her now; as through their bout were a practice and not the   
result of an insult and challenge.  
  
"My name is Xu, if you will. Why did you provoke me?" She wasn't so   
willing to let her anger go without a good reason.  
  
"Xu it is then," he drew a bit closer before speaking. What he had to say   
must remain between the two of them.  
  
"I did it to prove to these numbskulls that not all Anshin are planet   
worshipping, monster loving, tree hugging freaks. Even before you got here   
word that you were a member of the despised Anshin clan was being booted   
around. I have my suspicions on how the rumors started, but that isn't   
important at this time. What *you* must realize is that your clan isn't well   
thought of in this country. The principles that form your way of life are   
repulsive to most Galbadians with that repulsion turning into hatred for some."  
  
Xu shook her head. "But I haven't told anyone that I'm from the Anshin   
clan. People would assume as much without confirming it first?"  
  
He shrugged. "I don't trust most of the people here further than I could   
toss them, to be honest. The SeeDs are the best of the lot and some of them   
aren't that great. Listen to your own name. It's obviously foreign to them.   
If that weren't damning enough -- in their minds -- you confirmed it yourself   
by the diet you requested from the Cafeteria. It fits what they know of Anshin   
eating habits. Your diet is completely reasonable if you just wanted to eat   
better than the slop they feed this mindless herd.  
  
"Word of your possessing some of the 'legendary' Guardian Forces also got   
around. The Galbadians don't seem to understand that GFs are a more powerful   
magic than they'll ever possess. They see it as a sort of mysticism   
earth-loving thing and refuse to make use of the GFs incredible power. That's   
why they aren't taught here, blasted fools," he grimaced before continuing.  
  
"Unfortunately, you have a country full of militaristic xenophobes to   
fight against. At least having the respect of the Garden would be a start.   
Many of the students asked me to challenge you and 'put you in your place'. I   
decided to do it when I saw you come in. Fortunately, this is the busiest time   
of day. The more students who saw our battle, the better in my opinion. Let   
them turn up the mud over this, rumor-mongering worms that they are."  
  
Xu got the distinct impression that Master Pan didn't think too highly of   
Galbadians in general. He had to be a foreigner since he never referred to   
himself as part of the Galbadian 'we'. Her anger towards him soothed. His   
intentions were honorable in what he was trying to accomplish, which was to   
disprove a preconception about her.  
  
"I must admit that the idea of fighting you intrigued me. Word of your   
speed preceded you and I wanted to test it against my own. I'll have you know   
that I pulled no punches with you. The draw was a well-earned one. I hope we   
can have a rematch at some point under friendlier circumstances," he stood up   
from the bench. His sharp eyes were keeping a lookout on his students while   
they spoke. Even Xu could tell that some of them were in need of correction   
regarding a practice they were working on.  
  
"Get cleaned up. I'll make sure the grubs here have something to really   
talk about once I'm finished with them."  
  
"Thank you, Master Pan," she said, standing up quickly as he was about to   
leave.  
  
"Come back tomorrow if you would be so kind," was his parting request   
before he yelled at the students to stop their exercises. He demanded to know   
where they learned such sloppy stances.  
  
She watched him for a few minutes before leaving herself. He truly was a   
combat specialist from how well he demonstrated the exercises he wanted his   
students to mimic. Once again she wondered where he was from. And how he so   
shrewdly assessed her without having met her first. People were so often   
different from the way others made them out to be that she rarely trusted   
other's opinions. She wouldn't have trusted her judgment of a person from   
reputation alone.  
  
The next few days were spent between preparing for her first day of class,   
figuring out where Summer was scholastically so that she knew where to begin,   
and the training room. The Headmaster and his aides decided the curriculum for   
each class. It wasn't something she needed to work out beyond knowing which   
lesson was to be taught on which day. A standard education provided a solid   
base for the students to expand upon. Extra-curricular activities such as   
sports, additional weapons training or tutoring sessions were designed to   
'polish' the SeeD they were trying to produce.  
  
The system was quite different from Cid's 'one-on-one' approach with his   
students. An upper division SeeD cadet was guaranteed to have the Headmaster   
as an Instructor at some point before they were eligible for the exams. He   
used that time to get to *know* his students and to discover how their skills   
could best be put to use for the Garden while still allowing the students to   
follow their dreams.  
  
Martine taught no classes at Galbadia. He was strictly an administrator   
and liaison to the Galbadian government. The size of his staff astounded her   
as she came to understand better how things worked here. He oversaw two sets   
of teaching staff (one for SeeD cadets and another for the officers corps), and   
the independent contractors such as Master Pan, the Garden's Doctor, and the   
Cafeteria and Maintenance personnel. Once one had waded through all of that   
the students themselves could be found at the bottom of the dog pile. It   
caused Xu to pause and wonder how Headmaster Cid managed the facade of   
simplicity in his personnel structure. Then she would remind herself that   
Galbadia seemingly had a knack for complicating simple things.  
  
When Xu returned after her first encounter with Master Pan, he announced   
his desire to give her additional training. 'You have good technique, but   
there are things we can do to make it even better,' he explained. Personally,   
she saw it as a reprieve from the piles of paperwork she was being buried   
under. When was she going to be allowed to teach?  
  
Master Pan was a demanding trainer, but not unreasonably so. Cid had dug   
into her enough times for her to be able to withstand the pressures Pan   
presented. His first act was to knock her down a few notches to pre-weapons   
level training. From their bout he'd seen plenty of room for improvement in   
that area. She didn't protest. The beauty of a weapon like the sai was that   
almost any improvement she made in her hand-to-hand skills could be applied to   
her repertoire when armed. It was a win-win situation.  
  
Xu was grateful that his directions to her weren't peppered with the   
scathing comments he used with the Garden's students. She didn't appreciate   
being cut down unnecessarily by anyone. It was an acceptable method to goad   
along lazy students and not coddle them, but she didn't have to agree with it.   
She was enough of a realist to know that it was the only way to get through to   
some, but she preferred to believe that most could be taught with reason   
instead of taunts.  
  
'Offer every student the same measure of respect and adjust accordingly.'   
That was going to be her methodology for her first term here. It may not work   
well in such a strict environment, but the idea of treating her students like   
wind up soldiers instead of people bothered her to no end. There *needed* to   
be an element of humanity else they were nothing more than biological machines   
designed to kill.  
  
Some would say that is exactly what they are. For as prestigious as being   
a member of SeeD was, it wasn't without its critics. The idea of an   
independent army of highly trained soldiers that wasn't accountable to any   
nation didn't sit well with some. The fact that the people who complained the   
loudest were the larger countries, while those who were their staunchest   
defenders were the smaller nations wasn't lost on her. Personally, she   
believed that the larger nations disliked having the playing field evened out   
by SeeD. If the need presented itself, a small country could better afford to   
hire the services of a ready made fighting force than to have to maintain a   
large standing army.  
  
The ethics of it all were probably better left to someone more capable of   
matching consequences to actions. It was enough for her to know that she loved   
living at the Garden and enjoyed her work. If she wasn't a SeeD... Well, she   
didn't know where she would be, but she was fairly certain that it wasn't where   
she desired. She was even more certain that she wouldn't be happy there.  
  
No, this is where she belonged. She may not enjoy every assignment she   
was given (like this one), but she didn't want to be anywhere else. Come what   
may, she'd make the best of it.  
  
*****  
  
"I don't know. I mean, everyone says she is, but after seeing her duke it   
out with Master Pan..." a student shrugged his shoulders to indicate his   
indecision. "I'm willing to give her a chance. Anyone who can last longer   
than a minute on the mat with the Master deserves some respect."  
  
"Respect for an Anshin?" The male student who sat next to the first at the   
study panel grimaced. Today was the first day of classes after the winter   
break and everyone was unsure of what to make of their new Instructor. The   
only one of them who had spoken to her so far was Summer, and she -- as usual   
-- wasn't saying much.  
  
News of the match between the new Instructor and Master Pan was spreading   
through the student body like wildfire. Anyone who dared suggest that Master   
Pan pulled his punches with the Instructor was promptly invited to participate   
in a re-enactment by the Master. That threat alone was enough to keep most of   
them in line. Some cockily boasted that they could take on the Instructor, but   
none had the guts as of yet to challenge her. Those who witnessed the bout   
with the Master were well aware of her skills and discouraged the ignorant from   
doing something foolish.  
  
"Has the idea of respecting her for the simple fact that she's an   
Instructor even crossed your puny minds?" A female cadet who was seated in the   
next row up turned around to address them.  
  
"I don't *disrespect* her," the first clarified. "I'm just curious as to   
how one can live with such a conflict of interests? Is she really qualified to   
teach us?"  
  
His partner snorted. "Probably not. She'll tell us that the monsters are   
misunderstood and that we can avoid every battle if we tried hard enough."  
  
"The Headmaster wouldn't allow her to teach if *that* was what she was   
going to say. Don't be an idiot, Logan," the female cadet turned back around,   
effectively ignoring the two cadets, who were roommates.  
  
"Don't pay attention to her, Kent," Logan said in a loud whisper. "Tory   
still has it in her head that women are equals to men."  
  
"Hum..? More bitter than usual because no female on campus will stop to   
give you the time of day? Logan, you're such a pri-" her insult was   
interrupted by a woman in a Galbadian SeeD uniform striding into the room   
purposefully.  
  
They immediately stood and saluted. She was shorter than Kent expected.   
From how everyone was talking about her, he was expecting someone who was at   
least 175cm. He put her at around 160cm if not a hair taller. Maybe his   
mother was right with the oft-given warning to never underestimate those who   
were unpresuming in stature. If he didn't miss his mark, the Instructor would   
make up every centimeter of it in personality.  
  
She met each of their eyes before releasing them to sit. With measured   
steps she stood squarely before them with her hands firmly clasped in front of   
her in a waiting stance. When she spoke, her arms slid to her sides and her   
voice rang clearly to the back of the room.  
  
"I am SeeD Xu, your new Instructor," she said with a curiously accented   
voice. Her introduction was lost on Kent as his sharp ears picked up on the   
nuances of her inflections. There was a certain quality to it that fascinated   
him. He'd spent some time in the Balamb region, and thus was familiar with   
their accent. Hers was the same, but different. The Balamb influence was   
definitely there, but it wasn't the core of her speech pattern. He couldn't   
quite put his finger on it.  
  
Instructor Xu had distributed the syllabus and was going over it when he   
finally dragged his attention back to what she was saying. It was the basic   
information they'd come to expect. She wasn't dropping any surprises on them   
regarding the bookwork. Indeed, the surprises were left for when it came time   
to explain her policy on individual study.  
  
"I will be consulting each of you on a one-to-one basis. During that   
time, with the assistance of Master Pan, we will assess your physical skills.   
Once that's done, an individualized course of study will be chosen that best   
suit your needs and skills. The 'cookie cutter' method may work for Galbadian   
officers, but you're here to be *SeeDs*. We want people who are highly   
skilled, creative in their approach, and are confident leaders. You each have   
a personality. You each are a *person* first and a mercenary second. I want   
to know the person so that I can make you the best mercenary possibly."  
  
The class sat in stunned silence as she lightly tapped a few keys on her   
terminal at the front of the class. Their study panels shifted to display the   
file she uploaded to them. "This is the tentative schedule of individual   
meetings. If you have a conflict, let me know by end of class tomorrow. The   
schedule will be firmly set after that and you'll be expected to attend the   
meeting. Master Pan's time is valuable and I'm certain he would be displeased   
if you wasted it."  
  
Kent shivered on the inside. Instructor Xu certainly knew how to hit a   
chord with them. Logan might have skipped seeing *her* for a meeting, but he   
wouldn't dare anger the Master by not attending.  
  
She finished covering the syllabus before opening the floor for any   
questions they may have. The first cadet promptly shot down her intent of   
fielding questions regarding the syllabus.  
  
"Where are you from?" He spoke politely enough as he stood to address her.  
  
An eyebrow arched slightly before she spoke. "I'm from Balamb Garden as I   
stated during my introduction. I would advise paying closer attention to my   
presentations in the future since I dislike repeating myself."  
  
The student blanched as he returned to his seat. Kent had to give her   
credit for how she handled the question. She answered it without answering it.   
The next student stood to ask his question.  
  
"Instructor, what is your family name?"  
  
"You may address me as Instructor Xu or SeeD Xu," she answered promptly,   
while neatly blocking off his line of questioning.  
  
"Thank you, Instructor," he mumbled as he sat.  
  
Kent watched with interest as his classmates tried to pin her down with   
their questions. Every answer she gave was direct and cut off any further   
prodding on their part. It wasn't everyday one got to see such a battle of   
wits being conducted. She could have called an end to it at any time, he   
realized, but there must be some reason she was allowing them to carry on so.   
Perhaps because -- while curiosity may have killed the cat -- that didn't   
prevent the cat from trying. Let them get it out of their system before trying   
to get any serious work done.  
  
"Do you use Guardian Forces?" Another student asked.  
  
"Yes, they're required learning at Balamb Garden," she replied.  
  
He blinked with surprise. Required learning? No person would seriously   
consider using them in the first place. He was under the impression that   
Guardian Forces were a mysticism version of magic that 'those attuned to the   
planet' practiced. Judging by the looks on his classmate's faces, he wasn't   
the only one startled by her answer. In a single breath she'd not only   
confirmed the existence of Guardian Forces but also legitimized their usage by   
SeeD.  
  
"Why don't *we* use them?" A female in the back asked.  
  
"Balamb is the only Garden to make use of Guardian Forces. Each Garden   
decides its own curriculum. Why Galbadia and Trabia Gardens have excluded them   
is information I'm not privy to."  
  
"Could you teach us?" The female student pressed.  
  
"I cannot," she said without giving a reason. The student wanted to ask   
why but a fixed look from the Instructor sent her back to her seat. "I don't   
decide which subjects you'll be taught. My job is to assure that you are   
competent regarding the matters placed before you."  
  
"How about at least showing us one?" Kent's classmates persisted.  
  
"I'm bound by the same regulations that you are. They prohibit the use of   
Guardian Forces." What she said was true. It was stated clearly in one of the   
obscure subsections that most people tended to skim over quickly. Kent had the   
Regulations Handbook firmly committed to memory and could recall the exact   
phrasing of nearly any passage if the need arose.  
  
The Instructor firmly nudged the conversation back to more appropriate   
subjects. When it came to scholastics, she seemed to know what she was doing.   
The glimpse she provided into the ways other Gardens worked was fascinating.   
He almost regretted when class was over and they were dismissed for lunch   
break.  
  
He followed Logan and Tory to the Cafeteria while still deep in thought.   
Many of the students from Instructor Xu's class were already gathered at a long   
table to discuss their impressions of her.  
  
"She didn't answer our questions," one was grumbling as they sat down.  
  
"Of course she didn't," Tory jumped into the conversation. "She's an   
Instructor. They don't have to answer to the students."  
  
"You're biased because she's a woman," Logan said.  
  
"You're right," Tory agreed. "We need more women Instructors here. There   
are far too many guys."  
  
"At least she's pretty," a male at the end of the table jested.  
  
Many of the guys agreed with that statement.  
  
"Her accent's pretty too," another added. "Hey, Kent, any idea where she   
could be from?"  
  
Tory muttered 'Balamb Garden' under her breath before he answered.  
  
"Well... She is definitely from Balamb, though I don't think so   
originally. Excluding the Balamb inflections, I don't recognize it," he   
shrugged.  
  
"See? She has to be from Anshin if our world traveling friend here   
doesn't recognize the accent," Logan reasoned.  
  
It was common knowledge that Kent's parents were well off and believed in   
giving their son the best education possible. The 'best education' being   
defined as sending him to various schools the world over. He joined the Garden   
at age fifteen, which was the last year he was eligible to enter the SeeD   
program. Even though he was 'stuck' in Galbadia, his parents insisted on   
sending him places during his breaks.  
  
He didn't begrudge the amount of traveling he did. It fascinated him to   
learn about other peoples and cultures. If Instructor Xu really was from the   
Anshin clan, then he had a long list of questions to ask her. His curiosity   
was sincere since he long ago learned to respect other's beliefs no matter how   
much he disagreed with them.  
  
"Logan, you idiot, Anshin isn't a country, it's a clan," Tory corrected   
rudely.  
  
Kent was about to correct his friend as well, but in a kinder way. He   
cleared his throat to catch the attention of his classmates. There were a few   
more things they all needed to be made aware of considering the questions they   
were asking her. He was certainly no expert on the Anshin clan, but he'd read   
a few books about them and felt it time to share his knowledge.  
  
"Xu really is her name if she's from the Anshin clan. They don't have   
surnames as we use them. The closest thing would be 'of the Anshin' since they   
*aren't* all related. There are a handful of major families called elders; a   
dozen minor families who are go betweens when a conflict arises, and the common   
families. They consider themselves 'related'," he put his fingers in the air   
to indicate the quotes around the word 'related', "in spirit even if they   
aren't so by human blood.  
  
"I say human blood because, from how I understand it, they believe that   
everyone is related in some way on the spiritual plane and that the physical   
world is just a temporary manifestation of that. When they die on the human   
plane, they will return to the trail they were walking on the spirit plane when   
they decided to sit along the Path of Life for a rest. Human existence is just   
a dream -- a minor detour, really -- from their true lives on the spiritual   
plane," he paused to take a sip of water while his classmates digested that.  
  
"I know there is more to it than that. But there are so few Anshin   
running around who are willing to answer questions. There are even fewer books   
regarding them," he frowned. "One book I read mentioned that they have a rich   
oral tradition that views it as sacrilegious to write their legends down. The   
only way to hear their stories is to find one and coax them into telling you   
the story."  
  
"That is *so* weird," a girl commented.  
  
"What if someone doesn't tell the story 'cause they don't like it and that   
story is forgotten because they were the last one to know it?" Someone else   
asked.  
  
Kent put his hands up in surrender. "I don't know, guys. There is so   
much we just *don't know*. It would be wrong of us to condemn any of them   
without at least sitting down and having a long chat first."  
  
"I don't care if they believe humans are the result of some deity having   
hallucinations. What I can't swallow is the whole idea of monsters being   
good," Logan's sentiments were shared by those seated around the table.  
  
"Hey, I agree with you there, but they don't believe monsters are good per   
say -- more like monsters are neutral. Again, I can't tell you much except to   
say that they try to live in harmony with monsters, humans, and the earth. It   
has something to do with the Path of Life and trials that will be faced once   
they return. The more violent they are on the human plane, the more grief they   
will suffer along the Path or something to that effect." Kent didn't want to   
give them the wrong idea any more than he wanted them going around with the   
misconceptions they already had.  
  
"Even if Instructor Xu isn't an Anshin, it's an interesting topic of   
discussion, don't you think?" Tory smiled, thoroughly enjoying herself.  
  
"Boot-licker," Logan growled.  
  
"Forget you!" Tory would have gestured rudely at him, but there was no   
telling when an Instructor would be around to write her up for unbecoming   
conduct.  
  
"Now that we've milked Kent for book information, what do you think,   
Summer?" The cadet at the end of the table asked.  
  
All eyes turned to the overly shy Summer. She had yet to add anything to   
the discussion, just like she hadn't said anything earlier during class.   
Glancing around her like an animal looking for a means of escape, she answered   
only after discovering that leaving was impossible. "Um... She's nice to me.   
We already did my evaluation."  
  
"And?" Logan prompted in an annoyed tone when it became clear Summer   
wasn't going to say anymore.  
  
"I'm going to practice with Master Pan. She says it'll help me gain   
confidence," she answered softly.  
  
"Getting laid would increase your confidence," Logan commented dryly.  
  
Summer flushed brightly and turned away.  
  
"That was uncalled for," Kent scolded Logan as he patted Summer   
reassuringly on the arm. "I think it's a good idea. Learn all you can from   
the Master," he encouraged.  
  
The discussion broke up into several smaller conversations. He preferred   
to sit back and listen as his classmates tried to put the puzzle of their new   
Instructor together. She didn't seem like a bad person in his estimation. It   
was still too early to be making any firm judgments, but he liked what he saw   
so far.  
  
*****  
  
Xu had the opportunity to meet Eileen when she turned in the paperwork for   
some training missions she wished to conduct during the upcoming term. Eileen   
spoke with friendly familiarity. Jennifer must have told Eileen about her.  
  
Eileen wore a smart-looking business suit with her brown hair pulled back   
into a tail. She presented herself with all the professionalism of a public   
relations guru. Xu could imagine her being a great asset to the Headmaster   
when he had meetings with Galbadian officials.  
  
Once the papers were signed off, Eileen motioned for Xu to lean closer to   
her over the desk. "A word of advice for you. From one foreigner to another,   
don't take any crap from these people. They'll settle into their place once   
you've put your foot down," Eileen sat back.  
  
Xu blinked several times before standing upright again. "Thank you, I   
think," she replied.  
  
"Good luck!" Eileen gave her a jaunty wave as Xu left the small office.   
For as much as Galbadians hated foreigners, there certainly seemed to be enough   
of them running around the place. 'When you're the biggest country in the   
world, allowances have to be made,' she reasoned to herself.  
  
Later that day found Xu in the training center working out under Master   
Pan's watchful eye. She jabbed low, and then followed through with an   
uppercut. Her 'enemy' moved away from her before coming back again. She   
performed a spinning kick against the bag to send it swinging away.  
  
"I appreciate your help in evaluating my students," she said between   
strikes. Master Pan didn't respond from his leaning position against the wall.   
When he did speak it was to comment that her footing was a bit off from where   
it should be. She stopped to adjust her stance before resuming with the bag.  
  
"Do you think any of them have what it takes?" She asked.  
  
She saw him shrug out of the corner of her eye. "What do you think? You   
know that only a handful will make it. Who will those few be?"  
  
"Are you saying that I get to choose?" She snapped her arm back to catch   
the bag 'off-guard'. "They either have what it takes or not. I know that not   
all of them will make it, but I want to give as many of them as much of a   
chance as I can."  
  
"I'm glad that I don't have to tell you that," he agreed. "How are you   
feeling? Confident that you can whip these slackers into shape?"  
  
"Whipping them is your department I do believe," she chuckled as she   
slammed her elbow into the bag. Pan gave a short bark of laughter in response   
to her comment.  
  
Removed from their conversation, a pair of students watched them from   
across the room.  
  
"Feeling a little less confident about challenging her now?" Kent asked   
Logan, who was stretching beside him. His friend said nothing, but the fear in   
his eyes said it all. Instructor Xu was quick and ruthless with her attacks   
against the bag. The strikes produced a 'thud, thud, thud' cadence. From   
their vantage point, it didn't even look like she was working that *hard*.   
That's what frightened Kent the most. Her stamina was incredible.  
  
"She's just a girl, I could take her on," Logan boasted to regain face.   
"I'll show you! During our individual training we have to fight her, don't   
we?"  
  
Kent shook his head. "Master Pan does all the combat training, you know   
that."  
  
Logan screwed his face in a frown as he thought. "Then... I'll take her   
on *now*!" He proclaimed as he stood up and marched over to the Instructor and   
Master.  
  
"Wait!" Kent tried to grab hold of him to pull him back, but he was   
already within speaking distance of Instructor Xu.  
  
"Why do you wish to challenge me?" She stopped her practicing to address   
him. He was too late to prevent Logan from getting pounded.  
  
"To prove myself!" He proclaimed.  
  
"To who?" Now Master Pan was in on it.  
  
'Logan, you idiot!' Kent thought, 'The Master will pound you before you   
even get to the Instructor.'  
  
"The Garden," Logan hooked his thumbs on the waist of his sweatpants in an   
effort to act big. Kent wanted to give him a solid kick in the butt for his   
pride.  
  
"A bully is what you are. Instructor Xu doesn't have time to waste on   
you," the Master stepped forward.  
  
"Master, Instructor," Kent inserted himself between them, "please honor   
his request. Logan needs to know where he stands in regards to his peers and   
his superiors."  
  
"I'll show him exactly where he stands," Master Pan cracked his knuckles   
as he spoke to Logan. "Impudent worm. I'll teach you where your place is and   
make sure you stay there in the future."  
  
"Wait," Instructor Xu gave Logan a long, hard look. "Is this really what   
you want? There are strings attached if I take up your challenge."  
  
"What strings?" Logan jutted his chin out at her.  
  
"They're quite simple. If I win, you'll be spending your spare time in   
here until you're strong enough to challenge me again and win. Are you still   
up for it?" She crossed her arms as he considered it.  
  
"Alright," he agreed, "and if *I* win, you have to answer our questions.   
None of the half-assed, evasive answers you gave us the other day either!"  
  
"You're not in a position to be making the deals," Master Pan growled.  
  
Instructor Xu held up her hand. "Fair enough. Shall we begin?" She   
gestured to an unoccupied mat nearby.  
  
Afterwards, Kent had to explain to Logan what happened. It wasn't pretty,   
to say the least. In less then a minute she had thrown him down with enough   
force to knock him unconscious. He came around when the Master put some salts   
under his nose. Logan hadn't even gotten a hit in on her.  
  
Logan was utterly humiliated. The fact that three people witnessed his   
deal meant that he would be spending his free time in the training room   
preparing for a rematch with the Instructor. It was odd that Instructor Xu   
insisted that he improve so that he could challenge her again. Very little   
good came from inviting trouble, in his opinion.  
  
A part of him did regret that Logan lost. He could have his pride. What   
Kent wanted was the allowance to ask her questions about the Anshin. While he   
wouldn't 'condemn' her like some others were, he was fairly certain regarding   
her origins. He longed to learn as much about the Anshin and about her as she   
was willing to tell.  
  
Maybe if he asked her privately she would be more forthcoming? No, after   
all the grief she's received from the student body in general she wasn't likely   
to be co-operative. For all she knew, he could be trying to get the dirt on   
her to create more mud with. Why did all the xenophobic idiots have to ruin   
such a rare opportunity?!  
  
*****  
  
Summer closed the door to her room quietly after entering. Instructor Xu   
was sitting at her desk with her chin buried against her chest. She thought   
the Instructor was asleep until she welcomed Summer back in a soft voice.   
Summer put her book bag down next to her own desk before asking what the   
Instructor was doing.  
  
"I'm regaining my equilibrium," her voice was barely above a whisper.  
  
"I don't understand," Summer admitted.  
  
"Have you ever had a day where everything seemed off balanced? Or so many   
things are happening at once that you feel overwhelmed by it all?"  
  
She nodded. "I feel overwhelmed all the time. Especially when I'm   
working with Master Pan."  
  
"I'm performing a mental exercise that helps me to relax. When I'm   
relaxed, the problems don't seem as big anymore. I figure things out in a more   
orderly fashion because my concentration has been refocused."  
  
"Kind of like a lens?" Summer offered.  
  
"Very much so."  
  
Summer sat on her desk chair and watched Instructor Xu for several   
minutes. The other wasn't moving at all, just sitting there with her chin down   
and her eyes closed. Her hands were folded neatly on her lap with her posture   
relaxed, but not sloppily so..  
  
"Um... Instructor?" Summer began tentatively. "Could you teach me how to   
focus?"  
  
"I thought you'd never ask," she spun the swiveling chair around quickly,   
surprising Summer. She motioned for Summer to roll her chair over across from   
hers. Once the student was within reach, the Instructor took Summer's hands up   
in her own.  
  
"Close your eyes," she coached. "I want you take a deep breath and listen   
to me as best you can. We're going to begin by clearing your mind.   
  
"You are standing in the middle of a cluttered room. Shelves of books,   
knickknacks, and other items surround you on all sides, boxing you in. Now   
hold out your hand," Instructor Xu took her right hand and positioned it away   
from her, palm up.  
  
"Look at your hand. Sitting in your palm is a small stone. Can you feel   
it?" Summer did feel it. The Instructor must be touching a fingertip to her   
palm. She nodded. "Good, concentrate on it. Notice its color. Feel it as it   
rolls around in your hand," Instructor Xu traced her fingertip around her palm   
slowly.  
  
"Now close your hand slowly into a fist. Hold the stone tightly in your   
hand." She did so. She... She really could feel a stone in her fist! Before   
she could wonder about this too much, the Instructor continued. "Reopen your   
hand, palm up. You can see the stone nestled against the webbing of your   
fingers, can't you? A magic sphere is growing from it, capturing you in a   
bubble that encompasses you completely in darkness.  
  
"Don't panic," her voice soothed. "This darkness has a welcoming warmth   
to it. This is your sanctuary. Only those whom you invite may enter your   
bubble. None of the clutter that was once surrounding you is here. It is a   
completely open space for you to work within. May I join you?"  
  
"Of course," Summer murmured, caught up in the exercise.  
  
Instructor Xu walked out of the dark to stand near her. She carried a   
smallish block between her hands. This, she placed in the air before them. It   
sat there as though on a pedestal when none was present.  
  
"We'll begin with something simple. Turn this block into a ball," she   
invited.  
  
Summer cocked her head in confusion. Into a ball? All right... She tried   
to picture the block as a ball, but it wouldn't change. A slightly bemused   
look crossed the Instructor's features at her failed attempt.  
  
"You're trying to solve the problem in one step. Why not try something   
like this?" She rubbed her hand over one of the corners of the block, smoothing   
it out. "Approach the task systematically and it becomes more manageable."  
  
Summer took the block into her hands and rubbed at one of the corners. It   
smoothed out as she did so. Understanding the gist of the exercise, she worked   
the block between her hands until she had it smoothed into a round ball. When   
she was finished, she presented it to Instructor Xu for approval.  
  
"Turn it back into a block."  
  
She squished the ball between her hands, but getting the hard edges would   
be difficult. Sitting down on the ground, she used it to create a flat   
surface. That worked until she tried to create an adjoining edge and the   
'flat' surface became warped.  
  
The Instructor knelt down and asked, "Why not use the tools that are   
available to you?" She looked besides her to see a box mold with removable   
sides next to her as though it had always been there. The non-shape was placed   
in the mold where she pressed it into its original box form before removing it.  
  
"There are many other puzzles to try, but this is enough for today." When   
they stood up Summer saw neatly organized shelves with different shapes sitting   
on them behind the Instructor.  
  
"What puzzle are you currently working on?" Summer asked.  
  
"This," she held up a panel with a round hole in it with one hand and a   
squared peg in the other.  
  
"I thought a square peg being forced through a round hole was just a   
figure of speech," she whistled appreciatively.  
  
"The concept behind the problem -- conformity -- has been around since the   
dawn of time. I'll find my answer to this puzzle eventually. My cousin has   
been stuck on it for years now, so it's too early for me to give up hope of   
finding a solution," she placed the puzzle on a conveniently appearing   
tabletop.  
  
"How do we return..?" Summer walked with her into the darkness.  
  
"All you need to do is open the door," Instructor Xu placed her hand into   
the dark and twisted. A door swung towards them with light pouring through.   
The Instructor led the way. As soon as she stepped through the door her eyes   
opened. She blinked them several times then looked around her to confirm that   
this really was their dorm room.  
  
"That was..." she was at a loss for words. The Instructor stood up to get   
them both something to drink. It was then that she noticed that at some point   
Instructor Xu had released her hands. They were now balled up into fists   
resting on her knees. Slowly she turned her right hand palm up and opened it.   
A small, black stone sat there.  
  
The impossibility of a stone really being in her hand caused her to do a   
double take -- a few times. "Did you put this in my hand?"  
  
The Instructor shook her head. "I did not, just as I can't tell you who   
put the Puzzle Stone in my hand for the first time either. When you wish to   
work with the puzzles, have the Puzzle Stone in your hand and take yourself   
through the mind-clearing exercises until you're in the black sphere."  
  
"Is it magic?" Summer examined the stone closely. It looked like any   
random stone she could have picked up between here and Deling City.  
  
She shrugged. "I can safely say that it's not magical in a way we   
understand it. There are many mysteries in this world; the Puzzle Stone is one   
of them. When encountered with something beyond my comprehension, I tend to   
just accept it and keep going. Perhaps it will be explained to this simple   
girl at some later date," she smiled reassuringly before going on.  
  
"I was hoping you would be able to get it. Not everyone has the   
imagination to make a Puzzle Stone work. Don't be afraid to sit back and use   
it. The puzzles it presents usually have a deeper meaning that can be applied   
to some aspect of your life. I must admit to the possibility of you learning   
more from the Stone than from me," she favored her with an impish grin.  
  
"I doubt that, Instructor Xu. Thank you very much."  
  
*****  
  
"A Puzzle Stone, huh?" Master Pan considered the news carefully as he   
watched over his students practicing. "That certainly won't help get rid of   
the rumors that are running amuck if she tells her classmates."  
  
"Perhaps," Xu allowed from her position next to him. Master Pan was fully   
capable of teaching the students without her hovering at his elbow, but he   
didn't seem to mind her curiosity. "It's what I thought would help her most to   
work through her shyness. The Stone's first puzzle to her was to change a box   
into a ball."  
  
"Didn't change shape until she took it into her hands, did it?"  
  
Xu nodded. "Once she realized that she could influence the environment   
around her, she was up to the challenge."  
  
"Huh," he grunted. "So, any ideas how you got your Puzzle Stone?"  
  
"The Spirits gave it to me, of course," she answered with a chuckle. The   
origin of the Stone was the biggest puzzle of all. All Anshin children were   
taught how to use one since it was considered a way for the Spirits to guide   
them when they ran into difficulties. Xu thought the answer of spiritual   
guidance was as good as any she had heard. "How about you?"  
  
"It was my grandfather's doing," he grinned. Xu was surprised when he not   
only knew what a Puzzle Stone was, but was also in possession of one. She knew   
that they weren't exclusive to the Anshin, but they weren't common either.  
  
She oft-times wondered why they weren't required learning at Balamb.   
Perhaps she would mention it to Headmaster Cid when she returned. She wasn't   
about to suggest the idea to Martine lest he think that she was trying to rock   
the boat too much.  
  
"Have you considered what to do about Kent?" Master Pan said with a sigh   
at the end of his question.  
  
"Kent? How do you mean? He seems to be one of my more dedicated   
students," she wasn't aware that anything needed to be done about him. Was his   
best friend and roommate, Logan, more of an influence on him than she thought?  
  
"He only has until a few weeks before the next winter break to finish his   
SeeD qualifications. His 20th birthday will bump him out of the Garden then.   
Don't get me wrong, he's an excellent student, but that's what he is: a   
student. More of a thinker than a fighter if you ask me," he said.  
  
"What exactly does he have left to do?" She felt foolish for not knowing   
the answer to the question or even knowing that there was a problem to begin   
with. Tonight would be spent pouring over the student's files more carefully.  
  
"One thing besides the exams; his Limit Skill. He's been block for nearly   
two years now. Everyone here has run out of ideas for trying to work him past   
it. Perhaps a fresh perspective on the problem will save his SeeD career at   
the 11th hour."  
  
She nodded. "I understand," she shivered on the inside. If she were   
Kent, she'd have given in a long time ago to the despair of not being able to   
find the Limit. He was obviously a gifted student. To be this *close* to his   
goal and fail would be devastating.  
  
Xu shook herself. This class certainly wasn't lacking personality.   
Between trying to draw Summer from her shell, keeping Logan on a short leash   
while preventing Tory from choking him with it and now this matter with Kent --   
her plate was full. Part of her idly wondered if Martine gave her all the   
problem students. That wasn't true, of course, since every class had its   
jokers and its nerds. Her perspective as an Instructor allowed her to remove   
herself from the antics of the classroom. She saw more of the overall picture   
that she would have missed if she were still a student. And looking at that   
picture, there was a lot of work to be done before the term was over.  
  
Later that evening she sought out Jennifer. Perhaps the seasoned   
Instructor would have some advice for her on how to proceed. Eileen answered   
the door to their quarters, dressed casually for the evening. She welcomed Xu   
warmly as she ushered her in.  
  
"I wanted to consult with Jennifer," Xu explained when Eileen asked what   
brought her.  
  
A playful grin crossed her face. "Call her Jen, everyone else does. Let   
me go drag her away from whatever book she's reading for you." Eileen left Xu   
to find a seat in the comfortable sitting room. Xu had been half wondering   
where the Garden had the plusher quarters hidden. Living with the students   
didn't bother her since she was used to it, but it wasn't what she was entitled   
to as a SeeD.  
  
Jen came into the room dressed in a bathrobe.  
  
"I'm sorry. If I've come at a bad time, I can return later," Xu stood up   
from the couch she was on.  
  
"Sit, sit. A bathrobe is less revealing than some uniforms I've had to   
wear," she grinned impishly. "Eileen said that you had some questions for me?"  
  
"Er- yes. I have a student who needs to learn his Limit before he can   
continue in the SeeD program-"  
  
Jen held up her hand to stop her. "Kent, right?"  
  
Xu nodded. "Do you have any ideas?"  
  
"I did a couple years ago, but they've all been exhausted by now. At this   
point, I'd say any Anshin mysticism you might have that could unblock him would   
be worth a try," she paused as Xu grimaced.  
  
Eileen had been watching them from the doorway. She stepped into the room   
to address Xu. "Oh, you might as well admit it. Everyone here is convinced of   
your lineage. At this point, whether you are or you aren't doesn't matter. In   
their minds, you are an Anshin, so live it up!"  
  
"It's a difficult matter for me," she muttered. "I can't deny genetics,   
but I don't agree with the peaceful co-existence of monsters any more than they   
do."  
  
"I think that much is obvious," Eileen commented dryly. "You're different   
from the Galbadians. I say 'so what?' It's their loss if they don't want to   
learn from those differences and broaden their own horizons."  
  
"When I suggested applying something you learned back home to help him, I   
wasn't teasing you," Jen added gently. "There are so many things that can't be   
explained but seemingly work. Historically speaking, the Anshin clan has   
mastered these 'undiscovered' abilities and made use of them."  
  
"I'll... I'll see what I can do. But won't the Headmaster be upset if he   
finds out?" Xu didn't care what Martine thought, but she didn't want to blow   
her chances of being an Instructor either. That would mean that she failed the   
mission set to her by Headmaster Cid, and that was unacceptable.  
  
"Perhaps," Jen allowed, "but if you get results, can he really complain?   
In all honesty, we've exhausted every other resource we have. If you can bring   
something new to the mix and get results, Martine will forgive just about   
anything."  
  
"Besides, you've got me on your side," Eileen assured. "I can spin the   
worst situation into something upbeat. Martine can be difficult, but he's not   
impossible and he *will* listen to me."  
  
"Thank you both for your advice and encouragement," Xu bowed politely to   
them. She left with a few ideas rolling around in the back of her mind.  
  
-----  
  
The characters Jennifer Sakachi and Eileen Pearcy are property of LeVar Bouyer   
and have been used with permission.  
  
Please visit us on the web at http://www.centragarden.net  



	4. Part 04

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 4  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans gbeans@tyrlen.org  
edited by Helen Fong iriachan@yahoo.com  
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. www.squaresoft.com  
  
  
- Xu -  
  
Summer looked up from her textbook when there was a light tapping on the   
door. She and Xu exchanged looks before she got up to answer it. It wouldn't   
be proper for her to make the Instructor get the door, after all. (Though she   
doubted very much that Xu would see it that way).  
  
Summer found herself warming up to her teacher. Instructor Xu was so...   
*human* -- for lack of a better word. She expected Summer to act   
appropriately, but she also had a sense of humor and was very kind towards her.   
The quality she found herself admiring the most was that Xu had all the   
professionalism of a SeeD, but not the coolness of the military (as was often   
found around here). That approach towards life appealed to her.  
  
"Oh, hey Summer," one of her classmates greeted once she opened the door.   
He had never come by her room before. She couldn't even recall his name. "Is   
Instructor Xu around?"  
  
Well *that* explained his stopping by. What to do? Usually the   
Instructor held her office hours in her classroom. Was Summer to turn away   
people who came looking for her during off-hours?  
  
"It's okay." Xu came up behind her, a pleasant smile on her face. She   
didn't seem upset by the intrusion like most of the Instructors would be.   
"What can I do for you?"  
  
Her classmate came to attention. "I'm terribly sorry to disturb you,   
Instructor, but I'm having difficulty with a problem and no one could help me,"   
he stammered a few times while speaking, but managed to get it out coherently.  
  
"What problem is it?"  
  
"In our math text, page 215, exercise seven," he rattled off. Summer   
recalled the problem. She'd skipped it herself because she didn't understand   
how to do it.  
  
"I didn't get that one either," she admitted softly, looking over at the   
Instructor.  
  
Xu rocked on the balls of her feet slightly as she thought. "Are there   
others stuck on that one also?"  
  
He bobbed his head then answered properly with a 'Yes, Instructor'.  
  
Xu returned to her desk and began flipping through one of the textbooks   
sitting on it. She mumbled something softly before snapping it closed and   
returning to the door with it under her arm. "Take me to where you all are   
studying. Come along, Summer, let's work through this one together."  
  
"Instructor?" He gasped in surprise.  
  
"Hum? Do you no longer want help?"  
  
He shook his head back and forth vigorously. "Please help us!"  
  
"Then lead the way," she invited.  
  
He scurried down the hallway with Xu and Summer in tow. Summer knew of   
the study group that usually met in the student lounge, but didn't attend.   
They didn't often cover subjects that she had trouble with. When they saw that   
he had the Instructor with him, they all stood and saluted while having a wide   
range of startled expressions on their faces. Instructors weren't expected to   
answer questions after hours, never mind actually come to the study group to   
answer in person.  
  
Xu stayed long after the one problem was worked through. The assignment   
as a whole was a difficult one and there were many questions relating to it.   
Summer learned more from the group session than she had from class. With fewer   
distractions and less pressure, her grasp of the material became rock solid.  
  
Xu made it clear when she left that it was all right to come ask her   
questions if they couldn't figure it out amongst themselves. That invitation   
immediately endeared her to several of her students. Knowing they could come   
to her if need be increased their confidence. At the same time, it was   
something they knew better than to abuse.  
  
Afterwards, the roommates returned to their dorm room together. "Why   
don't you study with their group?" Xu inquired as an afterthought. "It would   
increase your teamwork skills and help overcome your shyness."  
  
"Is that an order?" Summer asked softly. She dreaded the idea of having   
to work with her classmates in a group setting. A class setting was different.   
You were part of group while still being on your own. She didn't have to speak   
with anyone if she didn't want to. Keeping to herself was completely   
acceptable and often times preferred over the louder students.  
  
"Well, no, it's not an order. A suggestion, certainly, but I won't make   
you go if you don't want to."  
  
"Thank you," she responded meekly. Her classmates were so foreign to her.   
How could she ever get along with Logan or Tory or even Kent? Of any of them,   
he was the one she was most likely to bond with. Even though he was amiable   
towards everyone, she still dreaded speaking with him.  
  
*****  
  
The door to the room Kent and Logan shared opened soon after Xu knocked on   
it. Logan saluted before stepping aside to let her in.  
  
"What brings the Instructor to our humble abode?" Logan asked. She   
couldn't tell if he was sincerely interested in her reason or if he was being a   
smart ass, so she assumed the former.  
  
"I need to speak with your roommate. Would you mind leaving us for a   
while?"  
  
Kent sat back and watched as Logan grimaced at the inconvenience, then   
gathered his books and left. Kent stood to properly greet her before inviting   
her to sit down.  
  
"What can I do for you, Instructor?" He asked politely. He was *thrilled*   
to have her alone for a discussion. Perhaps she'd be willing to speak with him   
honestly regarding the Anshin since it was just the two of them.  
  
"I wanted to know your thoughts regarding your current situation. It must   
be distressing to be so close to SeeD graduation and yet have the Limit   
qualification holding you back," her tone was sympathetic. It invited him to   
tell her exactly what was on his mind.  
  
"Oh," he shrugged. "It doesn't much matter. The Garden is just another   
school to me. I've enjoyed my time here, but I don't have the same passion for   
the work that you seem to." That was the honest truth. If he didn't become a   
SeeD, he could always return to the family business. His parents wouldn't be   
upset with him. The idea of having a son in SeeD struck them as more of a   
novelty rather than something to really hope for.  
  
Some might consider his outlook on life to be apathetic, but it wasn't.   
He was flexible enough to make wherever he ended up his home. The advantage   
SeeD offered him was that he could travel and see more of the world. That's   
what he really wanted to do, visit the world over and write about it. He'd be   
like Laguna Loire, that guy who published all those articles years ago in the   
'Timber Maniacs' magazines he found in his father's study. To be the next   
Laguna, that was his dream. They had both started off in Galbadia and in a   
military establishment. Maybe that's just how these things worked.  
  
"Headmaster Martine has already invited me to join the Galbadian officer   
corps if I didn't make it as a SeeD," he added since she hadn't yet responded.  
  
"Don't you want to be a SeeD?" The look of mild shock and disappointment   
warred on her face.  
  
He leaned back in his chair. "It's not that I *don't* want to be a SeeD.   
It would be a great honor to join the organization, but I also realize my   
limitations. I've been stuck here for two years now. I won't say that I've   
given up all hope, but I'm not holding my breath either."  
  
"Are you still willing to try? Or should I have you transferred to a   
Galbadian Instructor?" Her eyes studied him intently.  
  
What did he want? Would he prefer to be a SeeD or an officer? Or he   
could just go back home, but there wasn't much ambition behind that option. A   
SeeD does live a more exciting life; plus it would give him more material to   
write about. With his luck, he'd end up working at a base guarding missiles or   
something like that if he joined the Galbadian military.  
  
"I would prefer to be a SeeD," he said after considering it.  
  
She smiled broadly. "Good. We're going to be trying some unorthodox   
methods for working you through your block, are you with me?"  
  
'Unorthodox methods'? That could mean just about anything, but what did   
he have to lose?  
  
"All right. What do I have to do?"  
  
She took his hands up in her own. "I want you to close your eyes and   
listen carefully to my voice..."  
  
A few hours passed during their session. It was tiresome and frustrating   
for Xu. Patience wasn't one of her stronger virtues as Kent failed repeatedly   
to create the Puzzle Stone. She was finally force to admit that he just didn't   
have the imagination for it. Not everyone did and she didn't think less of him   
because of it. But the Stone could have at least given them a hint as to why   
he was blocked regarding the Limit. This wasn't a good sign. If he couldn't   
visualize himself gathering the power -- of channeling it, and releasing it   
through himself -- then there wasn't much to be done.  
  
"How strong of a magic user are you?" Her face was taut with strain.  
  
"Not very," he admitted on the end of a sigh. He was as tired as she was.   
The last hour hadn't been a fun experience.  
  
She bowed her head. "Okay, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to   
partner you with Summer. You two will work on summoning the Puzzle Stone   
together. I apologize for not having the time to do this with you every night.   
But you and Summer should be able to meet for at least a half hour a day to   
try, don't you think?"  
  
"If Summer is available, I will be," was his answer. He didn't understand   
what she was trying to accomplish by sitting here and speaking softly to him.   
He couldn't see the things she described to him. It was like they were on two   
entirely different worlds screaming across the distance at each other.  
  
*****  
  
Xu was dissatisfied with the current state of things. She channeled all   
the frustration she felt regarding her failure to teach Kent the Puzzle Stone   
behind her weapon. The polearm cut through the air in a broad arc before   
sharply changing angles and leveling off against Master Pan. Pan maintained   
his guard with his own polearm.  
  
"I failed, Pan, completely," she admitted.  
  
"Hog wash!" He brought his weapon up to strike against hers. They sparred   
for a few moments before pausing again to speak. "I think you did the right   
thing by having Summer try to show it to him. That'll help her, even if it   
gains him nothing from the experience."  
  
"Perhaps," Xu allowed. Pan struck at her suddenly, testing to see if she   
had let her guard down as he thought. Xu quickly brought the polearm around   
before going on the offensive. He skillfully parried her advances as she   
nudged him across the mat they practiced on. His back was against the wall   
when a devilish grin crossed his face. With a maneuver she wouldn't have   
thought possible, her weapon was knocked away as he neatly disarmed her.  
  
"How come you always do that to me?" She complained good-naturedly.  
  
"Because I am a Weapons Master and you are not," he answered equably as he   
leaned against the polearm he planted into the mat.  
  
She shook her head while bending down to pick her own weapon up. "One of   
these day I'll catch up to you," she taunted with a grin.  
  
"I expect you to surpass me," he agreed as he moved back to the center of   
the mat. She positioned herself across from him and prepared to have at it   
again.  
  
"How does that work? Is there an actual school for Weapons Masters or   
something?" She hadn't heard of one, but that didn't mean there wasn't. From   
how Pan spoke, there had to be some central organization behind it all.  
  
"There isn't a school like Garden for weapons students. The Weapons Guild   
uses an Apprentice - Journeyman - Master system for instruction. A Master can   
take in Apprentices and graduate them to Journeymen. If the Journeyman wishes   
to become a Master, he must go to the yearly convention in Deling City and   
petition to become one. If the other Masters approve his petition, he may join   
their ranks as a Master and start taking in Apprentices of his own.  
  
"A Master's ranking is a lot like SeeD's system of ranking. SeeDs are   
ranked one to A, in which A is actually rank 31. Masters are ranked one to   
ten. This is to better reflect the wide range of weapons. A woman as young as   
yourself could never be a rank ten since there are so many weapons out there,   
but you could be a low ranking Master at your age.  
  
"I'm currently ranked six. I hope to increase my rank to seven during the   
next convention. Someday I'll reach rank ten, but there's still a lot out   
there that I haven't fully mastered."  
  
"That makes sense," Xu commented as she prepared for his attack. "I hope   
you get it."  
  
"Oh, it won't be for lack of trying," he chuckled lightly as he swung his   
weapon around to strike. She blocked his attack, then tried to catch him in   
the back of the knees with the shaft. He firmly planted his weapon down to   
block the blow before it could reach his legs. They continued practicing until   
it was time for his next batch of students to arrive.  
  
*****  
  
When Xu made it back to her room, she found a distraught Summer waiting   
for her.  
  
"What's wrong?" She immediately went to comfort the crying student.   
Summer tried to swallow down the tears that were flowing freely before Xu came   
in. They refused to stop and she was embarrassing herself in front of her   
Instructor.  
  
"Headmaster Martine," she took a deep breath as she tried to hold back the   
rage and the sorrow she was feeling, "he took my Puzzle Stone away and told me   
to not teach it to Kent."  
  
Xu bit down hard on her tongue to keep from saying anything inappropriate   
in front of the student. Martine would chose the worst time to undermine her   
efforts! Any confidence Summer had gained through using the Puzzle Stone was   
probably lost because of his reprimand.  
  
"Come with me. We're going to get your Puzzle Stone back," Xu pulled   
Summer to her feet.  
  
"Are we going to see the Headmaster?" The fear in her voice was   
unmistakable.  
  
Xu shook her head and dragged Summer with her out of the room. She led   
them to one of the outdoor areas near the basketball court. Gravel surrounded   
the court on either side beyond its chain link fences. Xu led them out onto   
the gravel and retrieved her own Stone from a pouch on her belt.  
  
"Tell me, if I throw my Puzzle Stone out into the gravel, do you think   
I'll ever find it again?" She asked Summer.  
  
The student shook her head. "With all those rocks to look through, you'd   
never find it."  
  
Xu nodded sharply then pulled her arm back and threw the Stone as far as   
she could out into the gravel.  
  
Summer gasped. "Why did you do that?!"  
  
"To prove a point. The Puzzle Stone can *never* be lost unless you want   
it to be," she slipped her hand into her belt pouch and drew out the Stone   
she'd just thrown into the gravel. "As long as you believe that you have it,   
it will be there when you reach for it."  
  
Summer blinked, then reached into her belt pouch. Her slim fingers pulled   
out the black stone she thought lost when Martine took it. "Amazing..."  
  
"You have to believe, that's the real key to the Puzzle Stone. I want you   
to teach Kent what you've learned today. Don't worry about the Headmaster,   
I'll take care of it."  
  
Summer was sent back to their room believing that Xu was going to speak   
with the Headmaster. In fact, Xu went to his assistant. It was time to test   
Eileen's persuasive skills.  
  
"So he jumped on Summer's case, huh?" Eileen leaned against the wall in   
thought. Jen was attending her office hours, and so wasn't around when Xu   
stopped by their quarters.  
  
"There isn't anything in the Regulations Manual prohibiting Puzzle   
Stones," Xu pointed out.  
  
"No, there isn't. And I should know since I wrote the Manual," she bowed   
her head. "Okay, I'll make your case to him in the morning. Summer did get   
her Stone back, didn't she?"  
  
"Yes, I showed her how to retrieve it."  
  
"Good, good," Eileen replied, caught up in her own thoughts. "I'll let   
you know how it goes."  
  
"Thank you, Eileen."  
  
All the more Xu heard on the subject was Eileen's assurances that Martine   
would no longer interfere with her teaching the Puzzle Stone. Xu marveled at   
her persuasive ability. Her tongue must surely be honey coated to keep the   
aggressive Headmaster at bay.  
  
What she didn't see was the angry confrontation in Martine's office. Nor   
was anyone witness to Eileen firmly telling Martine to 'stuff a sock in it'   
when he threatened to prohibit the use of Puzzle Stones on Garden grounds.  
  
"Two of the most important skills a SeeD learns is focus and the ability   
to *believe* in something intangible," she pointed out hotly. "Magic doesn't   
work if you don't believe it will! Prohibiting something that practices these   
vital skills has got to be one of the stupidest things I've heard!"  
  
"Who's the Headmaster here?" He snapped.  
  
His anger was a shield to hide the fear his outraged aide placed in him.   
Sometimes he wondered if he relied upon her too heavily. She was the one who   
kept things in balance at the Garden. Usually she was gentle when she cut down   
one of his ideas before suggesting something better. This Puzzle Stone thing   
hit a chord with her and he'd have to tread carefully.  
  
"You may be the Headmaster today, but will you be tomorrow if Galbadia   
stops producing quality SeeDs?" She retorted. An unbecoming frown marred her   
usually cheerful expression.  
  
"It's just a toy," he grumbled. "They distract the students from their   
work."  
  
Eileen favored him with an exasperated look. "Who says toys can't be   
educational? Jumping rope increases dexterity. Nearly every 'game' has a   
redeeming quality to it. Trust me when I say that it would do more harm to ban   
Puzzle Stones than to let those who have them be."  
  
"Fine, fine! You'll do whatever you want any ways," he threw his arms up   
in defeat. Leaning over his desk, he pulled open one of the draws to get   
something. "You can return the rock I confiscated the other da- Now that's   
odd. I know I put it in this drawer."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Eileen said. "I'm sure the student has found   
another Stone by now." She didn't bother to point out that the reason it   
disappeared was because he didn't believe in it. That would have been   
expecting too much of the man.  
  
*****  
  
The school year marched on as even more students joined the already   
crowded Garden for the spring session. Five students joined Xu's class with   
only two leaving, neither of them as SeeD graduates. One of those to drop out   
was Tory. A night's tryst with an unnamed male cadet had effectively ended her   
chances of joining SeeD. A mother is what she would become soon enough.  
  
Xu's first group of students would be ready to challenge the SeeD exam   
come term's end. She was both excited and frightened by the prospect. Could   
she give them all the final tidbits of information they needed before it came   
time to take the exams?  
  
Their efforts to help Kent summon a Puzzle Stone had all been in vain.   
Needless to say the renewed attempts to coax his Limit out of him were also   
fruitless. Xu was more disappointed on that front than he was. He had already   
resigned himself to his fate as a Galbadian officer. It saddened her that she   
wasn't skilled enough to work him through his block. There was one last thing   
she could try, but not until the summer break. She long ago noticed his   
fascination with the Anshin and planned to use that to their advantage.  
  
Once Summer made some friends (beginning with Kent) she spent less time   
around their room. Xu was glad. Things were going to work out for Summer, she   
could *feel* it.  
  
Pan kept her appraised on Logan's progress in training. He was getting   
better, but was still no match for her. Her own training with the Master was   
coming along nicely. They regularly practiced with a variety of weapons now.   
She was better at some weapons than others. At the end of every session she   
could honestly admit that she improved -- even if it was only slightly. The   
small accomplishments pleased her as much as the large ones since often it took   
many minor elements coming together for a major skill to be mastered. At   
least, that was the theory behind it.  
  
All these thoughts and feelings she recorded in the journal she kept since   
she was a first year student at Balamb. She had good reason to note down her   
experiences. People were destined to repeat what they did not remember.  
  
It was an unusually warm spring day. Since it was a free day, the Garden   
quickly emptied of its population. Most everyone took the morning train to   
Deling City to enjoy the nice weather, walk along the shopping arcade, or sight   
see. Xu decided to spend the day writing. There were so many things she   
needed to get down before she forgot them.   
  
She passed on wearing her usual uniform, opting instead for a sleeveless   
button down shirt and a long skirt that flowed around her ankles. Her hair was   
bound back into a short tail. She finally decided to grow it long enough so   
that she could pull it back without fear of it coming free. Though, when she   
was in uniform, she still let it brush against her shoulder unrestrained.  
  
So much of her time was spent in uniform that it felt good to dress like a   
*woman* once in a while. That thought brought a smile to her lips. Her   
dearest cousin would undoubtedly disagree vehemently on that point.  
  
She leaned back from the terminal she was working at. Her fingers played   
with the necklace Sean gave her as her mind organized its thoughts. Months   
after his death and she still held tightly to his spirit. She wanted to let go   
-- to let him return to the Path peacefully -- but she missed him. It didn't   
hurt like it used to. Now it was more of a wistful longing. Much like wishing   
for a gentle breeze to brush her hair back on a hot day. She wanted so very   
much for his hand to capture hers again, for him to give her a playful hip shot   
as they walked, and especially to just lean her head against his shoulder as   
they sat together. The peace he gave her was what she missed the most.  
  
A tapping on the door broke her free of her musings. She paused to smooth   
out her skirt before answering. Both of Master Pan's eyebrows rose as he gave   
her an appraising look. He then whistled appreciatively. "I'm sorry, were you   
about to go out?"  
  
Xu flushed slightly before moving aside to invite him in. "I'm not doing   
anything special today. I just felt like wearing something besides a uniform."  
  
"It's probably for the best that you're dressed like this while everyone   
is away. You do a fine job of reminded a man that he's a man," Pan laughed at   
her discomfort.  
  
She reseated herself at her desk and invited him to sit. He pulled the   
chair from Summer's desk over, then something caught his eye. "May I?" He   
asked before gently lifting up the pendant that she wore so that he could   
better view it.  
  
"Allow me to again offer my condolences regarding Sean. I hadn't realized   
that you two were that close," he let the pendant drop back against the soft   
flesh of her neck. Xu wondered about his comment. Did Pan somehow know that   
she'd been so recently thinking of him? Or was there something more behind   
Sean's gift than she knew?  
  
Pan nodded when she voiced her questions. "I'm surprised that you   
wouldn't know the significance of the pendant you wear. But then again, you're   
not from around here.  
  
"The different colors in certain combinations can mean a variety of   
things. Many times such necklaces are given as a reminder of friendship   
between parting friends. I should also point out the materials used are   
significant. It's all rather symbolic."  
  
"So what does mine mean?" She was fairly certain that she already knew,   
but Pan could confirm her suspicions for her.  
  
Pan bowed his head. "He loved you very much. The colors and arrangement   
are that of a promise to find you. It's more than the parting of friends and   
promising to write. His using magic to bind the promise is to signify that not   
even the depths of hell itself will keep him from you. It's a life promise."  
  
She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I feel the same way," she admitted   
softly.  
  
"Considering how easily you could have just about any male (and a few   
females) at this Garden, and yet keep yourself off the market -- your devotion   
does you credit. But I have to wonder; will you ever let him go? Will you   
ever allow yourself to love another?"  
  
"I don't know," she whispered. "I didn't realize what I had until I lost   
it. Am I even worthy of being offered another chance at love?"  
  
"What a silly thing to ask," Pan scoffed. "You deserve to love someone   
and be loved in return as much as anyone else. Love is equal opportunity,   
anyone and everyone can have it."  
  
"Yes, you're right," she said, giving herself a small shake. "I'm sorry   
for taking your time. Why did you stop by?"  
  
"Oh, I was going to ask if you wanted to spar, but now I feel like asking   
you on a walk instead," he gave her a 'what's a person to do?' sort of look.   
"You're dressed too nicely for me to fight you."  
  
Xu chuckled. "You're not supposed to be sparring today. It's our free   
day to do something we enjoy that isn't work related."  
  
"Yes, but what if your 'work' is what you truly enjoy?" He waggled a   
finger at her. "I'm sure you can understand that feeling."  
  
"I do. I love being a SeeD. It almost seems criminal that I'm being paid   
to do something I would do for free if no pay were offered. I can't see myself   
doing anything else."  
  
"Exactly," Pan slapped his knee. "Well then, my lady, it's far too nice   
of a day to be sitting around indoors chatting. Let's take that walk and enjoy   
the sunshine we've been neglected for so long due to winter."  
  
Their walk around the Garden complex came to an end when they met up with   
Jen and Eileen. They were sitting at an outside table playing a game of cards.   
Xu and Pan chatted until their current game was finished. Jen then dealt them   
in while explaining the rules to Xu. Triple Triad was so popular at Balamb   
that it was as if no other card games existed.  
  
The four of them played and talked. Xu enjoyed herself. She was finally   
starting to feel like a member of Galbadia Garden instead of an outsider   
looking in.  
  
Later that evening, she put a call in to Balamb Garden. The connection   
was acknowledged and Kei's face appeared on the screen. "Have you any idea   
what time it is?"  
  
"What are you complaining about?" Xu chided. "It's still dinner time   
there."  
  
"That's my point. You're keeping me from my meal," Kei winked to show   
that she was only teasing. "What's up?"  
  
"Just checking in. How are things on your end?"  
  
"Lonely, huh?" Kei gave her a sympathetic smile. "Things are fine.   
Quistis is doing as well as expected in her studies. The Headmaster is in good   
health and causing his usual amount of mischief. I recently challenged Diablos   
and won. Now I'm trying to get all my Guardian Forces to play together nicely   
again."  
  
"I knew there was something I forgot to do before I left Balamb," Xu said   
dryly.  
  
Cid always gave his SeeDs a magic lamp when they left the Garden for the   
first time. The lamp would summon Diablos. If they could defeat the demon, it   
would grant them its powers as a Guardian Force. Xu's lamp was still stored   
away at Balamb with her cards and a few other things. She thought it would be   
in everyone's best interest to put off her acquiring Diablos until after she   
was away from Galbadia. It would be nearly impossible to strengthen her newly   
established bonds if she wasn't allowed to summon Diablos once in a while.  
  
"You can't claim to be forgetting things if you haven't been using GFs,"   
Kei grinned impishly.  
  
"How can you make jokes about such a serious subject?" Xu shook her head   
at her cousin's twisted sense of humor. It was rumored that with use GFs   
gradually erased a person's memory. That superstition regarding Guardian   
Spirits has been part of the Anshin mythos for generations. Xu didn't doubt   
its validity despite Cid's reassurances that there were no side effects to   
using GFs.  
  
"It's not like I don't have a few memories I would be better off without,"   
Kei grumbled. "I don't know about you, but forgetting all the grief we've   
taken from our clan couldn't hurt. Otherwise I'll be holding a grudge for the   
rest of my life."  
  
"There are some things I don't want to forget," Xu pointed out.  
  
"You won't forget about Sean," her cousin was quick to reassure.  
  
"It's not just that, but what about all the stories we were told as kids?   
Don't you ever wish you remembered how one went?"  
  
Kei scowled. "Occasionally, but I'm not going to shed any tears if I   
can't remember a story."  
  
"I don't want to forget, so I've been writing them down among other   
things," Xu revealed. Kei's eyes went wide with disbelief.  
  
"Xu! If the elders found out they'd have a litter of kittens!" A frown   
crossed Kei's face that only deepened when Xu shook her head in disagreement.  
  
"I don't care. I won't let myself forget who am I and where I'm from. If   
I never find my way back to the Path or whatever other consequences my actions   
may have, so be it!"  
  
Kei's eyes narrowed as she regarded her cousin. "I always told them that   
you were the quiet type that was just looking for a reason to rebel. Do you   
even believe there is a Path of Life?"  
  
"I don't know," she sighed and shrugged. "It's something to believe in,   
but I don't know what happens when we pass on. We could become nothing or   
something even greater than we are now. All I wish, with every fiber of my   
being, is that Sean will be there, waiting for me."  
  
"You really are lonely, aren't you?"  
  
"I've been spoiled by having such good friends to share my life with up to   
this point. I haven't built such bonds with anyone here yet," she explained.  
  
"Tell you what, I have some leave coming up soon. Why don't I come by for   
a visit? You can show me around the Garden or something?" Kei couldn't hide   
the concern she was feeling. If Xu wasn't happy, neither was she. If there   
was anything she could do to change the situation, she would.  
  
"Actually, I have a favor to ask," Xu's voice took on a more serious tone.   
Kei straightened up in her chair and nodded for her cousin to continue. "I'd   
like you to take a student of mine to meet our clan."  
  
Kei blinked, dumbfounded by such a request. "Why..?"  
  
"I know this is a lot to ask of you, but I can't take him myself.   
Headmaster Martine has already made it abundantly clear that I am to remain   
stationed on campus during the summer break," Xu scowled as she recalled that   
bitter discussion.  
  
"Don't dodge the question, dear cousin," Kei scolded, knowing all too well   
how Xu avoided answering things if she didn't want to. "Why do you want him to   
meet the clan? Have you had a change of heart?"  
  
Xu sighed heavily. "My heart was changed after Sean, but that's not the   
issue at hand. To be frank, the student will turn 20 soon and he's been stuck   
on learning his Limit for years now. Perhaps they can help free his spirit."  
  
Something was fishy about that answer. This happened often enough that it   
shouldn't bother Xu too much. Perhaps it was because it was *her* student who   
was about to fail, but Kei didn't think so. Cid had never resorted to the   
Anshin to work past this problem and there was no reason for Xu to either.  
  
"Xu..." Kei drawled slowly in a warning tone. If she wanted Kei to help   
her, she had better come clean.  
  
"Tch, you always see through my bluff," Xu hissed. "Alright, he's very   
curious about the Anshin. He's traveled the world over, spending time   
everywhere that he could before he came to the Garden. The chances that he'll   
never work past his block are high. I don't want him to think that the last   
few years of his life have been for nothing.  
  
"Martine intends to shove him into the Galbadian officer corps once he   
turns of age. It would be nice to have at least one officer that has an   
understanding and appreciation for our clan. You wouldn't believe how much   
they hate us here," she sighed heavily.  
  
Now *that* sounded like a Xu-worthy cause. Kei would have told the whole   
lot of them where they could stuff their Anshin-hating ways long ago, but her   
cousin was more diplomatic. (Or, at least she was trying to be while at   
Galbadia). If Xu were back home or at Balamb, she wouldn't take crap from   
anyone. But she couldn't afford to be that way in this case. She needed to be   
careful in what she said and did because there were bigger fish in the sea that   
were more than willing to eat her.  
  
"You really think some good could come from taking him there?"  
  
Xu bowed her head. "Please, Kei."  
  
"I bet you expect me to fill out all the paperwork as well?" Kei sighed,   
then smiled, indicating her agreement.  
  
"I've already filled it out. Your handwriting is too sloppy for official   
documents," Xu teased, even though it was the truth. "I still need to approach   
Martine and Headmaster Cid to see if they'll sign off on it."  
  
Kei nodded. "I'll pressure Cid from this end, though I doubt he'll be a   
problem."  
  
"Thanks, Kei."  
  
She waved it off. "What are cousins for?"  
  
*****  
  
Pan forced Logan down to the mat and pinned him. They were locked   
together in a hold that was to the Master's advantage. Logan grunted and tried   
to work his way up, but was making precious little progress.  
  
"What's the matter?" Pan taunted through gritted teeth. "You're never   
going to defeat Xu at this rate."  
  
The mention of the Instructor's name caused Logan's nostrils to flare. He   
worked with renewed vigor to free himself of the hold Pan had him in.  
  
"C'mon, you spineless worm! Use that anger to your advantage," Pan shoved   
down on him, making it difficult to breathe.  
  
"I'm... Better... Than... Her!" He growled as he pushed up.  
  
"Ha! My grandmother could pin you with her walker tied behind her back!   
Free yourself already!" Pan pressed against him again to make his point.  
  
Logan tried every reversal he could think of. Squirming only tightened   
the Master's hold. Brute strength wouldn't work against his equally well-built   
opponent. "I... I... I yield," he gasped before going lax.  
  
"Sickening," the Master released Logan in disgust. Pan stood up and   
walked to the out-of-bounds area to take a drink from his water bottle. Logan   
gasped for breath for a moment before getting up. He joined Pan on the   
sidelines as Pan drank deeply from his bottle.  
  
"I've gotten better," he grumbled sourly. There was no denying his   
improvement since he started taking extra lessons. Pan was a very cruel Master   
at times, and knew *exactly* how to get under his skin. When he was angry, he   
made stupid mistakes. That's when Pan would get him.  
  
"So has *she*," the Master pointed out. "You're never going to beat her   
if you don't pick up the pace."  
  
"If you want to help me, how about you stop training her as well?" What   
was up with that any ways? Pan acted like he wanted to help him, but he was   
also training the enemy.  
  
"You haven't improved *that* much. Now you might have lasted three   
minutes on the mat with her. That's before I began training her, mind you."   
Pan took another swallow of water before speaking again. "I want to see a good   
fight between you two. One worthy of riding some gil on. That means you both   
have to be in top condition, else I'm just wasting my time."  
  
"You are a sick bastard," Logan complained bitterly.  
  
"Thank you, worm. And on that note, let's go at it again. I feel the   
need to demonstrate just how many positions I can twist your spineless carcass   
into."  
  
*****  
  
Xu followed Jen as she led them to one of the hangers where Galbadia   
Garden kept its vehicles. She didn't even realize that she had a gaping hole   
in her knowledge base until she saw some students practicing with the aerial   
pods. Jen offered to teach her how to pilot one when she asked the senior   
Instructor what they were.  
  
The pods were a single man aerial vehicle with light armaments. They   
looked funny to say the least. The pilot stood with his feet apart on a pair   
of small platforms with foot petals. He then belted his upper body and waist   
to the back restraint and put his arms along rests that had a controller for   
each hand.  
  
Jen ran her through the controls quickly. They were created with   
simplicity in mind. Xu had to wonder about the quality of Galbadian pilots if   
the machine was designed so that an idiot could manage it. That thought she   
kept to herself.  
  
SeeD itself didn't have any such aerial vehicles. The price tag for just   
one of them would cover a notable percentage of Balamb's yearly budget. Xu   
shuddered when she thought of how much just one of the battle skimmers SeeD   
used for coastal landings must have cost. Looking around the hanger, Xu   
spotted several other vehicles that she'd only seen via published media. Would   
Jen be willing to show her how to use all of them?  
  
The only reason SeeDs were permitted access to Galbadian vehicles was   
because of the heavy military presence here. The more people qualified to   
teach their pilots, the better, in the military's opinion. Xu wasn't sure   
she'd be so willing to lend out expensive toys. But if they were going to let   
simpletons pilot them in the first place, what harm could a SeeD do?  
  
When they were done playing with the aerial pods Jen showed her how to   
operate the motorcycles. Such vehicles were typically impractical because   
monsters could easily take one on and win. That's why most vehicles had to be   
a minimum weight and fully enclose the occupants. If worse came to worst, the   
occupants could locked themselves in the vehicle and wait until the monsters   
lost interest and left.  
  
An aspect of the motorcycles' design that caught her attention was how   
*long* they were. Xu's inexpert eye could tell that these weren't your run of   
the mill bikes. "What are they used for?" She asked as she knelt down to get a   
better look at the chassis.  
  
"Raiding. If you can believe that," Jen shook her head in disbelief.   
"Ramps are mounted on large trucks with the motorcycles being launched from   
there and hopefully over any barrier that may be holding ground troops at bay.   
If you haven't noticed yet, most of the vehicles around here require the driver   
to be a daredevil. That or stupid, or quite possibly both."  
  
"What's that joke about 'military intelligence'?" Xu stood up.  
  
Jen smirked. "Whatever you do, don't let them talk you into taking the   
motorcycle training course. After a term of that, half of the hairs on your   
head will be gray."  
  
"Why does that sound like the voice of experience?" Xu chuckled lightly.  
  
"Everyone is young and stupid at some point in their life. I'm just   
letting you know that there are better ways to be stupid," Jen looked at Xu   
over the frames of her glasses before pressing them back up her nose. "We have   
time for one more vehicle before dinner. How about a nice, basic troop   
transport?"  
  
*****  
  
"The Headmaster was *not* amused by your request, Xu," Eileen commented   
over dinner. Jen invited her to the quarters she shared with Eileen for dinner   
after they were finished working with Galbadia's big toys. Not only did Eileen   
want to show off her cooking skills; she wanted to inform Xu of her petition's   
progress for Kent to go visit the Anshin.  
  
Xu swallowed a mouthful of salad quickly before responding. "I didn't   
think he would be. Does that mean we're out of luck?"  
  
"Hardly. It just means that you're going to have to do all the footwork.   
You will have to arrange times, transports, lodging, escort," Eileen ticked the   
items off on her fingers, "everything pretty much."   
  
Xu sighed on the inside. Arranging this trip was turning into a bigger   
project than she anticipated. Martine hadn't squished her hopes, but he'd   
thrown plenty of blockades up to discourage her. After conveniently 'losing'   
her paperwork twice, she wised up and gave it to Eileen instead. His assistant   
promptly submitted it to the proper channels and he hit the roof. He accused   
Xu of going behind his back and how dare she? She calmly replied that since he   
was having filing problems, giving the papers to another person was in their   
best interest for assuring that her request would be addressed.  
  
Martine hadn't been amused then either. The committee that reviewed   
requests such as leaves of absence and transfers believed that sending someone   
to Centra was a fabulous idea. Xu wasn't even going to ask how they came to   
that conclusion considering the way Galbadians were in general, but she was   
fairly certain Eileen had her hand in on it. She hoped that Eileen wasn't   
calling in too many favors on her behalf for her pet project. There was no way   
she could repay such kindness if she was.  
  
"I'll make some calls tomorrow. Lodging won't be a problem. I've already   
found an escort if Headmaster Cid will let SeeD Kei go for a few weeks.   
Transportation may be the tricky part. There's only one transport that leaves   
regularly and it's not a cheap ticket." She recalled over-hearing that Kent's   
family was well off. Maybe she could try to work some sort of deal with them?   
That was the only option they had, really. SeeD wouldn't cover the cost of   
this trip.  
  
"Where does the transport leave out of? Dollet? Let me know when and   
where and I'll see what I can do about getting train tickets," Eileen offered   
with a smile.  
  
"Thank you," Xu smiled back. "You both have helped me so much. I can't   
tell you how much I appreciate it."  
  
"It's no bother," Jen assured. "Things were getting dull around here.   
With all your foreigner ways to tip everyone on their ears it's been one   
adventure after another." Jen chuckled until Eileen poked her in the side for   
that comment, then she outright laughed.  
  
"Galbadians need people like us to keep them on their toes," Eileen   
amended. "We should stick together in case they try to do something silly like   
gang up on us."  
  
Jen's eyebrow quirked as she cut her lasagna with a fork. "From what I   
hear, it would take a gang to bring you down, Xu. Has Pan been working you   
hard?"  
  
"Harder than I was worked at Balamb, but I'm up for it. I was ready for   
something more challenging," she took another bite of her salad as she gathered   
her thoughts. "I must admit that I enjoy working out with Pan more than   
teaching. I don't doubt my ability to teach the book subjects, but I really   
look forward to getting back out on the mat at the end of the day."  
  
Eileen grinned. "It's a hobby. You're supposed to enjoy those more than   
the required work you are assigned," she pointed out, trying to be helpful.  
  
"Gee, thanks," Xu quipped. "I feel much better now."  
  
"Excellent! Eat up, we've got dessert after this," Eileen waved at her to   
keep eating. Eileen thoughtfully took into account Xu dietary requirements and   
prepared a meal all three of them could eat. It really was delicious,   
consisting of salad, fresh bread, and meat-less lasagna.   
  
Offending someone was always one her anxieties when eating at a place   
where she couldn't pick her own meal. She didn't want to upset the chef by not   
eating what they prepared, but meat did *not* sit well in her stomach (assuming   
she even managed to swallow it down in the first place). Fortunately, the   
problem was avoided and for that she was grateful.  
  
*****  
  
Kent closed his textbook and sighed softly as class was dismissed.   
Tonight's homework was going to be more tedious than challenging. He wasn't   
looking forward to it at all. He put the last of his things into his bag   
before heading for the door.  
  
"Wait, Kent, I need to speak with you," Instructor Xu called to him before   
he left the room. He walked over to her desk and waiting for her to finish   
working on the terminal.  
  
"I hope you don't have anything planned for the summer break. I've   
arranged for you to study abroad," she smiled up at him from her seated   
position.  
  
"Where would I be going?" His parents hadn't yet contacted him about where   
he wanted to go during the break. If the Instructor had something better, he'd   
go with it.  
  
"How does three weeks spent on the northern Centra plains sound to you?" A   
sly smile crept across her face.  
  
"What?" Kent's jaw dropped. Only one group of people was known to live in   
that region of the world and the Anshin were it.  
  
Xu arched an eyebrow. "You object?"  
  
He shook his head rapidly. "No, Instructor!"  
  
"Very good. Allow me to brief you then," she leaned back in her chair and   
crossed her arms. "You'll be leaving here as soon as your last class lets out   
for the break. You will take the train to Deling City, then from Deling City   
to Dollet.  
  
"When you arrive in Dollet, you'll meet up with SeeD Kei from Balamb   
Garden. She will be your escort during your time away from the Garden. I   
needn't remind you to be on your best behavior when around her," she gave him   
an appraising look. There was something else behind it that he couldn't place.  
  
"May I ask why I'm being given such a wonderful opportunity?" One   
shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, but it wasn't often one was given   
exactly what they wanted. He had to know what strings were attached.  
  
She considered her answer for several long moments before speaking.   
"Magic, Limits, Puzzle Stones, and Guardian Forces are all heavily dependent   
upon the ability to focus one's will behind a set goal. The Anshin have a   
certain mysticism about them that might help unlock your Limit. Many of their   
customs rely upon the type of focus you're having difficulty with. Focusing is   
a life skill for them."  
  
Idly, she kicked herself back and forth on her swivel seat. It was   
unusual to see her so at ease. "Even if you don't learn your Limit, I believe   
that you will gain some valuable insights from the experience. Don't you   
agree?"  
  
"Oh, yes," he said immediately. "I would learn a lot."  
  
"There are a few minor details that still need to be worked out," she   
stopped rocking back and forth as she pulled up a file on the terminal. After   
reading over it once more, she spoke. "The Anshin clan has arranged for you to   
stay with a host family. They have also generously offered to sponsor half of   
the cost of transport. Since this isn't a SeeD-related activity, you will have   
to pay for the other half of the transport costs between Dollet and Centra.   
The costs of your train tickets from Deling City to Dollet were waived since   
you'll be meeting up with a SeeD for your trip. Will you be able to cover the   
4,000 gil for transport?"  
  
"I can cover it," or, more exactly, his parents could. The excited call   
home to tell them about this would be enough to get him the gil needed.  
  
"Excellent, then I'll tell them to be expecting you. See me before you   
leave. I'll have a letter of introduction ready for you then."  
  
"Thank you. Thank you so very much, Instructor," he could barely contain   
the excitement he was feeling. He wasn't only going to get to meet some   
Anshin, he was going to get to *live* with them for three weeks! He resisted   
the urge to dance down the halls while singing.  
  
Xu nodded. "Oh, I wouldn't go around telling people where you're going   
this break. That's as much for your protection as to keep the peace within the   
Garden, okay?"  
  
"All right, no problems," he grinned. "Thanks again!"  
  
Despite the Instructor's warning he couldn't help whistling as he walked   
to the Cafeteria for lunch.  
  
*****  
  
The end of the term arrived all too quickly. Half of Xu's students were   
up for the written exam with half of those passing, including Logan. She spent   
four nerve-racking days going from one meeting to another as Martine and the   
other Instructors with SeeD candidates prepared for the field exam. Jen spared   
her sanity during this hectic time. With the ease of experience, she guided Xu   
through the planning process and getting her affairs organized.  
  
Xu was almost ready to pronounce the evaluation of students as being even   
more difficult than undergoing the evaluation itself. The Instructor's had to   
keep a very close record on all the cadets. Even the most minor of details   
couldn't be over-looked. The bean counting aspect of the job was enough to   
drive her nuts.  
  
When all was said and done, Xu was proud to announce that three of her   
students had passed. Five of Jen's made it with another dozen coming from the   
other classes. Among Xu's graduates was Logan. Personal dislikes aside; he'd   
conducted himself well and deserved to be a SeeD. She could only hope that   
life would knock a few more lessons into his skull that she wasn't able to   
teach him.  
  
Galbadia had the same tradition as Balamb of a grand ball in the honor of   
the graduates being held that night. She was socially obligated to be there   
since three of her students were graduates. Officers and SeeDs mingled with   
the many administrators, Faculty, and Instructors that made up the population   
of Galbadia Garden. Xu was reminded of her own graduation in a bittersweet   
manner. The pride she felt could never be totally diminished in spite of the   
terrible events of that same day.  
  
"Three down, nine to go," Pan sidled up beside Xu, who was standing out of   
the way along a wall.  
  
'Nine to go?' She wondered before it dawned on her that he was referring   
to her own graduation requirements of producing a dozen SeeDs in two years.   
With so much else going on, that thought hadn't even crossed her mind. Indeed,   
she was a quarter of the way there with a year and a half left to go. That was   
reason enough for her to celebrate tonight.  
  
"It's a shame that you decided to wear your formal uniform instead of that   
outfit from a few weeks ago," he added slyly.  
  
She smiled. "This is an official function. One must dress   
appropriately," she noted. The point was well taken considering Pan's   
diversion from his usual workout clothes in favor of a suit and tie.  
  
He bowed in mute acknowledgement of her point before moving to another   
topic. "I wouldn't be surprised if Logan came around to challenge you to a   
rematch."  
  
"SeeD Logan is welcome to one if he wishes it, but I'll show him no   
mercy," Xu sipped from the wineglass she'd been neglecting.  
  
"Good for you," Pan patted her on the back. "Would you care to dance? It   
appears as though they're about to start another set."  
  
"Certainly," she set her glass on a nearby table as Pan led her out onto   
the floor. She enjoyed dancing with him. It was a shame that the only   
opportunity she had for this type of exercise was at graduations. After Pan   
was finished with her, another SeeD she'd only seen in passing before tonight   
claimed her as a partner. Even Logan danced a set with her before the night   
was over.  
  
"I'm not ready to challenge you yet, Instructor, but I'm not going to back   
down until we've finished our little duel." The way he said it would have been   
charming if she didn't know the earnest intent behind the words.  
  
"Whenever you're ready, SeeD Logan," she answered politely. It would have   
been rude to egg him on tonight. Provoking him can wait until tomorrow.  
  
He smirked, the glee he was feeling easily readable from his expression.   
"I am a SeeD now, aren't I?"  
  
"Yes, you are, which means the hard work is about the begin."  
  
"Heh. Hard work is fine, just as long as I get to challenge you again.   
My pride demands it!"  
  
'Well, at least he has a goal,' Xu thought as they finished the dance.   
She wasn't comfortable being the center of it, but she was more than capable of   
holding her own if she had to.  
  
Xu retired to her room as soon as it was polite to do so. Tomorrow was   
still a school day for a majority of her students, even if most of them had cut   
out early to return home for the summer break. Summer planned to leave as soon   
as classes were over. Her things were already packed and set by the door so   
that she could catch the first train out.  
  
The prospect of spending summer in Galbadia didn't thrill Xu. The idea   
would have been easier to accept if there was a *reason* for her to stay, but   
there wasn't. She wasn't teaching any summer courses for the students who were   
behind. In fact, no official duties were assigned to her. Martine was simply   
being stubborn. Since she was under his command, she couldn't tell him where   
to shove it.  
  
Pan told her that he would be around if she got lonely and wanted to spar.   
Jen and Eileen were going to visit friends in Deling City during most of the   
break. Essentially, it was a month of boredom for Xu.  
  
She shook off the anger that threatened to boil up again. Martine   
couldn't keep her from leaving the campus, but he did require her to be back by   
curfew each night. She was denied even spending a night out on the town.   
She'd have to get special permission if she wanted to take up the offer of a   
home-cooked dinner that Sean's family issued. This was the perfect time to get   
to know them better, but Martine was making the timing difficult.  
  
From what she could tell, he didn't favor the rest of his staff with the   
same degree of hard-nosed, Cactuar up the butt, difficulty that he offered her.   
That suited her just fine. She wasn't feeling too inclined towards getting   
along with him either. She gave him the respect his office and title granted   
him, but he received none of the deeper, more meaningful respect that she gave   
to those who made a difference in her life.  
  
*****  
  
The days passed and things were as dull as Xu thought they would be. She   
did manage to out-stubborn Martine into letting her off campus overnight on a   
few occasions. Those nights she spent in Deling City with Sean's family. They   
always welcomed her warmly when she visited. His father would send her and a   
couple of his sons out to go looking for parts to modify weapons with during   
the day and have dinner ready by the time they came back.  
  
The Thrustaevis of the Great Plains offered her an unusual challenge. The   
flying creatures were a challenge because her sai had a limited reach. While   
battling them she soon discovered that Thrustaevis carried the Float spell.  
  
Float was an amusing indirect spell that allowed the target to hover a   
quarter meter off the ground. Its usefulness was limited by the fact that it   
doesn't do anything more than that. If nothing else, it's a spell to play with   
when bored. 'It'll allow me to finally look down on someone instead of always   
having to look up at them,' the bemused part of her reasoned.  
  
They weren't successful in finding all the items Sean's father wanted. So   
many things were useful in weapons modifying that keeping a supply of   
everything seemed to be the most effective way to inventory items.  
  
"Tonight, we've prepared a dish I'm certain you haven't had in a long   
time," Sean's father greeted Xu and her party as they entered the junk shop.   
She immediately recognized the smell. It was a vegetable dish with a thick   
scent that was very distinctive.  
  
"It has been quite some time," she agreed with a smile. The dish wasn't   
common outside of the Anshin. That was partly due to the difficulty of finding   
some of the spices that went into it. The primary reason for its rarity was   
that the taste could be considered a violent assault upon the tongue by the   
uninitiated. Children were winged on a milder version until they were able to   
withstand its full impact.  
  
With that in mind, Xu noticed that a tamer version was set out on the   
children's table while the real deal was on the adult's. Its reception by   
those at the table was mixed. The biological children of Sean's parents dug   
right in while the ones who had married into the family were understandably   
hesitant. Xu politely ate all that she was offered. She had to admit that it   
wasn't one of her favorite dishes, but their hearts were in the right place.  
  
After dinner, she and Sean's father spoke privately out in the shop while   
he sorted the items they brought back today.  
  
"Ah, it's always a joy when you come to visit. As a parent, I could only   
wish you came home more often," his face creased as he smiled.  
  
She blushed slightly as she returned his smile. "SeeD keeps me busy.   
This break is the first real opportunity I've had to spend some meaningful time   
here."  
  
"Aye, I can understand the call of duty," he rocked back on his heels in   
thought. "How old are you now? 18? 19? It's about time for you to return to   
the clan and claim your place as an adult, isn't it?"  
  
She was slightly taken aback, then remembered that he'd spent a   
significant amount of his young adult life with the Anshin and would know of   
such rituals. "Yes, it is that time, but I won't be returning."  
  
He raised an eyebrow, inviting her to explain why she was skipping one of   
the most important events in an Anshin's life.  
  
"SeeD is my life now. I doubt they would endorse that decision. I'm   
saving us all a lot of grief if I don't return and demand to be admitted as an   
adult clan member." Xu leaned against the counter she stood by. That was   
partly the truth. She also didn't want to face their accusations of Sean's   
death being her punishment for leading her life the way she wanted to. She   
couldn't see herself ever taking a 'proper' place amongst them. They were too   
different. Her feelings were mixed as if she even believed in all the things   
they did. Many of the principles regarding monsters she didn't agree with, but   
her feelings about the Path of Life were uncertain at best.  
  
"Child, I would encourage you to not deny yourself this," he voice was   
unusually gentle for such a large man. "For you, it is an important part of   
growing up. Don't become discouraged on taking the final step now that you're   
so close."  
  
"Perhaps..." she allowed. "Even if I wanted to go tomorrow, I can't.   
I'll never be permitted to visit them as long as Martine is my superior. It   
will have to wait a couple years either way."  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that," he rumbled. It was at times like this that he   
was painfully reminded that his family was the exception -- not the rule -- in   
Galbadia.  
  
*****  
  
Kei was thoroughly unimpressed as she hefted her duffel over her shoulder.   
It was inconsiderate of Galbadia Garden to not even send a car for them. They   
would have to walk to the Garden. At her side, Kent followed with his own   
duffel and a small frown. His time with the Anshin was one of the more   
profound experiences of his life. The regrets he felt for returning to   
Galbadia ran deep.  
  
Upon arriving, they reported in with their duffels still in tow. The   
Headmaster was (thankfully) away. Kei wanted to spend the last week of the   
Galbadian summer break visiting with Xu, but hadn't made prior arrangements   
with the Garden. The administrative assistant, Eileen Pearcy, took one look at   
her identification and immediately approved her for a week's stay.  
  
"Xu's roommate is gone for the break, so you can lodge in the same room   
with her. That should eliminate any objections by the Headmaster regarding you   
using guest quarters," Eileen explained with a gleam in her eye.  
  
Eileen offered to escort Kei to Xu's dorm room. When they got there they   
noticed that the door was cracked open. A slight breeze could be felt as an   
opened window in the room allowed the breeze to flow through to the hallway.   
Kei silently nudged the door aside with her toe as she peered in. Xu was   
standing by the window, looking out as the winds brushed hair back.  
  
Stealthily, Kei slid into the room and set her duffel down. "What do you   
see?" She whispered softly after moving to stand behind her cousin.  
  
Xu didn't even flinch at the sudden appearance of Kei. Instead, she   
closed her eyes and took a deep breath before letting it out. "I know he's out   
there. I know he's watching me." Kei needn't ask who 'he' was, it was assumed   
to be Sean.  
  
Xu opened her eyes and smiled fondly at her before bringing her into a   
warm embrace. "I've missed you!"  
  
"The feeling's mutual," Kei assured as she returned the hug with interest.  
  
"How long can you stay for?"  
  
"A week, then I must return to Balamb," Kei finally released her cousin   
and stood back to get a good look at her. She was wearing an outfit that   
consisted of a long skirt and loose blouse. An embroidered vest worn over the   
blouse completed the outfit. Her hair was longer now with her body looking   
more trim than ever.  
  
"A week? How did you convince the Headmaster to give you a week leave on   
top of the three weeks to take Kent to the Anshin?" Cid was a generous man, but   
this was extreme!  
  
"Who said I was on leave?" Kei smirked. "It was my duty to act as an   
official SeeD escort while on the Centra Plains. I am now conducting the   
second half of my assignment; which is the rendezvous with SeeD Xu and receive   
her progress report." She saluted smartly. How Kei could even deliver that   
line of complete bull and keep a straight face amazed Xu.  
  
"Well then, SeeD Kei, would an oral report suffice, or do you need   
hardcopy?"  
  
"An oral report will suffice, SeeD Xu," she couldn't hide her amusement at   
the game they were playing. Kei wanted in on all the gossip Xu had to share.   
That would be filtered and condensed by Kei, then delivered to the Headmaster.  
  
The night quickly flowed into morning as they stayed up into the wee hours   
speaking on all matters of interest. The more Kei learned of Galbadia and its   
Garden, the more she came to dislike it. Not only for Xu's sake, either. With   
a dictator in control of Galbadia, the injustices being conducted were   
staggering. Kei's sense of fairness bristled at the thought of a place where   
the person with the biggest army made (and broke) the rules.  
  
Despite finally going to bed during the early morning hours, Xu was   
wide-awake when the first rays of sunlight streamed in through the still-open   
window. Kei muttered something sleepily as Xu inadvertently shook the bunk bed   
when she got up.  
  
"What did you say, sleepy head?" Xu purred as she nudged the resisting   
Kei, who was clinging to the last wisps of sleep.  
  
Kei pulled her head out from under a pillow to glare at her. "I politely   
suggested that you cast a Sleep spell on yourself and stop making such a   
racket."  
  
"I'm sure..." Xu chuckled.  
  
Kei muttered something about time zones and then rolled over. Xu   
continued to laugh at her cousin's antics as she left to clean up. When she   
returned 20 minutes later Kei was still curled up in a ball asleep.  
  
"Lazy! You're never this difficult when on duty," Xu prodded her. "Get   
up before the day is half over."  
  
Kei rolled over and grumbled. "You said it yourself. I'm not on duty,"   
she yawned hugely. "The day isn't half over. I bet it's not even mid-morning   
yet."  
  
"It isn't, thankfully, because I want to show you around and introduce you   
to some people. I know how long it takes you to get ready, so I have to wake   
you up now."  
  
Kei sat up on the bed while rubbing the grit from her eyes. "That was   
harsh."  
  
Once Kei was cleaned and moving under the power of her own two feet Xu   
took her on a tour of the Garden. Kei's demeanor was amiable as Xu escorted   
her. From a bystander's point of view, one would get the impression that Xu   
was rather fond of this young 'man' as they chatted easily while walking. Xu   
didn't doubt that rumors would be flying by the time next term rolled around.  
  
Kei had decided to wear her best Balamb uniform. It made her look   
distinctive, which was almost taboo in such a militarily rigid place. The size   
of Galbadia Garden didn't seem to have the same humbling effect on her that it   
did on Xu when she first arrived. In fact, Kei didn't seem nearly as   
interested in the Garden as she was in discovering how Xu was doing.  
  
She appreciated her cousin's concern. Her time here hadn't been easy up   
to this point, but things were steadily improving. She would survive Galbadia,   
even if she had to resort to the stubbornness that her clan was notorious for.  
  
Xu spotted Jen and Eileen among the many people enjoying the warm weather   
today. They sat on an outdoor bench together. Each of them read her own book   
as they simply enjoyed the sun and the company.  
  
Eileen was the first to glance up and notice them. "Good morning, Xu,   
SeeD Kei," she smiled warmly.  
  
Jen looked up then. "Hello," she likewise smiled at them. "I don't think   
I've had the opportunity to meet you. I'm SeeD Instructor Jennifer Sakachi."  
  
"It's a pleasure. I'm SeeD Kei," she sketched a brief bow.  
  
Eileen marked the page in her book as she spoke. "Now that the   
introductions are out of the way, have you two made any plans?"  
  
Xu shook her head. "Not really. I suspect we'll find ourselves in the   
training room before too long."  
  
"Why not try something a bit more interesting if you want to get some   
practice in?" Eileen suggested slyly.  
  
"What did you have in mind?" Xu took the bait.  
  
"North of Deling City is a place called the Tomb of the Unknown King.   
We've been considering using it as training ground like Balamb's Fire Cavern,   
but haven't sent anyone in to explore it yet," Jen picked up the explanation.   
They had obviously already discussed suggesting this adventure to Xu and Kei.  
  
"What Jen can't add because she's Galbadian and ignorant of such things-"   
Jen poked Eileen, "is the rumor that some sort of monster lives deep within the   
tomb. If rumor is to be believed it may be a Guardian Force." She shrugged to   
indicate how much credit she lent to the story.  
  
"In other words, you want us to investigate the tomb for you," Kei said   
dryly.  
  
"Why not if you've got nothing else to do?" Eileen gave one of her   
million-gil smiles. The one that won over the hearts of countless people and   
helped to mask the frustration she felt while working with Martine at times.  
  
"What do you think, Kei?" Xu turned to her.  
  
"I think that it's been over three weeks since I've drawn my blade and   
it's starting to feel neglected."  
  
*****  
  
The cousins returned the next evening successful in their 'mission'. Both   
thoroughly enjoyed themselves. It had been quite some time since they had gone   
out and have it be just the two of them.  
  
They used to go on 'adventures' all the time when they were younger.   
Neither of them cared that the elders considered their exploits to be nothing   
more then mischief making. Those were some of the happiest times in their   
young lives. Recapturing some of that magic today left them feeling playful.  
  
Jen greeted them as they joined her and Eileen for a late dinner in the   
Cafeteria. The glow they gave off would have been enough to light the room.   
"I see that you enjoyed yourselves."  
  
"It was an interesting challenge. Not as straight forward as the Fire   
Cavern," Kei carefully restrained the enthusiasm she felt.  
  
"But did you *find* anything?" Eileen pressed.  
  
"We did," Xu pulled a rough stone from one of her belt pouches and set it   
on the table. Eileen picked it up to examine it more carefully. It had an   
earthy feel to it -- almost as through it would crumble in her hand, but   
didn't. "We also mapped out the tomb. A student couldn't get into too much   
trouble if they didn't go in far."  
  
Kei pulled the aforementioned map out and spread it on the table. Jen   
studied it intently while her friends ate. "If we had them retrieve an item to   
prove that they had actually gone in... here," Jen stabbed a point on the map   
with a fingertip. "That should be enough. A fitting junior level challenge,   
don't you think?"  
  
"That would work as long as we warned them to not go in too deep," Xu   
agreed.  
  
Eileen and Kei met each other's eyes, then Eileen shook her head. "It's   
difficult to get Jen out of 'instructor' mode at times. I see her ways are   
rubbing off on Xu, as well."  
  
"What was that? I'm sorry, I'm busy creating a better Galbadian SeeD,"   
Jen quipped.  
  
Eileen snorted. "You know what I think would create a better Galbadian   
SeeD, but a coup isn't likely -- no matter how much Timber wants it."  
  
'Why would Timber want a coup..? Oh, wait, that's right. It was an   
independent country at one time,' Xu recalled.  
  
Galbadia seized the central government thirteen years ago and continues to   
hold tight control to this day. Since then, Timber has become notorious for   
its many resistance groups. Nearly every person there is involved with the   
Galbadian resistance in one way or other. Galbadia views them as one would a   
yapping dog that was annoying, but too cute to kick. They could utterly crush   
Timber at any time, but haven't.  
  
"What other territories does Galbadia hold?" Kei asked between bites of   
her dinner.  
  
"Galbadia holds most of the continent with the notable exception of the   
Dukedom of Dollet, which used to control the continent itself a few generations   
ago. In fact, the tomb you explored today is that of a past Dollet ruler,"   
Eileen explained.  
  
"Galbadia has also laid claim to Winhill in the south, but it's so remote   
and people care so little about it that no one has made it 'official'.   
Official meaning that it's militarily occupied," Eileen added in an aside. "I   
visited Winhill once. It's such a backwater town that I can understand why   
Galbadia is reluctant to bring it into the fold."  
  
"Where are you from, Eileen?" Xu had never asked before. She knew that   
Eileen wasn't Galbadian.  
  
"The Dukedom of Dollet -- the best place to live this side of Balamb," she   
grinned with pride.  
  
"Doesn't the idea that Galbadia may set its sights on Dollet bother you?"   
Kei asked. Dictators were rarely content with what they already had. How   
Eileen could even stand to work in Galbadia boggled her.  
  
"The thought crosses my mind from time to time. It's inevitable that   
Galbadia will try to seize the Dukedom at some point -- I've accepted that.   
I'm just hoping that someone will be there to liberate it when that happens.   
The idea of Dollet becoming another Timber frightens me," she frowned briefly   
before replacing it with a rueful smile.  
  
After dinner, Kei had words privately with Eileen. "Can you set up a   
meeting with the Headmaster for me?"  
  
"His schedule is pretty full for the rest of the week. Is there something   
I can help you with?"  
  
Kei shook her head. "No, what I have to say must be done so in person.   
Please fit me in somewhere."  
  
"I'll do what I can," Eileen promised.  
  
*****  
  
"I'm a busy man, SeeD Kei, don't waste my time," Martine said tartly as   
she came to attention and saluted.  
  
"I wouldn't dream of it, Headmaster," she purred. A part of her was going   
to enjoy this conversation. "As you know, I am from Balamb Garden. After   
escorting one of your cadets to the Centra Plains, I was given the task of   
coming here to check up on some things."  
  
"To spy on us?" The growl in his throat was dangerously low. He was onto   
her and ready for a confrontation.  
  
"To assess the situation here," Kei corrected. "Several reports have come   
to Headmaster Cid's attention regarding possible violations of SeeD   
regulations. I'm afraid that I've been able to confirm a good number of them."  
  
Martine's eyes narrowed.  
  
"I realize that at a large Garden such as this one certain things can go   
unnoticed. I'm here to see that this is no longer the case."  
  
"You have no authority here," he thumped his desk. "I could have you   
thrown off the campus in a heartbeat."  
  
Kei allowed herself a small, shark-like smile. "You could, but I wouldn't   
advise it. It is true that Galbadia Garden isn't accountable to anyone. But   
let me remind you that a majority of the funding for this Garden still comes   
from revenue Balamb SeeDs earned. Balamb is the breadwinner in this family,   
and as so, we expect that *every* Garden meet certain standards.  
  
"Now, if you think that the Galbadia government would be willing to pick   
up the tab for the operation of this Garden, try it on your own if you want.   
Until that day, I suggest you listen carefully to the *recommendations* of   
Balamb Garden."  
  
Martine sputtered with indignation with no coherent words being formed.   
That was for the best in Kei's opinion. Balamb had Galbadia by the tail and it   
was long past due for the rogue Garden to be reined in.  
  
"I would suggest calling Madam Pearcy in to take careful notes for you.   
We wouldn't want any points to be forgotten, would we?" Kei feigned boredom as   
she watched him page for his assistant.  
  
Eileen was quick in responding to his summons. Kei sketched out the   
situation for her. A dumbfounded look crossed her face before she masked it   
with one of her neutral smiles. On the inside, Eileen was dancing, but there   
was no reason for Martine to know that.  
  
"The most pressing issue is Headmaster Cid's concern regarding the number   
of Galbadian officer cadets being trained here. He wonders if the *SeeD   
cadets* are getting the top-notch training they need considering how your   
attentions are divided. He would like some reassurance regarding the quality   
of the SeeDs Galbadia produces. If he isn't satisfied, he will ask that you   
return to being a primarily SeeD-based institution."   
  
Kei neither sat nor roamed the office as she spoke. She stood squarely   
before Martine's desk with her hands clasped firmly at her sides in a proper   
stance when addressing a superior. If Martine didn't know what a SeeD looked   
like, she would be sure to demonstrate it for him. Eileen sat on one of the   
couches off to the side and furiously scribbled down notes. Martine sat behind   
his desk with a sheet-white face and said nothing.  
  
"No questions? Very well, the next matter is regarding our SeeD Xu. I   
have seen the quarters she was placed in and find them to be unacceptable.   
This concerns Headmaster Cid for two reasons. The first is that Balamb is   
paying Galbadia a sizable fee to train SeeD Xu to be an Instructor. The   
quality of her education is of the utmost concern for Balamb. If she isn't   
getting what was paid for, the Headmaster will be *very* disappointed." Kei   
let him digest that idea for a moment before moving onto the second reason.  
  
"Besides this, it is against SeeD regulations for a cadet and a SeeD to be   
sharing a room unless all other lodging possibilities have been exhausted. It   
is a bad situation for both roommates. The cadet often feels intimidated by   
the SeeD while the SeeD often times feel held back by the cadet. Roommates   
aren't just that, they are *partners* within the Garden. Partnering a cadet   
and a SeeD isn't fair to either of them.  
  
"From what I have seen of the Dormitory block, there is ample space for   
SeeD Xu to be partnered with another SeeD if not given her own quarters. This   
is what Balamb asks for and expects to receive unless it is physically   
impossible to do so."  
  
"This isn't Balamb," Martine pointed out in a tight voice.  
  
"For which I am very grateful," Kei answered in all honesty. Martine was   
taken aback by her forthrightness. "Frankly speaking, Balamb Garden sees SeeD   
Xu as an investment. An investment you are screwing with. We will only ask   
once for you to take her training seriously."  
  
"Why you-" Martine growled.  
  
"Yes?" Kei asked politely. "That brings me to our third grievance;   
alleged violations of the SeeD anti-discriminatory code. This is an equal   
opportunity organization, Headmaster Martine, and some have been given a less   
than fair shake. The geographic location of the Garden matters not. While a   
person is on its campus, they are to be treated fairly regardless of origin. I   
would recommend cracking down on the loose tongues among your student body."  
  
"If you hadn't noticed, we're in Galbadia," he pointed out angrily.  
  
"I noticed. Personally, I think it's time you stopped acting like a damn   
lap dog," Kei snapped. "Your obligation to SeeD comes first and foremost. If   
you can't fulfill that obligation, step aside and let someone who can!"  
  
"You can't speak to me like that!" He roared. "I'll have you on report."  
  
Kei shrugged indifferently. "Do as you will, Headmaster, I'm simply a   
messenger. Get yourself back in line with the principles of SeeD or risk the   
consequences." She spun on her heel and left without being dismissed by him.   
She felt no loyalty towards the man. She'd be hard pressed to give him the   
time of day if ordered to do so.  
  
Maybe Cid was wrong in sending her to conduct such a delicate discussion.   
Or perhaps she was the perfect choice because she could sting Martine into   
complying. Whatever the consequences, the matter was out of her hands now.  
  
*****  
  
Xu was surprised when she was suddenly moved to her own quarters not far   
from the ones Jen and Eileen shared. Kei helped her move her things to them   
before leaving the next morning. Xu thought she was going to stay a full week,   
but then again, Kei tended to round things off for convenience.  
  
It looked like the next term was shaping up well. She would have even   
more cadets ready to take the exam by the end of the fall term than before.   
With Jen's continuing tutelage she was learning the ropes for maximizing the   
amount of information she conveyed while still being there for the students on   
a one-to-one basis. It truly was an art of sorts -- the art of scheduling.  
  
Pan insisted on practicing with her as often as she was available. His   
trials for raising a Master's rank were fast approaching and she was his   
closest match for a suitable opponent. Xu didn't mind helping him out.   
Especially since she improved right along with him. Never before had she   
considered what a diverse thing weapons mastery was. There seemed to be an   
infinite number of weapons and hand-to-hand styles for one to learn.   
  
"I have a favor to ask you," he said one day after their training session.   
They sat together along one of the wall benches as they caught their breath.   
The last student left over an hour ago -- leaving the training room entirely to   
them.  
  
"What is it?" Xu asked as she mopped her face with a towel. Whatever it   
was, she would likely do it, but it was best to know these things before   
agreeing to them.  
  
"Would you be willing to teach the afternoon training sessions after   
you're finished with your classes while I'm gone? I don't want to leave the   
Garden trainer-less while I attend to Guild conference later this month.   
Having you conducting some sessions after classes was the best solution I could   
think of."  
  
His eyes studied her as she considered it. She was stunned that he even   
asked her, but would her schedule allow for it? If she moved one tutoring   
session to the mornings during that week she should be free. "I would be   
honored to," she agreed with a smile.  
  
"You wouldn't believe how glad I am to hear you say that," he clasped her   
hands with his own. "Thank you."  
  
The week Pan was gone with Xu replacing him was pure joy for her. Not   
even Logan -- who came in every afternoon like clockwork to challenge her   
(since she was in charge and couldn't refuse) -- took away the elation she   
felt. This was what got her heart pumping and her blood flowing.  
  
She recalled with a small smile the many times Sean teased her about how   
much she liked to sweat. He was right. She did enjoy it and the physical   
exertion that went into reaching that condition. Some people are just that   
way, she figured.  
  
When Pan returned a seventh ranked Master. He acted nonchalantly about   
it, but Xu could see the spring in his step that hinted towards his elation.  
  
Somewhat ruefully, Xu returned to teaching just her classes. As much as   
she enjoyed physical training, she was a SeeD first and had other duties to   
attend. One of those duties came as nothing short of a complete surprise.   
Headmaster Martine called together several members of his staff -- including   
Jen, Eileen, and Pan -- for a meeting.  
  
"I'll get right to the point and spare you all the fancy speeches,"   
Martine slowly paced around the long table that they were seated at. "I have   
selected you to accompany me in representing Garden at the annual state dinner   
to celebrate President Deling's time in office."  
  
Xu nearly choked on the water she was sipping when he said that. His   
choice of words implied that Deling was elected to the office he held. The   
truth was that he seized it during a military coup and held on tightly to the   
reins of the Galbadian government.  
  
"It will be an all night event held at the Presidential Residence in   
Deling City. Lodging for us has been arranged at the Galbadia Hotel since it   
will be too late to return to the Garden that night.  
  
"This is a formal event. I expect you to dress according... Master Pan,"   
Martine pinned him with a glare. "Instructor Xu, it would be appropriate for   
you to wear your Balamb best since that is the Garden you hail from. The rest   
of you know the drill.  
  
"Let's do our best to impress the President, shall we?" Martine met each   
of their eyes before dismissing them.  
  
Xu slowly walked back to her quarters while shaking her head. Eileen   
noticed this and asked what was on her mind.  
  
"How did *I* get invited? I thought the Headmaster had it out for me,"   
that was a private thought she would only share with the present company of   
Eileen and Jen. Then again, it wasn't very private when she was simply stating   
the obvious. Her relationship with Martine was cool. It did seem to be   
improving some since Kei's visit during the summer, but they weren't buddies by   
any stretch.  
  
The two women walked on either side of her, in a way separating her from   
anyone that may eavesdrop on their conversation.  
  
"I'll tell you this," Eileen said in a low undertone meant only for her.   
"Things are changing around here. You are the spark for some of those changes.   
He may not express it well, but the Headmaster is trying to mend the fence   
between you two. Inviting you to a Galbadian state dinner probably wasn't the   
best way to demonstrate it, but his heart's in the right place."  
  
"Really?" Xu's eyebrows arched slightly. "What happened?"  
  
Eileen giggled. "He finally encountered someone meaner than him!"  
  
Xu's eyebrows continued to rise.  
  
"That's not what happened," Jen quickly amended. "Headmaster Martine was   
pointedly reminded of a few things and is endeavoring to correct the situation.  
  
"Besides," Jen continued, "you graduated five SeeDs during the fall -- the   
most from a single Instructor this term. That's no small accomplishment.   
Allow us to crow a bit longer over your achievement."  
  
Xu felt her cheeks flush some from Jen's praise. It really wasn't as much   
her achievement as a triumph of the Garden as a whole. By the time the   
students came to her they really only needed some polishing before they were   
ready. Most of the foundation courses were already completed. Their training   
from her was more along the lines of finesse than learning a new skill   
altogether.  
  
The feeling of accomplishment quickly faded when her mind reminded her   
that she failed to graduate Kent. His next term would be in an officer's   
uniform to receive their spit and polish before being sent out into the world.   
There was nothing she could do for him. Unless he had a sudden breakthrough   
within the next few weeks, his birthday would effectively end his hopes of   
joining SeeD.  
  
A look of sympathetic understanding was written on Jen's face as she   
reached out to touch Xu's hand. They had spent several long nights discussing   
what to do. Many of those nights also involved Xu expressing her frustrations   
at her own failings. She knew that this happened, but the optimist in her   
didn't want to accept it as a reality of teaching.  
  
She wanted to believe that she could somehow magically train anyone to be   
a SeeD, but that was just fanciful wishing. Precious few had the right   
combination of intelligence, integrity, physical prowess, emotional stability,   
and fearlessness required for such a calling. A SeeD could only be produced   
from the right materials and it was her job to carefully shape the   
mercenary-to-be.  
  
Even with the right mix, not everyone was cut out for the work. As   
important as her duty to train them, likewise was her duty to weed out the   
weak. She may have graduated five SeeDs this term, but what wasn't pointed out   
is that four students from her class withdrew from SeeD training.  
  
She expected Martine to call her on it -- for her teaching ability to be   
reviewed or come under fire. But such a thing never happened. She asked Jen   
to look over her grading policies and exams to see if she was in line with the   
rest of the Garden. In fact, she wasn't. She required more of her students --   
and got more from them as a result. Xu was amazed when Martine adjusted the   
Garden's standards to meet her more rigid requirements instead of pulling her   
into check.  
  
"Quality, not quantity," was all he would say when asked why he made such   
a radical move. Jen seconded his decision with quiet approval. She was glad   
to see the bar raised and knew they would produce finer SeeDs because of it.  
  
*****  
  
The party from Galbadia Garden sat together in silence during the train   
ride to Deling City. Jen and Eileen sat opposite of Xu and Pan in a small   
booth. Both Jen and Xu wore their formal uniforms. Eileen was in an evening   
gown while Pan pulled out all the stops by wearing a tuxedo.  
  
'I didn't know you even owned one,' Eileen teased the Master lightly while   
they waited on the train platform.  
  
'I don't. Martine rented it for me,' Pan dug his hands into the trouser   
pockets before giving an impish smile.  
  
Sitting next to him, Xu had to admit that he was looking sharp. They all   
were, in fact. The officers in the next booth over had their chests covered   
with the various honors they had earned. They were prepared to dazzle their   
commander-in-chief.  
  
Xu shuffled some in her seat and tried to calm her nerves. She had never   
been to a non-SeeD related formal function. The fact that her first involved   
one of the most powerful men on the planet didn't help her stomach any.  
  
"Don't worry," Pan breathed into her ear, "we're here." He angled his   
head to include Jen and Eileen into his assurance.  
  
She smiled weakly. "I should have come down with the flu." She'd never   
faked an illness before, but was certain she could figure it out if need be.  
  
Eileen leaned across the booth to speak. "Politics aside, Vinzer Deling   
is actually quite charming. As long as he doesn't see you as a threat to his   
leadership, you're safe." She gave Xu's knee a reassuring squeeze before   
leaning back into the cushioned bench.  
  
The walk from the train station to the Galbadia Hotel was a short one.   
Once there, everyone stowed their overnight bag and anything that could be used   
as a weapon. The easiest way for Xu to disarm was to simply leave her entire   
utility belt in the room she shared with one of the female officers.  
  
A few minutes and a short bus ride later found them standing before the   
Presidential Residence. The large iron-wrought gates were currently opened to   
admit a vehicle carrying guests. With Martine in the lead, they presented   
themselves to the guard at the gate. He quickly checked their credentials   
before allowing them to pass. Xu was ready to criticize their security until   
she saw a more elaborate setup just inside the main foyer of the residence   
itself.  
  
The group joined a short line that was passing through a thorough security   
check at the door. Each guest's credentials were checked again. Then they   
were passed through a detector of some type. Xu was the last of the Garden   
group to pass through. One of the guards stopped her short when his display   
told him something he didn't like.  
  
"Please leave all weapons here," he put his hand out.  
  
"What? I'm not carrying any weapons," Xu tried to think if she'd   
forgotten something, but she always kept everything on her belt and that was at   
the hotel.  
  
"The scan says you have some magic on you," his manner was quickly turning   
towards tried patience. He was sure of his readout and the line was backing up   
as he played games with her.  
  
"Your necklace, Xu," Pan had hung back from the rest of the group to   
escort her into the main ballroom.  
  
The necklace Sean made her had magic beads in it, but they were all low   
level spells -- hardly worth noting. The thought of giving such a precious   
thing to a fumbling foot soldier didn't sit well with her.  
  
"No," she shook her head, "I'll return to the Garden -- Balamb Garden, if   
I must -- before I'll surrender it."  
  
"Then I'll have to ask you to leave," he moved forward to escort her out,   
but Pan quickly interjected himself.  
  
"Look at your scan again, buddy," Pan encouraged. "Fire, Blizzard and   
Thunder beads, nothing that can cause that much damage."  
  
"Rules are rules," the guard was ready to toss them both out.  
  
Pan snorted. "Let me put this to you another way. Take a good look at   
her," he spun the guard around to examine Xu.  
  
"You're going to tell me she looks harmless. I've heard that line a   
million times," he sneered.  
  
"Maybe so, but take careful note of the uniform she's wearing. Do you   
recognize it? It's a SeeD uniform. And do you know what that means?"  
  
The guard gave him an annoyed look that clearly said his patience was   
wearing thin.  
  
"Dumb asses, the lot of you. It means that she *IS* a weapon. You   
couldn't disarm her if you tried. She could take your leg and wrap it around   
that chicken thin neck of yours before you had time to scream for your mommy."   
Pan pounded him hard on the back before taking Xu's hand to lead her away.  
  
"Halt!" The angry guard chased after them. "I'm going to have to ask you   
to leave. If you don't, I'll have you escorted off the grounds..." his threat   
trailed off as President Deling entered the foyer from the ballroom.  
  
"Pan! Where are you?" His voice thundered throughout the lobby area. He   
was a middle-aged man with dark thinning hair and a potbelly that was held in   
by a dinner coat. He bore a striking resemblance to Xu's beloved Headmaster   
Cid in those regards. The guard rushed up to the SeeD to keep her from   
attacking the President.  
  
"Why won't you go back to the rock you crawled out from under?" Pan   
growled as the guard put himself between Xu and the President.  
  
"She's armed, sir," the guard explained as he kept his eyes locked on Xu.  
  
"Of course she's armed, she's a SeeD," Vinzer Deling scoffed. "Our table   
is waiting and so am I. Come along, Pan." He turned his back on the guard and   
returned to the ballroom. Pan smirked as he folded Xu's arm with his and   
escorted her formally into the ballroom.  
  
Once they were gone, Biggs sank to his knees. "I'll never make lieutenant   
at this rate," he lamented.  
  
The ballroom was simply stunning. Countless white clothed tables spread   
out across the room like islands on a sea of wood grained flooring. Elaborate   
crystal chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceiling. Every piece of brass in the   
room was gleaming as they reflected back the lights that played off of them.  
  
Pan led them to a slightly raised platform near the head of the room.   
Those from the Garden were already seated at the long banquet table. President   
Deling was at the head and motioned for Pan and Xu to take the two seats that   
were reserved for them not far from him. Pan politely pulled a chair out for   
Xu and pushed it in for her before seating himself. She thought they would   
have been stuck at one of the back tables, not at the head table with the   
President himself. Her hopes of going the entire evening without speaking with   
Deling slipped away as Martine began introducing his staff.  
  
"President Deling, allow me to present to you Master Pan -- who you are   
familiar with -- and SeeD Instructor Xu from Balamb Garden. She's stationed at   
Galbadia Garden while she earns her teaching credentials."  
  
"Yes, Pan and I are well acquainted," Deling's baritone voice was   
surprisingly soothing. Upon hearing him speak again, Xu decided that the words   
flowed almost musically from him. Perhaps he was a performer before a   
dictator? That silly thought was quickly discarded.  
  
"Your guards are idiots," Pan complained as a server came around to pour   
wine for them.  
  
"Our military can't be as selective as SeeD is," Deling acknowledged his   
server with a nod. He peered over the rim of his glass at Xu before sipping   
from it. "You're from Balamb Garden, are you?"  
  
"Yes, sir," she answered promptly even though Martine had told him as much   
when he introduced her.  
  
"When did it happen that so many foreigners came to Galbadia?" He mused   
before taking another sip.  
  
That question struck Xu the wrong way. It wasn't her fault that she was   
stuck in his backwards country. And it wasn't most of the other foreigner's   
faults either. "I believe it started around the same time Galbadia began   
expanding its borders by seizing independent countries," she stated dryly.  
  
The server who was placing Pan's food before him nearly dropped the plate   
in his lap. Martine's salad fork hit the table with a clank as other nearby   
conversations stopped. Blank looks went from Xu to Deling and back to Xu   
again. The nearby guards straightened up, preparing to seize Xu at Deling's   
command. Eileen's mind raced to find a way to defuse Xu's blunt statement.  
  
Pan nonchalantly dabbed his lips with his napkin before speaking. "I   
would remind your guards that Journeywoman SeeD Instructor Xu of the Anshin   
from Balamb Garden is fully capable of taking lethal action with or without   
weapons. If I were them, I would be worried that her hand might slip and I end   
up dead. She is second only to me, after all." That said, he resumed eating.   
His disinterest in the potentially explosive situation sitting right next to   
him was clear.  
  
The guards clenched the hilts of the swords hanging at their sides. The   
woman sitting on the other side of Xu scooted herself further away from the   
marked SeeD. Pan continued eating as the tension at the table built.  
  
Deling shattered that tension by laughing. It was a heartfelt guffaw that   
left him dabbing away the tears in his eyes. "Now I remember why I like you,   
Pan, you have a stunning way with words. So this one is an Anshin, is she?   
Aren't you a long way from home and in the wrong line of work?" He peered at   
her curiously.  
  
"Life would be boring if we were all cast in the same mold. Xu has broken   
away from her clan and good riddance in my opinion. Her skills would have been   
wasted on farming or whatever other menial task they would have found for her."   
Pan nodded his head sharply to emphasize the truth of that statement in his own   
mind.  
  
"Has she lost use her silvery tongue? Let her speak for herself," Deling   
motioned for her to speak on her own behalf.  
  
"What he says is true. I'm following the path I was born to walk, and it   
is not one the Anshin endorse," she reached for her wineglass to wet the   
dryness in her mouth. She'd just pulled a Kei and managed to not be killed for   
it. And here she thought only her cousin had the luck needed to be able to   
speak her mind and get away with it.  
  
"Fascinating," Deling gave her a friendly smile before focusing on his   
meal. He was about take a bite of his steak when something occurred to him.   
"Then those stories about you all being vegetarians are true?"  
  
Xu nodded. "Yes, sir," she looked down at the piece of meat on her plate.   
She was certain that it would have tasted wonderful to someone else.  
  
Deling snapped his fingers to bring a server to his elbow. "The young   
SeeD here is a vegetarian. Have the chef prepare something appropriate   
immediately." The server bowed before retreating quickly to the kitchen.  
  
"It's all right," Xu didn't want them to go to any special effort on her   
behalf, especially him. Judging by the scowl on Martine's face, he agreed.  
  
"Hardly! I'll not have anyone seated at my table not eating and you look   
like you could use a few more kilos. What do you do, starve her, Pan?"  
  
"Training is all I do. Feeding is her own problem," Pan eyeballed the   
steak on her plate. "May I have that?"  
  
"Er- please," Xu passed the dinner plate to him. Pan and Deling were   
acting more like college roommates than the posts they currently held. Xu   
could see why Eileen would call Deling charming. He spoke easily with his   
dinner guests and played the part of a perfect host -- seeing that their needs   
were well met.  
  
After the meal, the guests moved to the foyer to mingle. Once Pan and Xu   
were away from the others Xu asked, "What was with that title you used and the   
Journeywoman business?"  
  
He shrugged. "Like it or not, that *is* your full Galbadian title. At the   
Garden, it's obviously shortened to the one in which capacity you are most   
often acting. I don't care for the Galbadian title system much myself."  
  
"And the Journeywoman bit? You were just trying to impress them, right?"  
  
He grinned broadly. "Hardly! You *are* my Weapons Journeywoman. You'll   
be a Weapons Mistress by the time you leave Galbadia or I'll eat my sai."  
  
"..." Xu was stunned. "When did this happen?" 'And what will this do to   
my career in SeeD?' She added silently. Taking on more obligations than she   
already had wasn't a great idea, no matter how much she loved weapons work.  
  
"Hum? I filed the papers with the Guild to begin your training under me   
after I first met you. You've been my Journeywoman for nearly a year now," he   
laughed. He was enjoying dropping this bombshell on her. When did he plan on   
telling her?!  
  
"You're unbelievable," she shook her head in disbelief.  
  
"We need more qualified Weapons Masters in the world. Your talents are   
being wasted as a SeeD Instructor. You belong on a battlefield, not in a   
classroom. I'd tell Cid as much if I ever had the chance!" Pan spoke with   
such passion that her mind's eye created a scene with Pan chewing on the   
Headmaster for misusing his resources.  
  
"I'm flattered that you think so highly of my skills," she replied.   
Perhaps the Headmaster wouldn't be too angry if she explored this avenue. She   
was in Galbadia to learn new things, wasn't she?  
  
"Ah! Pan, SeeD Xu, I'm glad I found you," the crowd parted to allow   
President Deling to pass. "Please, come with me," he led them to one of the   
small tables set off to the side. A bottle of wine sat in a bucket of ice at   
the center of the table. He poured them all a glass once they were seated.  
  
"There is something very wrong about you being in a tuxedo," he chuckled   
as Pan pulled on the coat.  
  
"Martine insisted that I dress appropriately this year," Pan explained.  
  
"Martine can be such a stiff sometimes. I've tried to get him drunk but   
it didn't work. He must have two hollow legs to be able to hold as much liquor   
as he can without getting tipsy," Deling waved his hand before him for effect.  
  
Xu privately thought there was something inherently wrong about the leader   
of Galbadia talking about his attempts to get the Headmaster of Galbadia Garden   
drunk.  
  
The President turned his attentions back to her as though he heard her   
thought. "You asked a question of me earlier and I haven't answered yet. I   
believe I owe you that much, so let me give it to you now."  
  
"Oh?" She sat up straighter. She couldn't recall what she had asked him.  
  
"It wasn't a question, per say," he amended, "but a statement that   
requires some elaboration. You're correct in saying that Galbadia would have   
less foreigners if we didn't expand our boarders. But more to the point, I   
want my people to *all* think of themselves as Galbadians -- whether they were   
born here or not. It's a form of patriotism, really. I don't care if you   
crawled out of the sea. If your allegiance is to Galbadia, then I'll be the   
first to welcome you here."  
  
Xu paused to be amazed at her current situation. The President of   
Galbadia was explaining to her, a foreigner and a SeeD, why his country hated   
her so much. The irony of it all would probably hit her full impact later   
tonight. For now, she paid polite attention as he spoke.  
  
"Of course, this type of loyalty can backfire -- and has to some degree   
here. Many native-born Galbadians see themselves as superior to our newest   
family members. Unfortunately, you can't make people love one another. If it   
were that easy, I would have done it right after Timber," Deling gave a wistful   
sigh.  
  
"Galbadians are a bunch of mindless lemmings," Pan criticized harshly   
before taking a swallow of his wine.  
  
"Galbadia needs a strong leader, and I am that," Deling nodded his head.  
  
Xu wisely kept her mouth shut this time.   
  
"When are you heading back to the Garden? Do you think you'll have time   
for a demonstration before you leave? I always forget to ask Martine to   
schedule in the time when we plan these things." Deling grimaced at his own   
forgetfulness.  
  
"We leave in the morning. We can probably convince him to let Xu and   
myself take a later train back if you want?" Pan quickly figured their   
schedule out in his head and decided that it would work.  
  
"Then I'll go find him now," Deling pulled himself to his feet. "You know   
the place, Pan. I look forward to seeing you in action, Journeywoman," he   
sketched a bow to them before melting back into the crowd.  
  
"He's... friendly," Xu admitted slowly. The fact that he was a personable   
dictator warred with her preconceived notions of him.  
  
"He always has been. Surprised the hell out of me when he got the whole   
ball of wax. Then again, it shouldn't have considering how ambitious he is,"   
Pan shrugged as he downed the last of his drink.  
  
"You two seem like long time friends. How did you meet?" Xu turned her   
curious gaze to him.  
  
"Ah, now that's a story best saved for another time," Pan hedged.   
"Needless to say, random acts of kindness can lead you to some interesting   
places."  
  
*****  
  
Martine put up quite a stink about releasing Pan and Xu for the day to   
perform demonstrations, but relented when Deling persisted. They would return   
that evening on the last train out.  
  
Xu hadn't brought anything but a spare uniform with her. She wasn't even   
sure what Pan meant by a 'demonstration'. Were they going to show off fighting   
techniques? And to who?  
  
She buckled her belt into place before slinging her overnight bag onto her   
shoulder. Pan was waiting for her in the lobby. From there, the two them   
walked to the Presidential Residence.  
  
"Vinzer is a major supporter of the Weapons Guild," Pan explained as they   
walked down the broad sidewalks. Not many people were out this morning, so   
they made good time. "The Guild itself is as independent of national   
affiliation as SeeD is, but he does all he can to help it grow. Most people   
think that's because it promotes better soldiers, and they're partly right.   
But the main reason is because he feels a deep sense of gratitude towards the   
Guild for past services."  
  
"You'll have to tell me this story some time," Xu chuckled. "What are we   
going to do?"  
  
"It's pretty cut and dry. We let the soldiers come up for a while and try   
to defeat us. After we've pounded them soundly, I'll make a speech about how   
great the Weapons Guild is and how they can be like us," he shrugged.  
  
"That doesn't strike me as being very... honorable," Xu reflected.  
  
"It isn't, but it's one of the few things these yo-yo's understand. I'm   
sure you noticed how I kept promoting your skill last night. Physical prowess   
is the language they speak. They simply wouldn't appreciate your finer   
qualities such a loyalty and intelligence."  
  
"You speak as though they're idiots," she commented dryly.  
  
He put his fingertip to his nose before going up to the guardhouse. After   
speaking for a few moments the gate swung open and they were permitted to   
enter. Pan led them down a side path to a small door that was set into the   
building. On the other side of the door was a narrow hallway that came to a   
T-intersection. They turned right at the intersection and up a flight of   
steps. Where they ended up was a short hallway with only two doors and the   
stairs they'd just walked up.  
  
The first door they only peeked through. It opened up onto a broad stage.   
The second door was a dressing room of sorts. The room was just large enough   
for them to do their stretching exercises. A short half-hour later, they   
walked through the first door to find that the once-empty auditorium had   
completely filled with soldiers while they were preparing.  
  
Pan was dressed in a pair of loose pants and a tee shirt. Xu was in her   
Balamb SeeD uniform. It wasn't her preference for workout clothes, but she was   
just as capable of fighting in it as in anything else.  
  
Pan stood in the middle of the stage, egging the crowd on. "All right, you   
scumbags, you know the drill. Your challengers are off preparing themselves.   
I hope they're better than the sickly lot you sent up last time." That earned   
him some jeers. The soldiers were ready for today's demonstration. Xu idly   
wondered what sorts of odds were currently being offered on the upcoming   
matches. Gambling was discouraged, but who would stop them?  
  
"In case you forgot, I'm Master Pan," he sneered at them, trying to get   
them riled up. "This lovely young woman -- who could kick *all* of your pansy   
asses -- is Journeywoman SeeD Instructor Xu."  
  
The soldiers called out their own taunts; mostly to the effect of offering   
rewards to the man who managed to reveal something under Xu's uniform. She was   
flinching on the inside, but maintained her cool exterior. She had nothing to   
say to these pigs. SeeDs wouldn't act in such a disreputable way. The fact   
that she was in a situation that allowed the Galbadian soldiers to do so   
disgusted her.  
  
Pan was the first up to fight. A pair of soldiers that looked as green as   
their uniforms presented themselves. Judging by their uniforms, they were a   
pair of status magic using troops. Pan wasn't much into using magic himself,   
so if they cast something like Silence on him, he should be all right. Their   
teamwork quickly disintegrated as Pan disarmed one then used the sword he   
gained against the other. They were out of the running not more than a few   
minutes after they started.  
  
Xu was up next. The cheering for the soldier to split her skirt was near   
deafening. Xu tried to disarm him, but instead knocked him out cold by   
accident.  
  
"I wasn't trying to-"  
  
Pan waved her off. "Don't worry about it," he then turned to the crowd.   
"Poor guy got an up close look at her beauty and fainted. Guess he didn't   
realize what a knock out she was!" A mixture of cheers and jeers erupted from   
them. Xu was torn between being flattered and embarrassed.  
  
They continued alternating with the final round being hers. The soldiers   
hadn't even come close to scratching her up to this point. She was finally   
starting to enjoy herself when it was nearly over. Perhaps she would have some   
fun with the last soldier she fought?  
  
Biggs crowed with delight when it turned out that he would get to fight   
the SeeD that caused him so much grief. He would regain his honor in the   
President's eyes and earn himself a promotion!  
  
"You again?" Xu was surprised to see the guard Pan derailed last night.   
Pan also noticed who it was before yelling some taunts at him.  
  
"Make a fool of me, will you?!" Biggs charged forward with his sword.   
Unfortunately, he wasn't very good... at all. Xu simply stood there as he   
missed her completely. He left himself in a horrible position with the tip of   
the blade resting against the floor. All she had to do was move on his   
unguarded position and kick the sword away from him.  
  
The crowd began jeering both Xu and their representative. Xu tossed her   
sai aside with the sword. "Let's do this the old fashion way, shall we?" She   
invited cracking her knuckles.  
  
"You're on!" He took off his uniform tunic and tossed it to the side. Now   
everyone could see just how pathetically built he was. Xu almost felt sorry   
for him. Hum... There was one thing she could do to help him regain a bit of   
face before she stuck it to him.  
  
Xu stepped back and pulled off her own tie and tunic to reveal the simple   
sleeveless turtleneck she was fond of wearing. The crowd erupted into cheers   
as she tossed them onto the growing pile of discarded items. If he couldn't   
make something of the opportunity she gave him with, he was hopeless.  
  
He charged at her, swinging wildly. She could have easily dodged his   
punches, but instead took the blows. Pan watched them intently as Xu took the   
pounding Biggs dished out. 'What is she doing?' He thought, then the answer   
came to him. 'Oh, you poor bastard...'  
  
Biggs was starting to feel pretty good about himself when an eerie glow   
surrounded her. Xu just smiled as she focused her Limit energy and slowly rose   
off the floor. Biggs eyes grew to be the size of saucers as he realized what   
was happening. Xu announcing the Pearl of Heaven drowned his 'Oh shi-' out.   
It slammed into him, sending him crashing against the far wall. His prone form   
was slumped against wall by the time Xu returned to her feet.  
  
Nonchalantly, Xu retrieved her things from the pile before joining Pan at   
the edge of the stage.  
  
"And that is why she is a SeeD and you are not," Pan announced to the   
stunned room. It wasn't every day that a SeeD demonstrated their Limit. Xu   
hoped that the soldiers would keep her little lesson in mind should they ever   
find themselves in battle against one.  
  
A single pair of hands began clapping from the back of the room. The rest   
of the soldiers soon joined them. Xu looked out over the crowd before spotting   
President Deling standing at the back applauding vigorously. Why he was   
applauding the woman who soundly defeated his soldier she would never   
understand.  
  
*****  
  
Near ritualistic actions carried Xu through unpacking her things once she   
returned from Deling City. Her worn clothes were set aside for laundering.   
After that was done, she sat her terminal to collect any messages that had come   
in while she was away. One message caught Xu's attention as soon as it was   
received. It was from Kei, marked as high priority.  
  
The way in which Kei had written it was clumsy Anshin. That was more a   
consequence of the available characters in the standard language then a lack of   
skill in their native tongue. Some things simply didn't translate well.   
Despite that, Kei made her message abundantly clear.  
  
'Having passed the Coming of Age, Child KwisTwis is no more.'  
  
It was a formally worded announcement of adolescence per Anshin tradition.   
Xu closed her eyes and gave brief thanks to the Spirits. Then her solemn smile   
twisted upwards with humor at how Kei spelt her name. Quistis' name to Anshin   
presented as many problems as Xu's name in standard had. That memory caused   
her to chuckle.  
  
Xu typed out a quick reply to the single lined message.  
  
'Give thanks to the Spirits for protecting our daughter.' She paused, then   
hit the return key several times so that this thought and the next would be   
well separated. 'When will you no longer be a Child?'  
  
The message was sent off with little hope that Kei would respond to it.   
Some subjects were still sore points, even years after the fact.  
  
-----  
  
The characters Jennifer Sakachi and Eileen Pearcy are property of LeVar Bouyer   
and have been used with permission.  
  
Please visit us on the web at http://www.centragarden.net  



	5. Part 05

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 5  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans gbeans@tyrlen.org  
with His lordship Chaos hislordshipchaos@hotmail.com  
edited by Helen Fong iriachan@yahoo.com  
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. www.squaresoft.com  
  
  
- Xu -  
  
"I'm very proud of you," Xu firmly shook the newly graduated  
SeeD's hand. A shy, but bright, smile lit Summer's face as she  
pumped her Instructor's hand. Of all Xu's students, this was the  
one that had made the most progress since coming under her  
tutelage. It was a point of pride to see Summer now standing  
confidently in a SeeD uniform.  
  
"I never thought today would come," she admitted. "It's all  
thanks to you, Instructor."  
  
Xu was about to demure when a pair of gentlemen joined the  
two ladies. SeeD Logan and Master Pan where dressed formally for  
tonight's ball. A class of SeeDs graduated today with Summer  
among their ranks. But the SeeDs weren't today's only graduates.   
Xu's instructorship was assured as her 12th SeeD graduated and a  
pair more for good measure.  
  
"Congratulations SeeD Summer," Logan saluted her with a  
playful smile looking out of place on his solidly built face. It  
was at times like this that Xu questioned her ability to judge  
people's character. Who would have ever guessed that the gruff  
Logan had a long time crush on the bashful Summer? For all his  
posturing, he was a teddy bear if Summer was to be believed.  
  
Summer returned his salute before taking up his hand and  
leading him away. Pan chuckled lightly as they watched the  
couple melt into the crowd.  
  
"Congratulations to you as well, Instructor Xu," Pan lifted  
his glass in toast.  
  
"Thank you, Master Pan. I finished two terms before the  
deadline. I wonder if I could return to Balamb early for good  
behavior?" She meant it in jest, though she wouldn't mind  
leaving now that her assigned task was complete. Balamb was her  
home and she longed to return. She berated herself for her  
weakness at missing Balamb after only a year and a half away.   
She hadn't returned to the Anshin in nearly twice that time and  
didn't missed them.  
  
"No chance of that. You're contracted for two years at  
Galbadia Garden with no way to back out unless you're killed or  
dismissed. Besides, now isn't the time to stand on your laurels.   
We have a lot of work to do if you're going to become a Mistress  
by the time your contract expires."  
  
"You weren't kidding about that?" She assumed that he was  
joking when he revealed that she was a Journeywoman within the  
Weapons Guild a few months previous. Especially since the  
subject hadn't resurfaced since then.  
  
"When it comes to the Guild, I never joke," he said in an  
expressionless manner. "When the Guild announced that the  
ranking trials would be held during the summer, I could only hope  
that they would choose a week during the break. I got word  
yesterday that they had done just that."  
  
"How fortunate," Xu agreed, while not entirely sure of her  
willingness. She hadn't agreed to be his Journeywoman, but   
would entertain the idea if properly convinced. There were  
many questions that needed to be answered, such as what further  
obligations would be placed on her.  
  
"It is. I can't use you as my replacement if you're going  
to be with me," he reasoned.  
  
"Will Martine let me off the campus this year?" Xu asked  
dryly. Pan was gone for a full week during last year's trials.   
Xu pictured Martine having a fit about releasing her for that  
long.  
  
"He has no choice. SeeD and the Guild have an agreement to  
not interfere with each other if at all possible. The only way  
he could stop you is if you were reassigned. And the Guild would  
frown upon SeeD if you were reassigned to prevent you from taking  
the trials."  
  
"Won't being in both SeeD and the Guild be a conflict of  
interests?" She wouldn't do anything that would jeopardize her  
current position. If Pan's plans were going to cause problems,  
she'd nip them in the bud now and be done with it.  
  
"Anything but!" He favored her with a reassuring smile.   
"I'm sorry, I should have clarified things before forcing the  
idea onto you. The Guild is an organization of professionals,  
nothing more. You won't be asked to make any commitments that  
would be in conflict with your oaths as a SeeD. You wouldn't  
object to being a member of a Triple Triad club, now would you?   
It's much the same thing. We rank our members and help each  
other improve. If our services are contracted out, it's on an  
individual basis."   
  
He gave her arm a comforting squeeze. "I won't make you do  
this if you don't want to. But it would be a damned shame if you  
didn't. Feeding books to ungrateful minds is a waste of your  
natural talent. Having ties with the Guild would mean that you  
could be among your true peers once in a while instead of the  
lowly students that occupy so much of your time."  
  
Xu wasn't sure that she agreed with Pan's assessment of her  
teachings being such a waste. Seeing Summer tonight reaffirmed  
her conviction that what she was doing was important and could  
make a positive difference for that person individually and for  
SeeD as a whole. Her success would be through her students.   
That thought caused her to wonder if that was how Cid felt.  
  
"I would like to consult with Headmaster Cid before I make a  
commitment," she said. "This is something I should clear with  
him first."  
  
"Of course," he indicated his agreement with a gesture.   
"Please give the Headmaster my regards when you speak with him."  
  
"Do you know him?" Xu gave Pan a questioning look.  
  
"We've had dealings in the past," was all he said. Before  
Xu could pump him for more information, she was whisked onto the  
dance floor by one of the new SeeDs. It was past time for her to  
become actively involved in the celebration.  
  
It wasn't until the next day that Xu had the opportunity to  
put a call in to the Headmaster of Balamb. She hadn't contacted  
him more than a few times while she was at Galbadia. Most of her  
correspondence was with either Kei (usually) or Quistis (during  
the rare times when she wasn't busy elsewhere).  
  
Cid paid polite attention while Xu explained the situation  
to him. When she finished, he sat back for several long moments  
as he considered it. "How interesting... Trust Pan to come up  
with an angle I hadn't thought of exploring with you," Cid  
murmured to himself loud enough for the audio link to pick up.   
He then blushed when Xu gave him a curious look.  
  
"Yes, indeed," he straightened up as he addressed the visual  
display. "You have my permission to pursue a Mistress rank  
within the Weapons Guild. I would order you to do so, but that's  
against our agreement with them. So, I'll instead encourage you  
to succeed," his lips quirked into a half-smile.  
  
"You've done well for yourself, Xu. I was regretting that I  
hadn't insisted upon an early release clause in your contract,  
but it seems that you'll make good use of your extra time there."  
  
"I'll give it my best, Headmaster."  
  
Now that she had his go-ahead, she could say that earnestly.   
With nothing in her way, achieving her goal would become her top  
priority.  
  
"That's all I ask. Once again, congratulations and good  
luck. You'll do Balamb Garden proud, I know it," he cut the link  
on his end. Xu rose from the terminal ready to face her newest  
challenge.  
  
To her surprise Martine freed her of her Instructor duties  
and ordered her to assist Pan in the training room.  
  
If she thought Pan was a harsh taskmaster before, his  
instruction now was nothing short of torturous. Four months of  
her life were spent practically living in the training room. The  
only activity that drew her out regularly was eating. Many  
nights were spent sleeping on a mat when she was too tired and  
beaten to drag herself back to her assigned quarters.  
  
Logan enjoyed the many opportunities Pan gave him to spar  
against her. She somehow remained ahead of him on the learning  
curve, but it wasn't by much at times. When a student, SeeD, or  
officer wasn't available to knock her around, Pan did it himself.   
By the time summer break came, Xu wondered how she ever  
considered herself a competent fighter with only the training  
SeeD provided. She felt as ready as ever to take on the  
challenges of the Weapons Guild.  
  
*****  
  
Xu was becoming quite familiar with Deling City and the  
Galbadia Hotel when she checked in at the front counter. The  
woman who issued her a room key even remembered her name. It was  
a good thing that their reservations were made months ago if the  
number of people milling about the lobby was any indication of  
the Guild's convention size. This hotel was the overflow one.   
Pan encouraged her to stow her things quickly since the sign in  
for the Journeymen testing was only open for another hour.  
  
They took a bus to an area of the city she had never been to  
before. The convention center was a large, squat building set in  
a field of pavement. A few patches of grass and the occasional  
tree tried to freshen the appearance of the center with little  
success.  
  
A blast of cool air hit them as they entered the lobby. It  
was the typical hotel fair with wood paneled walls and patterned  
carpet. Several small groups of people milled about the room  
chatting. Off to one side a small table was set up with a few  
people seated behind it. That must be where they sign in at.  
  
"Master Pan and Journeywoman Xu," Pan introduced as a young  
woman flipped through the reservations book.  
  
"Yes, I have you here," she said with a smile. The man  
sitting beside her pulled two packets from a box behind the table  
and handed them over.  
  
"The trials schedule has been changed as reflected in your  
programs," she indicated the packets. "Trials begin promptly at  
the times stated. Don't be late! Good luck, Journeywoman Xu."   
She smiled again, then prepared to help the people standing next  
in line.  
  
The two of them shuffled to an unclaimed corner and thumbed  
through the schedule.  
  
"Damn, the first one begins in a half-hour. That's barely  
enough time to change and warm up. You'd better get going. The  
locker rooms are this way," he pointed towards a hallway before  
moving in that direction.  
  
They parted ways when Xu entered the locker rooms. The fact  
that a convention center even had a locker room surprised her.   
She didn't spend too much time on that thought since she had more  
important things to worry about.  
  
Unzipping her bag, she withdrew the uniform that was made  
especially for this occasion. She had planned on wearing a pair  
of workout pants and a sleeveless shirt during the trials since  
it was an outfit that offered the freedom of movement she  
desired. Then Martine insisted that she represent her SeeD  
origins somehow. While one could fight effectively in the SeeD  
uniform, it wasn't her first choice for clothing.  
  
A compromise was reached with the uniform she brought with  
her. The pants were patterned after a pair of loose workout  
pants. They were the same black color as a SeeD uniform with a  
single red stripe running down each leg. Her shirt was white  
ribbed with a low turtleneck that had the emblem of SeeD  
embroidered on the collar. The shirt was made sleeveless at her  
insistence. A simple warm up jacket was pieced together as an  
after thought.  
  
Xu was impressed by the results considering the haste that  
the outfit was created with. Her only fear was that a stitch  
somewhere might have been missed with something coming undone at  
an inopportune time.  
  
Signs were taped to the walls indicating where to go to warm  
up. Xu followed them to a small area that was occupied by  
roughly three dozen other people. She forced down the nervous  
ball that formed in her stomach and began her stretches. Why  
should she be nervous? She had done this countless times before.   
'I am a SeeD already. That should give me some sort of  
advantage,' she reasoned with herself. It should at very least  
make her less prone to beginner's mistakes.  
  
Xu had just finished her final exercise when a well-dressed  
man entered the room. He cleared his throat to catch their  
attention before speaking. "Is everyone warmed up? Good. You  
will divide yourselves into the groups indicated here," he held  
up the sheet of paper he brought with him, "and go to your  
assigned areas. First round is physical assessment." He handed  
the paper to the person standing closest to him before leaving  
the room.  
  
Xu found herself in a group with three other females in a  
corner of a large gymnasium. Again Xu wondered about how  
perfectly the convention center seemed to meet the Guild's needs  
by having a gym. From listening to the others talk she got the  
impression that the facilities were owned by the Guild and they  
rented them out to other groups when not in use.  
  
She brought her attention back from taking in her  
surroundings to focus on their two examiners. A man that could  
have rivaled Sean's father for size looked down on them with  
beady eyes. Another man stood in his shadow with a clipboard  
cradled in the crook of his arm.  
  
"We have received your medical clearances, but we like to do  
our own assessments," the larger man explained. "If you are not  
ready for the physical demands of the upcoming trials, it's  
better to wait until you are instead of injuring yourself. The  
doctor's call on the matter is final. Don't bother trying to  
appeal it if he says that you aren't fit enough."  
  
It was well into the evening when they finished. One of the  
women in their group was disqualified. Considering Xu's line of  
work, her passing was assured. Pan wasn't around when she got  
out, so she wandered around the center some. Things were still  
being setup for the main convention that would begin the day  
after tomorrow. People wishing to raise a rank or gain Mastery  
began the trials beforehand and finished on the first official  
day of the three-day event.  
  
Xu walked back to the hotel instead of taking a train. The  
humid night air did little to prevent further perspiration, but  
what else did she expect during the summer? It was nice out. It  
reminded her of Balamb.  
  
She wasn't the only one out for a walk tonight. The warm  
weather encouraged people spend time outdoors enjoying the  
beautiful displays of nature that were present in the various  
plantlife. Though it was a bustling city, the capital of  
Galbadia sported more greenery than most populated areas.  
  
As she meandered down the broad sidewalks her mind toyed  
with the notion of ever feeling at home in Galbadia. Her welcome  
wasn't a warm one, but most of the people she had met weren't  
bad. The country in general had a feeling to it that made her  
uncomfortable.  
  
Locations have personalities as much as people do. Anshin  
teaching encouraged one to create a living space that was in  
harmony with itself and with the person occupying it. She often  
questioned how much credit she should give to such teachings. On  
the other hand, her unease seemed superficial without something  
more solid to ground it in. Not everyone was like Martine, after  
all.  
  
Xu continued to ponder these things even after she arrived  
at the hotel. She wasted little time in preparing for bed.   
Tomorrow was the first full day of testing that promised to be a  
challenge.  
  
The next two days would make or break her in her bid for  
Mastership. There were three scheduled tests tomorrow, though  
any Master could ask her to give additional demonstrations if  
they wanted. Her first was a Master's choice weapons test.   
Whatever weapon the testing Master chose, she would have to fight  
with. The second test was a Journeyman's weapons choice. She  
already signed up with a group for that test (since she had to  
compete against a complimentary weapon, which was likely someone  
using sai or a knife). The third test was Journeyman's choice  
against a non-complimentary weapon. Meaning that she could be  
facing just about anything, though Pan assured her that it  
wouldn't be a firearm or thrown weapon.  
  
As if that wasn't grueling enough, day two promised even  
more bruises. The first test that day was another free for all  
match. If she passed that match then she had to stand the last  
challenge: an open invitation to any Master to fight her. That's  
the test that frightened her the most. On a great day she could  
battle Pan to a draw. How on earth was she going to defeat a  
Master whose tricks she didn't know?  
  
Worrying about it wouldn't help her. Now wasn't the time to  
be timid. She had to take the T-Rexaur by the snout and win!  
  
*****  
  
Xu gave a startled exclamation when her weapon went  
skittering across the practice mat. She stood there, stunned,  
and regarded the sword where it laid near the judge's table.  
  
This wasn't the impression she wanted to make on the Guild  
Masters. Setting Guild matters aside, as a SeeD, she shouldn't  
have been so easily disarmed.  
  
"That will be all." The head Master who was seated at the  
table dismissed her without giving her a second look. Xu was  
torn between walking up to the table to retrieve her weapon or  
abandoning it for someone else to reclaim. It was a borrowed  
sword, she really should returned it herself.  
  
After swallowing down the growing lump in her throat she  
picked up the weapon and left the mat. As soon as she had  
stepped off the head Master called for the next Journeyman to  
present himself to test his skills against the Master who had  
just put Xu in her place.  
  
Without a word she handed the sword back to the man who was  
in charge of the weapons used for testing. He gave her a small  
sympathetic smile before turning away.  
  
There wasn't a rock large enough for her to crawl under.   
Honesty forced her to admit that she was never very good with a  
sword. She knew that was a weak point when she came here, but  
she didn't think she'd be reamed so thoroughly. It was like she  
didn't know how to use a sword at all. The testing Master's eyes  
said as much as he blithely knocked the weapon from her hand as  
though she'd only had a loose grip on it. This was a  
disappointing showing as a member of SeeD and, even more so, for  
her personally.  
  
Xu didn't look out over the gathered Journeymen and Masters  
to find her own Master. She knew that Pan would seek her out if  
he was here to witness her shameful performance. She really  
ought to have done better!  
  
"Hey, Xu, snap out of it," Pan grabbed hold her arm and gave  
it a small shake. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she  
hadn't even seen him standing beside her.  
  
"I really messed up," she scowled.  
  
"Yes, you did," he agreed. She shot him a startled look,  
then shook it off. He had every right to be disappointed with  
her as well. He gave her arm another tug. "At your tender age  
of 20 you can't know it all yet."  
  
"I know, but I want to do better," she sighed heavily.  
  
"That attitude puts you ahead of the pack. So what if you  
missed one art? You're rock solid at unarmed combat.   
Demonstrate how great you are and it should all come out find."  
  
"You think so?"  
  
He shrugged. "What I think doesn't matter. What you think  
does. You're good at what you do. I wouldn't have brought you  
here if you weren't. All you have to do is convince them that  
I'm right."  
  
Xu nodded her head once with agreement and purposefully set  
off to the next testing session.  
  
  
Pan didn't follow her right away. He knew that the sword  
was her weak weapon, a fact that he shared with those judging her  
today.  
  
The point of the first challenge was to humiliate and humble  
the Journeymen, not to test any specific weapon still (regardless  
of what the applicant may be led to assume). If the applicant  
became furious or distraught at such treatment, they likely had  
more emotional maturing to go through before they were ready to  
be a Master. He was allowed to offer her a few words of  
encouragement after the battle, but nothing more. She needed to  
push herself forward to the next challenge, which would be a real  
test of her physical prowess.  
  
He slid his glance over at the discreet Master who had  
witnessed their earlier exchange. The woman gave Pan a small nod  
and he let out a mental sigh of relief. Xu had passed.  
  
  
Bright overhead lights flooded the small gym that Xu's next  
trial was held in. Roughly a dozen people were standing about as  
they chatted or waited for their turn to test. Xu checked the  
schedule posted by the door to know when she was up. Seeing that  
she wasn't due for a while, she found an out of the way place to  
stand and observe her surroundings.  
  
Xu wasn't the only one wearing a uniform. She spotted three  
teenage girls who wore similar outfits. They must be from one of  
the Guild schools that Pan had mentioned to her once. One of the  
girls noticed Xu checking them out and pointed her friends  
towards Xu. A moment later and they were approaching the curious  
SeeD.  
  
"I know I'm gorgeous, but you don't have to stare!" The  
leader of their group flashed a charming smile.  
  
Xu was so startled by that greeting that she was at a loss.   
"I'm sorry..."  
  
"You were checking us out pretty intensely. See something  
that you like, sweetie?" Another one of the girls teased.  
  
Xu felt her cheeks grow hot. "I was looking at your  
uniforms..." she admitted, trying to save face.  
  
The third of the group pirouetted for Xu's viewing pleasure.   
"Happy?" Her eyes laughed at Xu's discomfort. The other's  
weren't so subtle in their mirth.  
  
The SeeD nodded, afraid to open her mouth lest these  
mischievous students find another way to cause her discomfort.  
  
"Hmm, you're not that bad looking yourself, and a SeeD too.   
Whatcha doing in our corner of the world?" The leader of the  
group peered down at Xu before standing back and folding her arms  
across her chest.  
  
"I'm here for the same reason you are, I assume: to become a  
Master," Xu answered.  
  
"A SeeD Master?" The second girl gave her friends a puzzled  
look.  
  
"I guess..." The third drawled without paying much heed to  
the fact that Xu was standing right there.  
  
Before Xu could respond her name was called. Giving the  
three girls a final, long look she went to the center mat.   
Mentally she shook the encounter off. They were just three  
school girls who hadn't learned proper manners yet.  
  
It was ironic that the testing went from her worst weapon to  
her best. The teenager she stood across from on the mat was in  
the same uniform as the three girls. Her dark hair was cut in a  
bob style with equally dark eyes focused on her opponent. She  
gave both Xu and the testing Master a respectful bow before  
drawing her sai and settling into her stance.  
  
'What a contrast,' Xu mused while returning the pleasantries.  
  
The Master called for them to start and Xu was immediately  
on the defensive. The teen lashed out at her with blinding  
speed, her strikes were a furious cadence against Xu's sai. The  
SeeD was hard pressed to keep up with the battle. This wouldn't  
be an easy match.  
  
Xu's opponent was very good technically, but lacked the  
flare and originality that would have given her an edge. Xu  
stood her ground and was successful in disarming the teen. The  
testing Master called them to a halt when it became apparent that  
Xu was the victor.  
  
The student gave another series of polite bows before  
dismissing herself. Xu tried to catch up with the teen, but  
she'd slipped out of the gym before Xu could catch up. Having  
missed the chance to ask what her name was, Xu backtracked to the  
judge's table to get it. Anya was her name. She was a student  
at West Hills, a prestigious Guild school.  
  
Xu was free to go to other events until this afternoon (when  
her next test was). As she walked down the broad corridors of  
the convention center she kept poking her head into the rooms she  
passed to see if anything caught her interest. There was a  
lecture on in the importance of diet that she almost stayed for,  
but continued on. She finally stopped when she came along a  
demonstration of disarming techniques.  
  
When the session was over she noticed that the four West  
Hills students were at the other side of the room. Determined  
not to be made the fool of again, she approached them without  
notice as people went on their way to the next event.  
  
"Anya, you could have used a lesson in disarming techniques  
in your last match," the second girl teased.  
  
Anya crossed her arms defensively. "She was a SeeD. I'd  
like to see you do better against a professional killer!"  
  
The first waved this fact off. "It doesn't take skill to be  
a killer. We're better trained than they are. Ours is a pure  
art. You shouldn't have lost to her. Besides, she's smaller  
than you."  
  
"And slower," the third chirped.  
  
Anya shifted from one foot to the other. Her body language  
spoke volumes. She was uncomfortable around these people and was  
looking for a way to escape her schoolmates. Xu presenting  
herself would give Anya the way out she sought.  
  
"Anya, it's good to see you again," Xu greeted cheerfully  
while nodding politely at the other girls. "I wanted to  
congratulate you on a fabulous match. I don't think I've been so  
challenged in quite a while! I'd very much enjoy a rematch with  
you sometime."  
  
"Thank you," Anya said simply.  
  
"Why don't we go have lunch together? I'd love to get to  
know you better." Xu turned on the charm to persuade Anya that  
she was a preferable choice over staying with her tormenters.  
  
The first girl was about to speak when Anya quickly made up  
her mind to go with Xu. The SeeD placed a guiding hand on Anya's  
hip and positioned her body between the teenager and the other  
girls to make it clear that they weren't likewise invited.   
Thankfully, the hollered insult directed at Xu was ignored.  
  
"Are you going to be okay?" Xu whispered for Anya's ear  
alone.  
  
The girl nodded. "They give everyone a hard time."  
  
"I must admit that I'm not very impressed with your  
friends," Xu commented wryly.  
  
"They are not my friends," Anya corrected, then thought  
better of it and added, "they are my classmates."  
  
The two Journeywomen enjoyed a nice meal together, though  
Anya was definitely one who 'knew her place'. She never spoke  
out of turned, nor did anything that could be considered  
presumptuous. It wasn't the same sort of shyness that Summer  
suffered from, but she lacked even the bit of boldness that was a  
part of self-expression.  
  
Xu did coax Anya into telling her about her school and  
growing up in the Guild. Martial arts have been her life since  
she was a toddler. She lived at the school and only went home  
during breaks. In many ways it reminded Xu of life at the Garden,  
though Xu had the advantage of a childhood spent with her family.   
For Anya, the Guild was her life.  
  
"My father is a Master. My mother died when I was young and  
my father didn't know what to do with me. So he sent me off to  
be raised by the Guild that had raised him. I only see him when  
it happens that he is between contracts and I'm on a break."  
  
"Doesn't that bother you?" Xu interjected. While there was  
no real love lost between her and her Anshin family, she did miss  
her family at Balamb Garden regularly.  
  
Anya shook her head. "It does not bother me. My classmates  
are my siblings and Mistress Niethe watches over me."  
  
Xu didn't offer her sympathies. Anya seemed genuinely  
content with her lot.  
  
"Life in the Guild and at the Garden seem very much alike,"  
Xu observed.  
  
"They are hardly the same," Anya corrected. "You are from a  
military organization, but we are not. We hone our mind, body,  
and soul into a single unit, to make ourselves better. While  
some Masters will fight for money, many will decline because they  
would rather be teachers."  
  
A smile tugged at the corner of Xu's lips. So there was  
something that Anya was willing to fight for and defend. "You  
make it sound like a religion," she commented lightly.  
  
"The more extreme Masters do treat it like that," Anya  
agreed with a nod, glad that Xu was taking her seriously.  
  
After a few minutes of quiet eating Anya asked a question.   
"Why are you here?"  
  
Xu leaned back in the wooden chair she sat on. She could  
easily dodge the question by saying she was here because she was  
filling time before she could return to Balamb, but that was only  
half true. Studying the physical arts really did interest her,  
but it wasn't her passion like it obviously was for Anya. She  
wasn't forced since she came willingly, but she wasn't certain  
why she was willing in the first place. It just seemed the thing  
to do.  
  
"I'm not sure," she answered after considering it.  
  
"You do not know? How strange. You strike me as someone  
who would be certain of her place in life. You seem to be very  
confident." Anya idly stirred her drink with her straw as she  
spoke.  
  
"It is silly, isn't it? I know what I want to do--to be a  
SeeD--but beyond that, it doesn't much matter to me."  
  
"What will you do after your time as a SeeD?" Anya asked.  
  
"I've never thought that far. I can't imagine living a life  
outside of this uniform. It's who I am and who I will always  
be."  
  
Their conversation lapsed into another drawn out silence and  
Xu noted the time. "I'd better get going. I've got another test  
soon," she stood up and put her hand out to shake Anya's. "It  
was nice getting to know you."  
  
"For me as well," the teen replied politely.  
  
  
The training room Xu was looking for wasn't hard to locate,  
it was the one with the loud techno music blaring in it. Wincing  
at the assault on her ears she opened the door and peered inside.   
A modest crowd of Journeymen stood around waiting. Xu shook her  
head, wished that she had the wrong room, and then went inside.  
  
In one corner of the room a small group had their music  
blasting as they did warm-up kata. No one had gone over there  
yet to tell them turn it off. Xu looked at the posted schedule  
and was glad that she was near the top of the list. The sooner  
she got out of here, the better. That music was not helping her  
concentrate in the slightest.  
  
Xu found an out of the way spot to stand and watch the match  
going on currently. This set of mats had a sizeable circle drawn  
in chalk; from the way the two current duelists were dancing  
warily around the edges, it looked as if stepping outside the  
line meant instant disqualification.  
  
Currently batting were a pair of young men who looked to be  
about as old as she was--if not a little older. One was wielding  
a sabre and wore an outfit similar to Anya's whereas the other  
brandished a pair of weighted chains. Overall it was one of the  
most unique weapons pairings Xu had ever seen. Depending on how  
well-versed each person was in his techniques, the battle could  
go either way. Each weapon had its strengths and weaknesses.  
  
However it looked like the youth with the sabre spent more  
time trying to dodge the chains meant to either entangle his arms  
and legs, or slap the weapon from his opponent's hands. The problem   
remained that the weighted chains held a lengthy reach, keeping him   
closer to the rim of the circle than Xu herself would have   
preferred.  
  
Fascinated to see who would come out the victor, Xu keenly  
studied each Journeyman's movements. Too bad there was still that  
horrible music droning on in the background. The man with the  
sabre was certainly throwing a few murderous glances at the CD  
player, as if wanting desperately to lob his blade and impale the  
player right there on the spot.  
  
Abruptly the man with the weighted chains lashed out, and in  
trying to defend himself the student with the sabre raise an arm  
in front of his face. The chain wrapped around his forearm and  
was immediately tightened.   
  
'Game over,' Xu thought to herself.  
  
But then she realized that the one with the sabre was  
actually holding onto the chain wrapped around his arm--his sword  
hand still free and mobile. With a vicious grin, he stepped back  
and gave a hard yank on the chain, using enough force to send the  
chain-wielder stumbling forward. The sabre was raised above the  
two opponents, either ready to cut the one chain in half, or  
knock the other loose chain aside.   
  
Xu leaned forward for a better look as the blade came  
arcing down and--  
  
"You're screwing up that technique!" a woman's voice  
bellowed, shattering the intensity of the fight. "I thought I'd  
gotten it engrained in your thick skull already!"  
  
Suffice to say, that threw the man with the sword completely  
off. He froze in mid-slice, momentarily losing his footing and  
his concentration. Forgetting about his opponent or his match, he  
immediately whirled and yelled back, "Who's fighting this match,  
Master: you or me?"  
  
"I wouldn't say you're doing that great a job of it," the  
Weapons Mistress retorted.  
  
His face starting to turn pink from exasperation, the sword  
student exclaimed, "I'm kind of in the middle of a match here!  
Could you come back and humiliate me later?"  
  
Without answering the woman stomped over to the music  
players and slammed the CD player off. It was just as well that  
she hadn't answered or given her student a second glance; the  
Journeyman with the weighted chains took advantage of his  
opponent's distraction, and snaked a chain around the sword-  
duelist's ankles.  
  
Xu winced as with one solid pull, the student with the sword  
was toppled onto the ground. She wondered if there might be a  
rematch given all this interference. For the sake of the guy with  
the sabre--who was wearing a glowering expression that would make  
a Grendel stop dead in its tracks.  
  
"Okay, now I'm in a pissy mood," he growled as he pushed off  
the ground.  
  
"How do you expect anyone to concentrate with that crap  
playing?! Who's the ranking Master here? I'm going to  
complain!"  
  
"You already are!" A smart-ass in the crowd called out.  
  
The furious woman shot angry glares around her. Only then  
did she realize that her student was now entangled at the ankles  
with the weighted chains. That sent her off on a new rant,  
putting her already put-out student through the wringer.  
  
"If you're finished disrupting the match, Mistress Niethe?"  
The Master administering the test asked on the end of a sigh.   
Sometimes the Masters could be very touchy, especially if one of  
their prized students was testing.  
  
Xu wasn't even going to try to guess the Mistress's age.   
She was so withered and wrinkled that her age was impossible to  
determine. The oldest of the Anshin elders was probably  
younger than this biddy was. But her eyes dance with fire and  
there was no mistaking the presence she had about her. The  
woman, Niethe, was fully capable of putting a student in their  
place if they made the mistake of getting her ire.  
  
Well, if nothing else, Xu did have the old woman to thank  
for shutting off that horrible music. A rematch between the  
competing students was called--probably more to placate Mistress   
Niethe than anything else. In the end, the winner of the duel   
turned out to be the one with the sabre.  
  
Opting to prepare for her upcoming bout, Xu performed her   
own warm up exercises. She took the opportunity to look around   
her to find out what sort of weapons she might have to battle.   
There were plenty of swords hanging off of people's belts, a   
couple polearms--in fact the shorter weapons seemed to be in   
the minority. She psyched herself for a fight against a long   
weapon.  
  
Her name was called and she was pleasantly surprised when her  
opponent presented himself. It was a man who must have been in  
his fifties carrying a single nunchaku under his arm. The  
testing Master announced again that the match ups in this round  
were drawn at random, a fact that should be emphasized since  
things were definitely tilted Xu's way.  
  
With a smile Xu recalled all the drilling Cid and later Pan  
put her through versus the nunchaku. The advantage of the  
nunchaku came from its ability to strike with speed and then  
withdraw to strike again. A person armed with a sai could  
neutralize this threat by tangling the nunchaku up in the prongs  
of the sai and knocking the weapon away. Xu was quite adept at  
disarming techniques versus a nunchaku user and felt that the  
luck of the draw was on her side this time.  
  
"I won't waste my time with you, little girl," he dismissed  
Xu with a gesture.  
  
Xu didn't respond to the taunt. It would be playing the  
game by his rules if she exchanged barbs with him. She wanted to  
be in charge of this battle and to set the pace for it.  
  
Xu set herself to be on the defensive until he struck.   
That's when she would catch his nunchaku and relieve him of it.   
This man wasn't a fool. He knew that he was at the disadvantage  
to her ability to capture his weapon. He needed to keep her off  
balance if he hoped to win, so his taunts continued.  
  
"I can't believe the Guild has lowered itself to allowing a  
SeeD to apply. A bunch of money grubbing mercenaries, that's all  
you are!"  
  
Xu kept back, ready for him to make his move.  
  
"You'd slit a baby's throat if there was gil in it for you."  
  
That insult rankled, but she kept her cool. He didn't know  
her, he didn't know Cid, and he most definitely didn't know SeeD  
if he thought they were a bunch of child killers.  
  
"Tell me, why is it that so many Guild members think we're  
killers?" Xu smirked, trying to intimidate him by force of will.   
It wasn't her sai he needed to fear, it was her.  
  
"Men are cowards, they won't do their own dirty work. You  
moral-less scoundrels set a price on life and then take it," he  
spat.  
  
So far they had exchanged more words than blows. The  
testing Master was beginning to look annoyed at their posturing.   
Xu took a couple quick swipes at the old man to prompt him to  
counterattack. They didn't have all day.  
  
"At least you know where you stand with a SeeD," Xu quipped  
as she chased him off of the mat. The Master called for them to  
halt and then go back to the center. Her opponent gave her a  
dirty look as they began again.  
  
He sent his nunchaku swinging out at her legs. Xu extended  
her sai down to block the strike, but was unable to hook and  
fling the weapon away.  
  
The match came to an abrupt halt when Xu got the nunchaku  
away from him with a well placed kick. The old man stood in  
stunned disbelief of her audacity. His jaw moved without any  
sound coming out. With a coy smile, Xu bowed politely to him and  
the testing Master. Xu could have taken this opportunity to  
gloat, but didn't. He knew that she was the better this time,  
there was no reason to rub it in.  
  
She was out in the corridor trying to recall which way it  
was to the lobby when he caught up with her again.  
  
"Hey, SeeD, wait up!"  
  
She turned around and with a touch of annoyance coloring her  
tone replied, "My name is Xu."  
  
"Xu then. I'm Stewart. I wanted to tell you that none of  
what I said on the mat was meant as a personal insult."  
  
Wordlessly Xu folded her arms, inviting him to defend  
himself.  
  
"No offense to you, but you're just another obstacle in my  
way. I *must* attain my Mastership. Nothing else in this world  
matters to me except that." There was the same steel in his eyes  
that could be seen in Logan's when he set his mind to something.  
  
"I'm not sure if I should applaud your determination or ask  
how such a single-minded fool managed to live as long as you  
have," Xu replied wryly. It wasn't the most polite response, but  
they'd had precious few of those already. Exchanging insults  
with the aging man seemed more appropriate.  
  
He gave a small chuckle. "I deserved that. I'm here for my  
son, Jake. It was his dream to join the Guild and become a  
Master. He was about your age when he died in Timber."  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
Stewart waved her off. "Don't be. The only thing Jake  
loved more than Galbadia was his family. His unit was sent into  
Timber to settle the hostilities there. Ah, but I doubt a young  
one like yourself wants to listen to the war stories of an old  
man."  
  
By this time they had walked together to the lobby. Xu  
motioned at a pair of comfortable chairs that were arranged by  
the wall. "Please, I'd like to hear your view."  
  
From Eileen she had learned the Timber version of what  
happened. About how on a quiet summer day the Galbadian army  
attacked and laid Timber and the outlying regions under siege.   
Xu was always willing to listen to a story if a person was  
willing to tell it. That trait had made her a favorite  
amongst her students and gave her profound insights on life and  
people.  
  
Once they were settled, Stewart continued his story.  
  
"It was during the closing movements of the war, though we  
didn't know it at the time. Back then there were two ways to  
reach us, by ship or by the Horizon's Bridge. Our navy had stuck  
it to those Esthar bastards when they came by ship. So the upper   
brass had good reason to believe that the next assault would be  
via the bridge.  
  
"Those fools at Fisherman's Horizon wouldn't do anything to  
secure their position against possible attack. That region was  
controlled by Timber, which couldn't pull its head out of its  
ass long enough to secure the bridge. Dollet wasn't doing  
anything to help matters either! Galbadia was the only nation  
who was both willing and capable of preventing an Estharian  
invasion.  
  
"President Deling sent forces to secure our end of the  
bridge. Timber balked at having their territory invaded by  
Galbadia, apparently it was only okay for Esthar to invade.   
Diplomats tried to resolve the issue, but there wasn't time to  
bicker, we were in the middle of a war!  
  
"When Timber began to attack our boys, we had no choice but  
to defend ourselves. Things escalated from there and we took  
the region in hopes of quickly ending the fighting. It wasn't  
Galbadia's intention to invade Timber, but if that's how they  
wanted it..." his voice trailed off and he shrugged.  
  
Xu thoughtfully digested his story. Indeed, it was quite a  
bit different than the version Eileen had told her. And the  
truth was likely somewhere between the two extremes. "Why didn't  
Galbadia blow up this end of the Horizon's Bridge? That would  
have prevented an invasion."  
  
Stewart shook his head ruefully. "That'd be the sensible  
thing to do. I don't know. It could have been because of  
Timber's protest, or because after all the hard work that went  
into building the thing they didn't want to destroy it. You know  
that it wasn't in service for long before hostilities broke out?   
The trains that traveled from the east to west and back again  
were supposed to usher in peace. Too bad it didn't turn out that  
way."  
  
Xu nodded her agreement. "How come Galbadia didn't  
relinquish control of Timber after the war ended?"  
  
He scratched his chin as he considered it. "I think the  
only man who knows the answer to that question is Vinzer Deling.   
I could hazard my own guesses though. Timber was torn up pretty   
bad when everything was said and done. It wouldn't have been   
right to just leave them crushed like that. Galbadia invested   
millions of gil into rebuilding Timber after the war. The most   
ambitious of projects was turning it into a train hub for the   
western continent.  
  
"Another reason could be revenge. Timber was quite a thorn  
in our side and slapping the twerps down for what they did  
wouldn't be out of line in my opinion. Make them pay for our  
boys who lost their lives while trying to save us all."  
  
They sat in amiable silence, each caught up in their own  
thoughts. "Thank you very much for telling me your story."  
  
He waved her off. "Thank you for listening. Most young  
people aren't interested in hearing about the war. All they care  
about are themselves. Sometimes it makes me wonder if it was all  
worth it, but then I meet people like you and know that it was."  
  
Xu bowed her head slightly. "Where I'm from, story tellers  
are respected for the insights they give us. There are many  
lessons to be learned from our past. We mustn't forget it."  
  
"You were raised right then. Where are you from?"  
  
"Xu? There you are!" Pan greeted the two Journeymen  
politely before addressing Xu. "We need to get going. The last  
shuttle for the night is about to leave. While you may enjoy  
walking back to our hotel, I don't. Let's go."  
  
She stood up, suddenly realizing how late it was. She  
hadn't eaten dinner yet. Their hotel was near a shopping  
promenade. Maybe something would still be open.  
  
"It was a pleasure speaking with you, Stewart."  
  
"And you, SeeD Xu," he shook her hand before heading off.  
  
"I'm glad to see that you're making new friends," Pan  
commented as they rode back to the hotel.  
  
"I've learned a lot today."  
  
Her mentor nodded. "You should learn something new every  
day."  
  
  
Anya was waiting in the lobby of the Galbadia Hotel when   
Pan and Xu arrived. She didn't appear to be waiting for either   
of them, though, given how the girl was sitting in one of the  
armchairs and reading a book of combat philosophies.  
  
"I didn't know we were staying at the same hotel," Xu said,  
pleased by the happy coincidence.  
  
Momentarily startled, Anya looked up from her book at them.  
When she saw it was Xu, her tense expression lightened and  
happily enough Anya smiled a little.  
  
"It's getting late, you should be in bed. Where's your  
Master?" Pan frowned. It was a Master's job to keep their  
Journeyman on a leash. Even though he trusted Xu's good sense,  
he still called her back when it was late.  
  
"Mistress Niethe and Aucifer are fighting. I came down here  
to get away from the yelling," Anya admitted sheepishly, placing  
a bookmark in her text before closing it shut.  
  
Pan and Xu exchanged looks. "Niethe; figures it would be  
her," Pan grunted, though with a wry smirk on his face. "Where  
are they now?"  
  
"The third floor."  
  
"The same as us," Pan said. "Well, let's go have ourselves  
a look."  
  
Xu gave a backwards glance at Anya, who seemed perfectly  
content to remain in her chair with her book. "Did you want to  
come upstairs with us?"  
  
Anya respectfully shook her head. "I will go up later," she  
declined politely. "For me, it is better this way; my roommates  
will not be quieting down until the early hours of the morning."  
  
Xu found herself feeling rather sorry for Anya at that  
moment, and entertained the idea of asking if Anya wanted to pair  
up with her for the night. Then again... after seeing Mistress  
Niethe in action earlier this afternoon, Xu feared what might  
happen if she made Anya breach a protocol within Niethe's school.  
Besides, she added thoughtfully to herself, Anya seemed the type  
who could take care of herself.  
  
It was the social dimension Anya didn't seem well-equipped  
to handle. In a way Xu was reminded of Quistis--though for  
Quistis it had always been about books, not physical training or  
weapons.  
  
With Pan in the lead, the two took the elevator up to the  
third floor of the hotel. Before the doors had even opened up for  
them, they could hear the commotion.  
  
"I wonder if anyone's called the front desk to complain," Xu  
mused aloud.  
  
Pan sighed as he walked out into the hall, where the noise  
was even louder than before. "Would you want to deal with the  
likes of Niethe?"  
  
At that, Xu ardently shook her head.  
  
Interestingly enough, Aucifer turned out to be the male  
student with the sabre that Xu had seen fighting with the sword  
earlier in the afternoon. He was standing in the hallway yelling  
at a closed door, and looking somewhere between a helpless puppy  
dog and a raging bull ready to break down the door.  
  
"What do you mean you didn't book me a room?!" he exclaimed.  
  
From the other side of the door came the muffled reply. "It  
means you're old enough that you should have thought of this  
beforehand. I don't coddle someone who should be able to take on  
their own responsibilities when it comes to attending a Guild  
convention."  
  
"You booked rooms for every student but me!" Aucifer snapped  
in exasperation.  
  
"So?" retorted Niethe's voice. She sounded abnormally calm  
given the raging student separated from her by only a thin panel  
of wood. "Take your bag and find another place. It's late and  
you're disturbing the other guests."  
  
Aucifer rolled his eyes, his jaw clenched and his expression  
showing that he'd rather do anything else but comply. "Yes,  
Mistress."  
  
"Oh," Niethe added, like it was just an afterthought. "I've  
also instructed all the other students not to let you sleep in  
their rooms. You didn't book yourself a room, you find a place  
for the night."  
  
Xu could almost hear the evil laughter from the other side  
of the door.  
  
Aucifer made to punch the door, but stopped his fist just  
short of making contact. He hovered there, torn between ramming  
his fist through the door and just accepting that he'd lost yet  
again. Finally Aucifer grudgingly picked his bag up from the floor  
and slung it over his shoulder. Gritting his teeth he began to  
walk towards the elevator.  
  
"Sadistic wrinkled mummy," he muttered darkly.  
  
"I heard that!" blasted Mistress Niethe's voice from on the  
other side of the door, causing Aucifer to jump in surprise.  
"You're going to regret that tongue of yours when we get back to  
the dojo."  
  
Retorted Aucifer, "Who needs it then? I'm already regretting  
it now!"  
  
Grumpily he stalked down the hall, shooting very unpleasant  
glares at some of the other students who had been watching the  
entire spectacle from partially-open doors. Xu could practically  
see the dark cloud over his head, raining down on the student.  
  
He didn't even turn his head as he brushed past them on his  
way to the elevator.  
  
"Hey there, sport, just a sec," Pan caught up with him.   
"Niethe put you out for the night?"  
  
"Oh...hi Pan," Aucifer said, backing down when he saw who it  
was. "Yeah, she loves making my life a living hell. I tell you,  
whatever I did wrong in my previous life, I think I've done my  
penance for it and then some. Shit, I can't believe she pulled  
that stunt on me. I should have seen it coming!"  
  
Xu was startled. "You mean she does this to you on a regular  
basis?"  
  
For the first time, Aucifer took full notice of Xu's  
presence. She could see him sizing her up in his eyes, and  
something flickered there. Confusion more than anything she  
guessed.  
  
"I don't believe you two have met," Pan said, doing the  
formalities. "Journeywoman Xu, meet Journeyman Aucifer."  
  
The two shook hands. Xu immediately noticed how his grip was  
almost crushing--but it was a deliberate act. He seemed to be  
testing her strength. Xu responded by returning the favour and  
tightening her own grip. Her work at always clutching her sai   
gave her the added edge, and finally Aucifer winced and let his   
hold go slack.  
  
"Okay, I yield," he sighed. Xu found herself the recipient  
of an admiring smirk from Aucifer before he turned back to Pan.   
  
"I didn't know you had taken on an apprentice," he remarked.  
"You never take on apprentices."  
  
Pan beamed and gave Xu a slap on the back. "She's a very  
notable exception. Trust me: you'll see that before the end of  
the convention, I promise."  
  
"If her fighting style is anything like her grip, I can  
understand why," Aucifer quipped. His grouchy attitude seemed to  
be lifting; it appeared that Pan was at least a friend. And for  
the moment he seemed to be grouping her into that category too.  
  
"Why don't you spend the night in my room? We can talk  
about it if you would like?" Pan offered.   
  
Aucifer gave him a doubtful look, then glance down the  
hallway again. He wasn't going to get any sympathy from Niethe.  
"I'll take you up on the offer of a place to crash, but not the  
shoulder to lean on. I'd as soon lick my wounds in private  
tonight."  
  
"That's fine," Pan agreed. "We'll see you bright and early  
tomorrow, Xu."  
  
"Good night, Pan," she said, turning to her own door.  
  
"Nice meeting you, Journeywoman Xu," Aucifer called out  
after her.  
  
*****  
  
Xu extended her arms above her head in a mighty stretch   
that expressed all too well how weary she was feeling. While her   
days at the Garden certainly weren't idle, she couldn't recall   
the last time she had ever been so busy or worn out. Perhaps it   
was the drain of interaction with so many new people that made   
her long for nothing more than to slip between the bed's sheets   
and sleep until the sun came up.  
  
With less vigor than usual, she took her time in unpacking   
her sleeping clothes and briefly considered just curling up as   
she was. At the very least she should wash her face off before   
she went to bed.  
  
Patting her damp face with an all too small hotel towel, she   
unexpectedly heard someone knocking at her door.  
  
'If it's those students playing a prank,' Xu thought darkly.   
'They're going to wish they had never come here.'  
  
She unlocked and opened up the door, only to see Aucifer  
standing there. Evidently he'd freshened up in Pan's room, given  
how he was dressed in more casual (and less sweat-covered)  
clothes and had that freshly-showered look. Xu was caught  
off guard by his appearance.  
  
"Yes?" she asked.  
  
"Look, I feel that you might have gotten the wrong impression   
of me after witnessing me shout at the door," he said, looking a   
little sheepish as he scratched the back of his head. "If you're up   
for it, would you like to do to the bar downstairs and talk for a   
while? My treat, naturally."  
  
In all honesty Xu wasn't in the mood. Her mind was still   
alert, but she felt mentally and physically exhausted from the  
day's activities. The last thing she wanted to do was go out in  
public. Xu was about to decline when Aucifer added, "Or is it   
against Anshin beliefs to drink anything with alcohol in it?"  
  
The look on her face showed the instant suspicions she held  
towards him. She'd taken so much grief on behalf of her people   
that she was about ready to close the door now and be done with   
him. He noticed the firm set of her jaw and realized that he was   
walking on thin ice. Hesitantly, he continued.  
  
"Pan mentioned a few things about you as I was unpacking my  
things, and I put two and two together," Aucifer admitted. "I  
have to say, an Anshin who's both a SeeD and a Master-to-be  
fascinates me to no end. And since this may be the only time we  
have to talk..."  
  
His voice trailed off, leaving that open bit of optimism  
that she'd take the bait and go to the bar with him.  
  
"It's not against *my* beliefs to drink alcohol," Xu stated.  
"But I only do so on special occasions."  
  
Aucifer shrugged. "Fine by me. Order whatever you want; I  
owe Pan that much for saving me the money for a hotel room  
tonight."  
  
"Did he put you up to this?"  
  
"Hey, it's not like you see me protesting?"  
Xu bowed her head with reluctant acceptance. Knowing Pan,   
he'll be milking her for details of her midnight rendezvous with   
Aucifer in the morning. She grabbed her workout jacket from   
where it lay on a chair and slipped it on while following him   
to the lift.  
  
Neither of them spoke as the cab took them down to the   
lobby, from there the bar was an elegant stairway down. The   
stage to the left had a mellow jazz band setting the mood.   
Aucifer found them an unoccupied booth away from both the bar and   
the music.  
  
Aucifer ordered for both of them when a server came by. He   
ordered something for her that Xu had never heard of before. She   
was pleasantly surprised when her drink turned out to be sweet   
and non-alcoholic.  
  
"So who gets to start: you or me?" he asked after taking a   
sip of his own drink.  
  
"You invited me out. The privilege should be yours."  
  
Aucifer leaned back in the booth. "Hell, now I don't know  
where to begin. Pick a subject for me, will ya?"  
  
"Let's start with your poor attempt at picking me up," Xu  
said scathingly.  
  
The server came by again to see if everything was   
satisfactory. Aucifer waved her aside without removing his eyes   
from Xu's. The steel had returned to their gazes; they might as   
well have been opponents in a weapons duel.  
  
"You don't like me very much, do you?" Aucifer said finally,  
his tone colder than it had been a few seconds ago.   
  
"I have reservations about someone I've just met," Xu  
drawled. "You're still more a of stranger than a friend."  
  
He shook his head. "If you've got a problem with the way I  
go about doing things, then you're bloody well welcome to leave.  
I only asked you down here to talk. Nothing more, no strings  
attached. Don't slap me in the face for being hospitable."  
  
Xu couldn't help but smile. For as icy as her remark had  
been, it was meant to discern his true intentions. Given his   
reaction, it appeared that Aucifer really did want to just talk   
over drinks. The last thing she wanted to be was someone's latest   
conquest.  
  
"I'm not about to slap you," she demurred, working her charm  
to easily defuse the situation. If Aucifer was smart enough, he'd  
realize this was just a test. "So let's talk, and you get to go  
first."  
  
Aucifer visibly relaxed, though it came more after he took  
his drink and downed half of it in a few swallows. "Hit me."  
  
Xu racked her brain for topics, going with what usually  
first made her curious about anyone. "Where are you from?"  
  
"West Hill," he replied. "At least, that's where I currently  
reside. The Guild dojo there is one of the older and more  
prestigious ones; it looks more like a small academy than an  
actual training centre."  
  
Glass in hand, he gestured in the direction of the stairs  
they'd taken to come down to the bar. "You've already seen my  
Weapons Master, merciless demon that she is, in action."  
  
"Is she always like that?" Xu had to ask. Certainly Master  
Pan was a far cry from Cid, but even Pan's attitude had nothing  
on Niethe. That anyone could survive, let alone train under her,  
was beyond the SeeD.  
  
Aucifer shrugged and took another drink. "Nah. She's  
actually quite personable--so long as you're not me."  
  
Xu looked up from her drink.  
  
"She generally rags on me harder than anyone," he explained.  
"I'm always the one who gets yelled out for improper technique,  
while the others just get scolded or corrected. I'm always the  
one who does the extra practice hours. I'm always the one called  
to answer the text questions on weapon types, tactics,  
philosophies." He paused, studying his drink. "She's almost like  
a wicked stepmother in a fairy tale."  
  
"Maybe she just sees the potential in you," Xu pointed out.  
She knew that Cid was the type to push someone a little harder if  
he felt it would pay off in the end. The way Aucifer described  
the situation left Xu wondering if Mistress Niethe was more  
grooming an heir to teach her students in the future.  
  
Aucifer snorted when he heard her idea. "Well, Niethe's got  
a hell of a way of showing it. I swear, if I ever have my own  
Guild school, I'm going to do things a lot differently."  
  
With that, he polished off the last of his drink.  
  
Now seemed like a good time to change subjects.  
  
"I've met Anya too," Xu said. "She seems nice, if not a  
little shy."  
  
"Don't really know her," Aucifer said dismissively, setting  
down his empty glass. "Separate classes, though we're in the same  
skill level. From what I've heard she's rather formal. Most kids  
raised in the Guild are though."  
  
Xu dared to speak her mind on the issue, regardless of how  
little she knew about the way Guild schools actually worked.  
"Well you should try to get to know her a little better. She  
doesn't seem to have that many people to talk to."  
  
One of Aucifer's eyebrows went up.  
  
"I had lunch with Anya earlier today," she explained. "She  
considers the school her family, but I'm not sure how many real  
friends she has. You should try to help pry her out of her  
shell."  
  
"I'm not her babysitter," he flicked the idea off as   
distasteful.  
  
Xu wasn't willing to let things go that easily. "No, you're   
not, but it doesn't mean that you can't be her mentor or friend.   
When there are so many things out there in the world that can   
kill you in an instant, you need people to watch your back.   
People who will support you and encourage you to grow. They'll   
guide you, defend you, and protect your life..." her voice   
trailed off with the last word as memories of Sean flooded her.  
  
"I invite you out for a drink and suddenly you're recruiting  
me to be a big brother?" Aucifer remarked without noticing her   
sudden self-reflection. He seemed more amused than anything, Xu   
could see in his eyes that he was at least seriously considering   
it.  
  
"All I'm doing is making a few observations about a  
classmate of yours," Xu pressed on. If her time in grading cadets  
at Galbadia had given her anything, it was an eye for strengths  
and weaknesses.  
  
"And hopefully make her less of a stranger in my world,"  
Aucifer finished the thought. He sat back in his seat, draping  
an arm across the back of the bench. "I have to say, you're rather  
humane for a mercenary."  
  
Xu's cheeks flushed with momentary anger. He hadn't meant it  
as a jab against her, but she'd felt the cut anyways. Aucifer  
didn't notice either way, busy placing another order with a  
nearby server.  
  
"To strangers in strange worlds," he said once he'd received  
his drink, clinking his glass against Xu's. Once he finished his   
first sip, he asked, "And who isn't a stranger in your world?"  
  
Xu had to think about that. First temptation was to name  
names, but that wouldn't mean much to a person who had never met  
any of them. Xu quickly considered why certain people meant more  
to her than anyone or anything else. The answer came faster than  
expected. "The people I trust."  
  
"Ah...honour," Aucifer agreed with a nod. "Big thing in the  
Guilds. If you weren't a SeeD, you'd probably make for a good  
teacher here. That's meant as a compliment, by the way."  
  
That caused her to thaw some. "I am an Instructor within   
SeeD."  
  
Once again his eyebrow migrated upwards as he regarded her,   
then a roguish grin crossed his face. "I called it. Damn, I'm   
good."  
  
She laughed at that. "We'll see about that tomorrow!"   
That's when the final day of testing would prove their mettle   
to the Guild.  
  
*****  
  
Later that night Xu woke up from her sleep with a start.   
The loose shirt she wore clung to her back as beads of sweat   
rolled down her belly from between her breasts. With a fluid   
motion, she turned the nightstand lamp on while swinging her legs   
over the side of the bed. She raked her fingers through her hair  
before getting up from the bed.  
  
She had *that* dream again. It was one that haunted her for  
as long as she could remember. She was in a battle versus these  
horrible monsters. They were unlike anything she had ever seen  
or heard of before. She would appear wearing elaborate  
ceremonial robes like the ones the elders wore on certain  
occasions. Then she would utterly destroy the monsters in a fury  
of moves that she could never reproduce in real life.  
  
That's when the dreams began to disturb her--what she felt  
while bringing havoc upon the monsters. She felt fulfilled,  
disgusted, proud, concerned, and perhaps even a bit aroused. The  
experience as a whole was that of duty mixed with pleasure mixed  
with sorrow at enjoying such a grizzly task.  
  
But this time there was more sorrow than usual and a greater  
urgency to destroy. She was protecting Sean and one other man  
from the monsters. She wanted to break free of the dream--  
break free of the pattern--and throw herself at Sean and be  
held in his arms. But she couldn't. She couldn't even try until  
he was safe.  
  
And so she performed her dance of carnage, taking down the  
creatures of her nightmares. Once they were defeated, she  
realized that she couldn't break free. She would only see him  
for a moment longer. So she saluted him with her crossed sai and  
bow. Then she woke up.  
  
The shower she took did little to clear her mind. The dream  
was too powerful, too fresh, and opened too many weeping wounds.   
She missed him terribly. It's been nearly two years and it still  
hurt like it was yesterday. Feeling this strongly after that  
long probably wasn't healthy. It didn't interfere with her  
duties as a SeeD, what did it matter if she suffered silently?  
  
*****  
  
"Are you sure that there are more than a dozen people in  
this Guild?" Xu drawled when she looked at the schedule and saw   
that she would be fighting Aucifer in the morning session.  
  
Pan shrugged. "At this stage in the game there probably are  
only a dozen Journeymen left. This fight won't be an easy one.   
Aucifer is from West Hills. Mistress Niethe's students aren't   
known for being pushovers."  
  
"I haven't had an easy fight yet."  
  
Sai versus sword. It would be like fighting against Kei.   
That wasn't an easy fight either. At least the challenge was one  
that she looked forward to.  
  
This round was anything goes which wasn't considered dirty  
play as defined by Guild etiquette. On the mat, Xu held her own  
against Aucifer, but things weren't going to stay that way for  
long. He was much stronger than her. He'd already forced her  
into some compromising positions that she'd just been able to  
slip out of.  
  
"What happened to the little spitfire in the bar last  
night?" he asked impishly. "Gone from SeeD to WeeD overnight?"  
  
"That's it!" Xu's mind painted a picture of Martine  
standing there saying that and she saw red. She knew better  
than to let her temper rule when in a bout, but it felt good to  
let herself rage against that son of a bitch. Aucifer yielded   
to her after she struck him upside the head with the butt of her  
sai.  
  
Aucifer remained on the mat holding his head until the  
testing Master cast a curative spell on him.  
  
"Ow! Dammit, what was with the channeling of Niethe's spirit  
there?" Aucifer demanded angrily as he sat up.   
  
"I've had it up to here with people insulting SeeD; I  
thought you would have learned that from last night. I had to  
work hard to earn this uniform. I take my profession seriously  
and carry out my duty without regret. Just because I wasn't  
raised up in a Guild school doesn't mean I can't shove my sai  
where you'll never find it again!"  
  
"So I noticed." Aucifer continued to rub the side of his  
head, though he was surely feeling no pain after the spell took  
effect.   
  
Xu huffed and stomped off the mat. Pan was at her side  
following her out of the room. "What was that?"  
  
Xu pursed her lips together tightly before exhaling. "Two  
years of frustrations compressed into two minutes."  
  
Martine was good for something after all...  
  
  
There were a few hours to kill before the final decisions   
were announced as to which candidates would be made Weapons   
Masters. Xu spent the first part of it cooling her jets in her   
hotel room under the spray of the shower.  
  
She'd heard of people referring to SeeD as WeeD before, but   
that didn't mean she had to like it. She was very proud of the   
organization she had dedicated herself to and would go to great   
lengths to defend it. Galbadians were too used to the unrefined   
soldiers that made up the bulk of Galbadia's military. They were   
warm bodies--trained, but not thoughtful--and were hardly the   
same caliber of professional that SeeD was.  
  
With more force than necessary she turned the water valve   
off. She then leaned her forehead against the tiled wall in   
silent apology for her misplaced anger. Aucifer didn't mean the   
offense he offered her, she told herself. But it was hard to   
not be on the defensive when people have been sniping at her   
since she first set foot in this country.  
  
Xu aggressively toweled her hair dry to work out any   
residual frustration. A knock at the door drew her out of the   
bathroom. It was probably Master Pan, here to tell her that it was   
time to get back to the convention center for the announcements.   
Still wrapped up in her towel, Xu shuffled over to the door and   
opened it up slightly.  
  
She was greeted with a somewhat surprised Aucifer.  
  
"Dressing down for the final ceremony, I see," he said in an  
attempt to get over his surprise.  
  
Xu still found herself angry at him. "What do you want?"  
She pulled the towel closer around herself. By nature she wasn't   
blushingly modest, but that didn't mean she was going to expose   
herself to him either.  
  
"Look, I have a habit of chewing on my feet," Aucifer said,  
shifting awkwardly around the doorway. He was trying his best to  
keep his eyes level with her face and not with her towel-clad  
body. "I didn't mean the WeeD thing as an insult, but I'm sorry."  
  
He sheepishly added, "Believe me, after the pounding my ass  
took from you, I'll never say anything bad about SeeD again."  
  
Xu pursed her lips together tightly as she weighed his words.  
"Well, I probably shouldn't have hit you as hard as I did. I'm   
sorry, I let my anger get the better of me."  
  
"Oh, that's okay," Aucifer said, shrugging it off. "From  
what I hear, Niethe has never laughed harder in her life than  
when she saw you trounce me."  
  
"Has she yelled at you for it?"  
  
He shook his head. "No, she has yet to track me down.   
Besides, it'll all just add up to extra practice hours when we  
get back."  
  
An elderly couple walked by then. Xu and Aucifer stopped   
talking as they passed. The old woman had a look of horror on   
her face at seeing Xu half-hidden behind the door in only a towel.   
On the other hand, the randy old man gave Aucifer a sly, approving   
look.  
  
Aucifer brought he attention back to their conversation.  
  
"I think the Master inauguration ceremony will be starting  
soon," he said. "You might want to dress in something a little  
less... fluffy."  
  
Xu smiled pleasantly. "I'll be out in a minute."  
  
Then she slammed the door in his face. But as she figured,  
Aucifer was patiently waiting in the hall next to her door when  
she emerged. He nodded approvingly at seeing her dressed in her   
formal SeeD uniform. It was the first time he'd seen her wear it.  
  
The bus ride from the hotel to the convention center was an   
uneventful one. Xu briefly wondered if she'd have the time to   
slip away for a few hours and visit Sean's family while she was   
in town.  
  
In one of the largest conference rooms in the center, the   
remaining Journeymen stood to one side of an elevated platform   
waiting to be called up. Any Master could challenge them if   
they were still unconvinced of the Journeyman's worthiness to   
join their ranks. The room was packed full of onlookers and   
Masters.  
  
Stewart presented himself and was admitted to the Guild  
without further ado. Xu was happy for him. Maybe now that he'd  
completed his son's dream, he could continue on with his own.  
  
Likewise Aucifer went up onto the stage when he was called.   
The crowd was silent as they waited for anyone to present their  
challenge. Unfortunately for Aucifer, someone did voice their  
desire to challenge him in combat.  
  
"I'd like to test him myself!" Mistress Niethe stated  
loudly.  
  
At this, half of the crowd laughed (Mistress Niethe and  
Aucifer's bickering having already become notorious) while others  
groaned for Aucifer's sake. Most of the students were confused,   
but wanted to see the outcome of when a true Master fought an   
initiate.  
  
Aucifer remained as cool as he could, though his eyes were  
now wide like headlights and his skin was starting to pale. "Oh  
shit," he muttered, still acting composed in front of the crowd.  
"This is going to hurt."  
  
Niethe got onto the platform and then tossed Aucifer his   
sabre. She took up a sword of similar design for herself. The next   
few minutes were filled with a rather impressive duel as Mistress  
Niethe and Aucifer went at each other relentlessly.  
  
Xu seriously had the impression by the end that both  
fighters had completely forgotten about their audience, and were  
now just intent on finishing each other off in a grudge match.  
However, for as skilled as Aucifer was he was no match for  
Niethe.  
  
She quickly disarmed him and then delivered a swift kick to  
his ribcage, sending Aucifer sprawled on his back across the  
floor. There was dead silence in the room as Mistress Niethe  
disdainfully looked at her student, turned to the judges and  
sighed, "Okay, he'll do. You can make him a Master."  
  
The crowd burst into cheers, with no small part of that  
being from his former classmates. Aucifer was helped off the floor  
and presented to the rest of the Guild. He still looked dazed and  
shaky, but there could be no denying the broad smile spread  
across his face. Mistress Niethe herself seemed to be basking in  
the moment, looking at her former Journeyman with a high degree  
of pride.  
  
Xu would compare this moment to that of becoming a SeeD.  
  
Anya was in the crowd cheering him on. Her own bid for  
Mastership ended this morning. Xu still didn't understand how  
the scoring worked. It didn't make sense to her how Aucifer  
could be here but not Anya. Pan had mentioned that the tests  
challenged more than physical skills. There had to be something  
more behind that.  
  
Two more people went up before Xu was called. With the  
poise learned from years of SeeD training, she stood at attention  
as the offer to challenge her was issued.  
  
"I challenge her," a light tenor voice called from the  
depths of the crowd. They parted to allow the Master to make his  
way to the mat. He was small by a man's standards, giving him  
only a slight height advantage over her. The pants he wore were  
solid black and tailored to fit loosely. His top was a forest  
green color and spoke of elegant simplicity. As he drew closer,  
Xu could see that his eyes were the same shade of green as his  
shirt. The man jumped up onto the platform -- without the   
assistance of his hands or the steps -- and continued walking   
forward in a fluid motion.  
  
"Master Talasu," the Master announced to the crowd, though  
it seemed to her that they already knew him. "What reason have  
you for challenging this Journeywoman?" The question was  
punctuated with annoyance.  
  
"As is my right, I wish to assess her skills myself," his  
green eyes captured hers. They seemed to bore into her very  
soul. Xu shivered on the inside, for those same eyes were also  
very kind as they regarded her.  
  
"As is your right," the Master reluctantly agreed. "Get  
your weapon, Journeywoman."  
  
Xu hopped down from the stage to retrieve her sai. Aucifer  
caught her elbow and leaned over to whisper something for her  
ears only. "That's Master Talasu you're fighting. Watch  
yourself."  
  
"Giving advice to a WeeD?" Xu inquired, trying to sound  
casual despite the tightening knot in her stomach.  
  
Her jab didn't even get Aucifer cracking a grin. "I'm  
giving warning to someone who's good enough with her sai to have  
earned my respect. Talasu's a tricky bastard; he's got quite the   
reputation. Expect anything--and I do mean anything, if he's   
your opponent."  
  
Xu was smart enough to know when to take a warning seriously.   
She gave Aucifer a questioning look and then returned to stage.  
  
She bowed to both Masters before pulling out her sai.   
Master Talasu was unarmed unless he had a knife hidden somewhere.   
"You're going to fight unarmed?"  
  
He waved off her question. "You may start with those if you  
wish. You'll soon be unarmed yourself."  
  
The order to begin was given. Xu tried for a quick stab to  
his belly, but he caught her wrist and turned it around. The sai  
in her hand fell to the ground. Its mate soon followed when he  
grabbed her other arm and forced the weapon from her. He then  
released her to reset herself.  
  
'He's toying with me.' The anger Xu felt at this insult was  
honed into something she could use. She lashed out at him with a  
series of feints and punches. These he blocked easily by  
diverting the energy behind the strike. It was a style she  
hadn't encountered before.  
  
She came at him again, intent upon throwing him to the floor.   
Her forward motion was used against her as he levered around and  
threw her. She stumbled before regaining her balance. Turning  
to face him again, he simply stood there with that same probing  
look in his eyes.  
  
"Stop playing games and fight me," she snapped.  
  
A corner of his mouth quirked up into a slight smile. "You  
believe that a strong offense constitutes a good defense. I  
believe that a strong defense is its own offense. Prove me  
wrong," he invited.  
  
And so she tried, but everything she attempted was reversed  
in some way to his advantage. All the energy being used during  
the fight was hers. Her mind desperately searched for a way to  
defeat him. He was too good for her. She could continue to  
pound her head against the wall or admit defeat. Either one  
meant that her hopes of becoming a Mistress this year were  
finished. It wasn't fair!  
  
She took hold of his shirt before he could dislodge her hand  
and tried to throw him around by brute strength alone. This  
effort was as unsuccessful as the previous ones. He could adjust  
his center of gravity too well for that tactic to work.  
  
Releasing his shirt, she stepped away from him and bowed  
deeply. "I yield," the words came out as a mixture of  
frustration and disappointment. She had no choice but to give up  
the battle or lose.  
  
A sympathetic groan ran through the crowd as they likewise  
realized her options and forthcoming defeat.  
  
Pan bit down on his lip hard enough to draw blood. They'd  
come too far to have her defeated when she was so close to  
success! This was a crushing blow for both Journeywoman and  
Master.  
  
Xu righted herself slowly. She turned away from the Masters  
to leave the stage.  
  
"Why did you yield to me?" Talasu asked.  
  
"Because I couldn't break through your defense. I'm not  
good enough." It hurt her to admit that, but it was the truth.   
As she was now, no matter the weapon, she couldn't counter his  
defensive style of fighting.  
  
"Do you think that a strong offense is the only way to win a  
battle?"  
  
Why was he doing this? To rub salt into the wound her  
defeat created? "No, it's not the only way." That much was  
obvious from his demonstration. Why did she have to announce it  
before all these people she was humiliated in front of?  
  
He turned to speak to the crowd. "Just as a strong defense  
is not the only way. I couldn't block a bullet," his eyes became  
slits as he regarded the crowd. "Journeywoman Xu has learned a  
valuable lesson here today. It is a lesson many of the Masters  
need to be reminded of.  
  
"Kill this, defeat that -- aggression isn't the only way for  
our Guild. We can produce both soldiers and peacekeepers," he  
turned from addressing the crowd to speak to her again. "Your  
reputation precedes you, Xu of the Anshin. Within you lies the  
spirit of a warrior and the wisdom of a peacekeeper. You have  
the advantage of most of us, use it!"  
  
"Haven't you done enough without preaching to her?!" A  
member of the crowd yelled, irritated by his speech making after  
shaming her.  
  
"No, I haven't," he replied calmly before locking his gaze  
onto her. "Only a fool would have continued fighting such a  
hopeless battle. In a few years, I see you figuring out my  
tricks. I look forward to a rematch then. In the meantime, I  
expect you to continue your weapons training, Mistress Xu," he  
gave her an elaborate bow.  
  
"You- you *endorse* Journeywoman Xu?" The refereeing Master  
had the most dumbfounded expression on his face.  
  
"Unless the other Masters disagree?" He rose an eyebrow as  
he gave the crowd a questioning look.  
  
"How say the Masters?"  
  
The room roared with relief and approval. Xu felt herself  
become weak in the knees from the emotional whirlwind she'd just  
gone through. Master Talasu was at her side to escort her off  
the platform. Pan forced his way past the barriers to the   
Journeyman section of the floor to meet her. Once she was down,   
he pulled her into a tight embrace.  
  
"You have a sick sense of humor," Pan growled at Talasu as   
the smaller Master came off the stage. "In three years you've   
shot down more Journeyman than any other Master in Guild   
history. If you'd done that to Xu..."  
  
Talasu shrugged nonchalantly. "Mistress Xu has a lot to  
learn, as we all, but she already knows more than many of her  
counterparts. It would be wrong of me to hold her back."  
  
"Plus it would hurt to have all those Masters coming after  
you," Aucifer chimed in, wishing to add his congratulations.   
"They looked more honked off than an Anacondaur who just got his   
tail run over."  
  
"There is that," Talasu allowed. "Niethe especially seemed  
ready to tear me limb from limb."  
  
Aucifer smirked. "I don't think her intentions would have  
been that merciful." He turned to Xu and warmly hugged her, from  
one new Master to another. "You kick some serious ass, you know  
that? Welcome to the Guild, Mistress Xu."  
  
Xu couldn't help but smile, lost in an overwhelming sea of  
emotions.  
  
"So, is this one of those occasions that you'd have a drink  
for?" Aucifer asked in an aside to Xu.  
  
"Yes, I believe this would be," she agreed with a chuckle.  
  
"Then let's make a date of it. We can go to the bar and   
OW!! What did you do that for ya old bag?!" Aucifer snapped at   
the interruption. The pinch Niethe gave him *hurt*!  
  
Mistress Niethe smirked and folded her arms across her   
chest. "Just reminding you to keep your hands to yourself."  
  
"I didn't mean..! I wasn't going to..!" Aucifer glowered   
at Niethe and appealed to Xu to prove his innocence.  
  
With a grin Pan placed a consoling hand on his shoulder.   
"There'll be plenty of time for that tonight. Right now you   
two need to catch up with the other initiates. You've got a   
meeting to attend." He gave Aucifer a small push in the   
right direction.  
  
No accomplishment was without its mountain of paperwork.   
Aucifer grumbled as he filled out forms and signed releases.   
Xu carefully read what she was presented to be sure that it   
didn't conflict with her duty as a SeeD. Cid told her to   
become a Mistress, but there was still lingering fear that   
needed to be dispelled.  
  
Afterwards she heaved an inward sigh of satisfaction.   
Once again she had accomplished the task set about her by the   
Headmaster. And soon she'd be allowed to return to her home   
Garden and get on with the life she'd been preparing so long   
for.  
  
*****  
  
Xu's sleep was restless as Talasu's words replayed in her  
mind time and again. The issue of his defeating her was easily  
disregarded for now. What her mind refused to let go of was his  
proclamation of her 'dual nature'. Wisdom mixed with strength?  
  
It would be accurate to say that she's gone through a  
cultural evolution. Despite turning away from the Anshin, she is  
a product of their upbringing. SeeD refined her and made her  
strong. And at times like this it left her feeling so very  
confused. Each group's ideology had its merits and flaws.  
  
Was it foolish of her to try to weave these extremes into a  
single cloth? She would experience less grief if she just went  
one way or the other like Kei had. But which to choose?   
Eliminating the Anshin part would leave her feeling empty inside  
versus cutting her ties with SeeD and giving up her calling in  
life.  
  
'When walking on the Knife's edge, don't be surprised if you  
cut your feet,' she quoted a line from one of stories she learned  
as a child. Like a majority of her favorites, it was a Tonberry  
story. Myth portrayed the Tonberries as sage lorekeepers. Their  
wisdom was part of what attracted her to them.   
  
Admittedly, she found them to be somewhat cute. They were  
traditionally portrayed as lizard-like creatures that were maybe  
a meter tall. They walked on two feet while being dressed in an  
earth toned, hooded cowl. In one hand they held a lantern that  
was said to hold the Spirits of the past while in the other hand  
they held a Sacred Knife.  
  
Xu closed her eyes and focused her mind on recalling how the  
rest of the story went.  
  
It was about a young boy who encountered a Tonberry while  
playing in a field he wasn't allowed in. The Tonberry gave to  
him a list of tasks to complete and a Sacred Knife to use on his  
journeys. The boy was so frightened by the encounter that he ran  
back to his village with the knife still in his hand. This he  
hid away, hoping to never see another Tonberry again.  
  
Many years passed and the boy became a man with a wife and  
two small children. One day while working in the same field, a  
knifeless Tonberry approached him. It reminded him that he had  
yet to complete the tasks set before him and that it would not  
wait forever.  
  
The man begged to be released from the Tonberry's curse. It  
refused citing that it was not a curse, but his destiny. He  
reluctantly agreed to do as the Tonberry instructed, but it would  
not be easy. He had a family to support and the tasks were  
dangerous.  
  
'You are a man torn between obligations. When walking on  
the Knife's edge, don't be surprised if you cut your feet.' The  
Tonberry sank back into a hole in the ground as he watched with  
amazement. Its warning reminded him of the knife he stored away  
so long ago. Upon retrieving it, he tested the blade. It easily  
split the skin of his thumb.  
  
The rest of the story goes on about the tasks he completed  
while doing the best he could to support his family. She always  
thought the lesson implied was to not get caught in a division of  
loyalties to begin with. Now that she was older and finding  
herself in a similar situation, she could appreciate the man's  
despair.  
  
Tonberries were revered by the Anshin for their longevity  
and ties to the past. They're the ones trusted to remember the  
stories since humans tend to forget. There are many stories  
involving the Tonberries. Xu sometimes wondered if they held a  
bias towards remembering ones that featured them.  
  
She smiled softly as she remembered her childhood fantasies  
of one-day meeting a Tonberry. It was (usually) a good omen to  
see one. It signified that the person's life meant something  
more than just being a farmer. The burning desire to be someone  
special has driven her since childhood. Being an average person  
stuck in an insignificant position is one of the worst fates she  
could think of.  
  
She remembered the time she tried to express these feelings  
to her father. He scolded her for belittling the value of  
others. She understood his point that people were linked  
together in a chain and that *everyone* mattered. But as she saw  
it, some people just added up to being more than others. He  
rebuked her by asking why she was so special? Didn't she realize  
that others felt exactly the same way? To a complete stranger,  
she was just an average person until they came to know her and  
her dreams.  
  
A tear slipped down her cheek as she recalled the deep frown  
that marred his face. The tears she cried that day weren't due  
to shame, they were caused by frustration. He didn't understand  
the stirrings within her. It was a restless feeling that kept  
her awake on nights like this. What she was doing wasn't enough,  
not if she was going to be more.  
  
*****  
  
"This is my favorite part of the convention," Pan rubbed his  
hands together gleefully as they surveyed the large room full of  
weapons vendors. They picked a corner to start at and began  
moving systematically from booth to booth looking at the latest  
weapon designs. The room was to the point of being nearly  
over-filled with bodies, causing Xu and Pan to become separated.  
  
Xu found her way to a booth set up in a small alcove. She  
examined the weapons before looking up to see Sean's father  
watching her politely until she noticed.  
  
"Hello," she greeted, settling down quickly after being  
startled by his appearance.  
  
"Come here around back, child. Let me give you a hug," she  
did as he requested and was nearly squeezed to death in his  
powerful embrace. "You do our family proud! I knew the day  
would come when our family of Weapons Smiths would finally have a  
Weapons Master." He squeezed her again.  
  
"Xu?" She glanced over her shoulder awkwardly considering  
the hold she was in. Pan leaned across the booth's counter,  
"What are you doing with the Weapons Smith?"  
  
"I'm congratulating my daughter," he release Xu from the  
embrace, but kept an arm around her shoulders as he turned  
towards the counter. "What can I do for you today, Master Pan?"  
  
The Master blanched at the mention of 'daughter'. "You  
hadn't mention that you and Sean were married," Pan gave her a  
hurt look.  
  
"We weren't," Xu corrected.  
  
"But they would have!" The Weapons Smith assured. "Which  
means that Xu's family," he reasoned.  
  
Pan boggled. "You never told me that the most renown  
Weapons Smith in Galbadia was your father-in-law. No wonder you  
have a weapon the likes of Heart Breaker. You shouldn't hide  
such things from your Master."  
  
"Speaking of weapons, I have a new one for you to try out.   
Give me your sai and belt." Xu drew the sai from her belt before  
removing it and handing them over. He set the sai aside on a  
back counter before pulling a velvet bag from a small chest. He  
gave the bag to her.  
  
She undid the drawstrings and slipped out one of the sai  
held within. It was a beautiful weapon that was light in her  
hand. The grip felt as though it was made with her in mind. In  
all likelihood, it was. Xu's eyes narrows as she noted that this  
sai had a sharpened tip. Unlike the rounded off points of her  
previous weapons.  
  
The Weapons Smith attached three sheaths to her belt that  
would protect her from the tips. Her eyebrows arched all the  
further when she confirmed that the bag he gave her held two sai  
in addition to the one in her hand. She held her arms up as he  
fastened the belt around her waist.  
  
"They're called 'Life Guard'. Five Full-Life beads have  
been worked into the butt of each sai. I'm sure you can figure  
out how the weapon comes by its name," his eyes creased shut as  
he smiled broadly.  
  
"Thank you very much, but three?" She held one of the sai  
out for Pan to examine. He whistled appreciatively before  
returning it.  
  
"Many Masters carry a third so that it can be thrown or in  
case one is lost during battle. I know that you're trained to  
use your belt knife or fight unarmed, but I feel better knowing  
that you have an extra one just in case," he hugged her once   
more before shoo-ing her around to the front of the booth. "If   
you have the chance come by for dinner before you leave town.   
The rest of the family would like to add their congratulations   
to mine."  
  
Xu thanked him for the invitation before continuing on with  
Pan. They were well away from his booth before Pan spoke again.   
"I knew one of his sons died, but I hadn't put together the  
relation," he admitted.  
  
"It's a small world."  
  
"That it is," he agreed, "look up ahead." A man with several  
guards surrounding him was making his rounds. Vinzer Deling  
spoke with a weapons merchant as the guards maintained a  
perimeter around him.  
  
"Should we approach him?" Xu mused.  
  
"He'll find us if we don't find him," Pan reasoned. They  
came as close as the guards allowed before Pan began calling out  
his name. The President would have usually ignored such things,  
but he recognized the voice immediately.  
  
"Pan! And you have Xu with you. I hear that  
congratulations are in order," he shook both of their hands in  
turn. "How does it feel to be one of the Guild's newest  
Masters?"  
  
"Much like it felt being a Journeywoman. I still have a lot  
to learn," she said with all honesty.  
  
He chuckled at her straightforward answer. "I'm sure you'll  
strive to quickly fill the gaps in your knowledge."  
  
Deling and Pan spoke for several minutes while Xu paid  
polite attention. Who won next year's football tournament was of  
no interest to her. Five minutes became ten and Xu was beyond   
bored. Discretely she searched for a way out of their sports talk.  
Her opportunity came when Mistress Niethe seemed to swoop out from   
nowhere.  
  
"If you two are done boring this prized new Master to  
death," she stated, wrapping an arm around Xu. "I would like to  
have a word or two with her myself."  
  
"And what's wrong with football? It's the national sport,"  
Pan replied.  
  
Niethe pinned him back with a look. "Besides the riots  
afterwards?"   
  
With a sigh, Pan shrugged and waved them aside. "There's no  
stopping Niethe when she's got that look in her eyes. Nothing  
short of a tank that is--and even then, I'd put my money on  
her, not the tank."  
  
Deling seemed rather amused in watching Niethe escort Xu  
off. "I'll keep that in mind. So what do you think of that  
underdog team from the Southwest district?"  
  
Once Niethe had taken Xu out of sight of Pan and Deling, her  
bearish demeanor softened considerably. "I swear, some people  
just can't take the hint that not everyone's into sports. Did I  
manage to save you in time from their droning?"  
  
Xu nodded in relief. "Yes. Thank you, Mistress Niethe."  
  
Niethe beamed. "Think nothing of it. But in return, I'd like  
for you to take one of my students out to lunch."  
  
Xu tried to keep the look of surprise off her face; so there  
had been an ulterior motive after all. She was almost prepared to  
decline until she noted that, despite the smile on her face,  
Niethe was not making a request. Xu was going to take someone out  
to lunch whether she wanted to or not.  
  
"I heard about how you treated Anya yesterday," Niethe  
continued, bringing out some gil and slapping it onto Xu's palm.  
"Very impressive, even though you were both her senior and  
opponent. I would like to repay the favour: this should cover  
your meal. And don't tell her I gave you the money, or else I'll   
be the next person you fight."  
  
"It's really kind of you to offer, Mistress, but I--" she   
pinned Xu back with a look that said 'no' was the wrong answer.   
Xu blanched and wordlessly accepted the gil.  
  
Finding Anya wasn't that hard; the girl was studying one of  
her textbooks in the convention center lobby. Anya was startled   
when Xu asked her out to lunch again. Like Xu had early, Anya   
tried to decline, but Xu was insistent.  
  
They walked to a nearby cafe that was doing a brisk business   
when they arrived. Honestly, Xu didn't know what they were going   
to talk about. They both ordered, sat down, and then waited for   
the other to say something.  
  
"I've been thinking about what you said yesterday," Anya   
said quietly without meeting Xu's eyes.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"More of idle ponderings, actually. Wondering what motivated  
you to join SeeD. You seem to be too kind of a woman for such a   
grisly profession," Anya blushed slightly.  
  
Xu gave her a thoughtful look before answering. "Just because  
one's profession is disagreeable doesn't mean they are. I've   
learned to wear many masks--to separate the different parts of me--  
so that they don't come into conflict. I know that as a SeeD I   
must do things that some people would frown upon, but that's how it   
is. I must live my life my way."  
  
"That is very bold of you."  
  
The SeeD shook her head in disagreement. "It's not being bold,   
it's being true to myself." A wry smile tugged the corners of her   
lips. "It does no good to lie to yourself because you know that   
you're lying."  
  
Anya ducked her head. "Thank you, you have once again given   
me something to think about."  
  
They finished their meal and parted ways. Yes, Anya had a   
lot of growing to do, but when she came into bloom she would be   
a wonderful Mistress.  
  
Xu slowly meandered back to the hotel. The convention was  
quickly winding down and she'd accomplished everything she'd   
come here for. There were more people occupying the sidewalks   
as she made her way. Few people paid much heed to the woman in   
the SeeD uniform.  
  
When she arrived at the hotel she discovered that the lobby   
was bustling with people in the process of checking out. Having   
so many bodies in one place gave the normally spacious room a   
claustrophobic feel. She made her way towards the elevator while   
gingerly stepping over luggage and trying to avoid people. She   
wasn't entirely successful when she rammed into Aucifer.  
  
"Isn't this a pleasant surprise?" He said.  
  
"Er..." Xu stepped away from him and straightened her   
jacket. "I didn't think we'd have the opportunity to meet again.  
When are you leaving?"  
  
"You're that anxious to get rid of me, eh?" He chuckled to   
take the sting from his words. "Niethe said for everyone to be   
in the lobby in," he checked his watch, "10 minutes to catch the   
bus to the train depot."  
  
A passing bellhop overheard them talking and stopped.   
"Niethe? The West Hill group checked out early. They assembled,   
like two minutes ago. That's their shuttle pulling out away   
now," he pointed outside.  
  
The blood drained from Aucifer's face at realizing his   
Master's double cross. He quickly located his bag and ran back   
towards the door. Along the way he paused just long enough to   
give Xu a peck on the cheek in passing, while slinging the bag   
over his shoulder and rushing out the door.  
  
Xu lightly touched her cheek where he had kissed her. No   
one had done that since Sean... She closed her eyes briefly and   
winced at the memory. Would there ever be a time when it didn't  
hurt?  
  
  
The lobby was so full of people, the noise was suddenly an   
irritant. She went outside for a breath of fresh air. A gentle   
breeze played with a few strands of her dark hair as she watched   
vehicles move along the busy street. She walked along for a few   
blocks until she was in outskirts of the park at the center of   
the city. Here she finally let her shoulders relax.  
  
She followed one of the paths that traced behind a government   
building. An old brick wall separated it from the beautiful park.  
  
"Peaceful, isn't it?" A voice above her asked. She spun  
around to locate the source. Talasu was sitting on the wall  
under the cover of some low hanging tree branches. If he hadn't  
said anything, she would have never known he was there.  
  
"Very much so," she agreed. He slid off to land lightly next   
to her.  
  
"I wanted to speak with you once more before I left."  
  
"About what?" She was still leery of him after the grief he  
put her through, but could see how his intentions were good.  
  
"About you and your place in the overall scheme of things,"  
he made an expansive gesture to include everything around them.   
"You're in a difficult position that's awkward at best. I wanted  
to encourage you to keep moving forward, even when obstacles are  
being thrown in your way."  
  
"I thank you for your encouragement, but how do you know  
anything about me?" It was presumptuous of him to offer advice to  
someone he had only met yesterday. From how he spoke, it sounded  
as though he knew much more about her than he was letting on. If  
that was so, she wanted to know what he did.  
  
His mouth quirked as his intense green eyes bore into her.   
"Let's just say it's my job to know things. You've made quite a  
splash during your time here. If you looked yourself up in the  
newslinks, you'd find nothing. Not surprising considering the  
stranglehold that's on the press. But explore the underground  
links and you'll find that you're a minor heroine to many people  
for your bold demeanor towards Deling. People respect strength,  
and you possess it in great quantities both physically and in  
your character."  
  
She shrugged it off. "They could admire their cats for all  
I care. I'm just a SeeD going about my duty."  
  
"A SeeD, an Instructor, and now a Weapons Mistress," he  
narrowed his eyes slightly, "and perhaps something more?"  
  
"What do you mean?" She asked with more edge to her voice  
than she intended. He was still playing games with her and it was  
getting on her nerves. If he had something to say, do so  
already!  
  
"I think... You'll discover that soon enough," he inclined  
his body to her briefly. "May the Spirits protect you, Xu of the  
Anshin, for we will meet again." He jumped up and grabbed hold  
of a low branch. This he used to swing himself back up onto the   
wall, then down the other side.  
  
She glared at where he once stood. "I hate mind games," she  
muttered darkly before stalking back the way she came.  
  
*****  
  
Master Talasu's subtle prompting and Xu's own sense of  
curiosity prompted her to look herself up on the underground  
newslinks before she returned to the Garden. Navigating the  
shadier areas of the networks wasn't one of her strong suits, but  
she was competent enough to stumble across what she was looking  
for.  
  
Among the recent articles was one proclaiming that the  
'Strong Spirited SeeD' had acquired her Mastership within the  
Weapons Guild. It went on to give a surprisingly well written  
description of her bout with Master Talasu and the end results.   
A sports columnist must have written it. The article finished up  
by listing the newest Masters.  
  
She searched for her 'confrontation' with Deling. She found  
it in an archive of old headlines. After reading the story about  
her, she idly browsed the other past headlines. There was a  
short blurb about continuing tensions in Timber. That wasn't  
anything new. One story did catch her eye.  
  
"'Death's Angel Meets His Demise'," she read aloud. A  
warehouse explosion killed the Death's Angel who was apparently  
some sort of cult legend. The article listed his more memorable  
crimes with several of those being assassinations of various  
public figures. Reading between the lines, she got the  
impression that the author was of two minds about this turn of  
events. Death's Angel hadn't gone out of his way to make any  
friends or be a revolutionary, but some of his assassinations  
helped the Timber resistance movement along. He wasn't a  
respectable character from what she could tell.  
  
She clicked on a link that led to a blow by blow history.   
Her stomach sank to her knees. As a mercenary, she understood  
the necessity of killing others, but this... The finesse of his  
murders ranged from relatively clean slittings of the throat to  
gore-fests in which the victim could never be recovered with a  
Life spell.  
  
She closed down the newsreader. That was justification  
enough for why she didn't spend much time shifting through that  
garbage. It was chock full of rumor mongering tale spinners and  
terrifying 'heroes'.  
  
*****  
  
The remaining months of Xu's stay at Galbadia Garden slipped  
by without notice. A couple weeks before she was to return to  
Balamb she received a packet with her new orders in it. She was  
permitted two weeks leave before reporting in. After considering  
it briefly there really wasn't anywhere she wanted to go except  
Balamb.  
  
Another sheet informed her that she would receive a  
promotion and pay increase upon returning. She was being raised  
to SeeD rank ten with a respectable salary of 8,000 gil per pay  
period. Once again, the fleeting thought of it being criminal to  
be paid to do something you loved crossed her mind. Garden  
provided most everything a person needed: room, board, and  
clothing. A majority of her stipend sat in a bank account  
accruing interest.  
  
Upon reflection, the thing she looked forward to the most  
after returning to Balamb was being at a Garden that didn't play  
a national anthem at absurd hours in the morning. That alone was  
worth going home for. The fact that she would be back with  
friends and Instructors that cared deeply about her was icing on  
the cake.  
  
A part of her was going to miss Pan, Jen, and Eileen. With  
the exception of those three, there was very little to make her  
long to stay at Galbadia Garden.  
  
Xu did manage to squeeze in having dinner with Sean's family  
one last time before she left. The going away party they held  
was a complete surprise. It touched her deeply that they would  
even go to the bother. During dinner they discussed her plans  
after leaving Galbadia.  
  
"What are you going to do during your leave?" One of the  
older sons asked politely. She knew that he was planning a tour  
of Trabia to find rare items and would be glad for her company if  
she were willing.  
  
"I'm not sure, to be honest. I was thinking of just going  
back to Balamb."  
  
"You could return to your clan and complete the coming of  
age ceremony," Sean's father suggested over the rim of the glass  
he was sipping from.  
  
"Yes," she drawled slowly. There wasn't any reason why she  
couldn't. This was his oblique way of nudging her towards tying  
up loose ends. Honestly, the matter seemed to bother him than it  
bothered her.  
  
"You're not a full adult yet?" The son she was speaking with  
asked in a surprised tone. "Even Father requires us to prove  
ourselves!"  
  
"Are you saying that I haven't proven myself?" She smiled to  
take the edge off of her retort.  
  
"My point exactly, child. You've more than earned your  
place. Go back and claim it," he put his hand over hers to  
squeeze it. "When they hear of your deeds, they can share in our  
pride of you."  
  
"Is that what they call being disowned these days?" She  
quipped humorlessly. It would only cause problems to return,  
especially now. The moment they learned that she was a Weapons  
Mistress they'd shove her onto the soonest departing transport.  
  
He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "I  
think you under estimate them."  
  
"I'll consider it," she finally agreed after mulling over  
his words.  
  
"That's all I ask," he punctuated the statement with a  
sagely nod.  
  
*****  
  
"Are you ready to return to Balamb?" Headmaster Cid's face  
filled most of the screen as he leaned too close to the visual  
pick up... again. Xu smiled on the inside with thoughts of being  
around the technologically inept man again.  
  
"Yes, Headmaster, but I've decided to visit my family before  
I return."  
  
His eyebrows rose up with curiosity. "May I ask why?"  
  
"I have some loose ends to tie up," she answered. Cid was  
an understanding man, but things like this were uncomfortable to  
discuss with someone who didn't fully grasp the significance of  
the event.  
  
"How interesting. I received a message from the Anshin  
council of elders yesterday asking that you be released for a  
week to visit them. If something is going on, I'd appreciate  
being in on it." His gave her a look that warned against hedging  
around the matter.  
  
She blushed slightly with embarrassed. "I'm sorry,  
Headmaster. I didn't know that they sent a message to you. I  
haven't spoke with them, so there's no way they could know that I  
planned to visit."  
  
He leaned back in his chair as he considered it. "Very  
well, though I'm curious to know what's going on. If you can,  
please fill me in when you return?"  
  
"Of course, thank you," she closed the connection.  
  
*****  
  
Jen and Eileen prepared a farewell dinner for her last  
night. They stayed up into the early hours of the morning  
recalling events from the last couple of years. Eileen was fond  
of pointing out all the positive changes that had come into  
effect since her arrival, like she had something to do with it.  
  
"You're too modest," Eileen waved her off. "If it weren't  
for you, Martine would still have his head firmly stuck up his-"  
  
Jen pinched her on the thigh before she could finish the  
sentence.  
  
"From how I understand it, that was more Kei's doing than  
mine," she reminded. "Her and Headmaster Cid."  
  
"And they didn't care what went on at Galbadia before *you*  
came here," Eileen extended the thought beyond where Xu left it.  
  
"Enough, Eileen," Jen cut in gently. "The Garden reforms  
weren't her doing. Xu is a SeeD first. She didn't come here to  
help us with our difficulties. The fact that she did so along  
with completing her duty was a happy coincidence."  
  
Eileen sniffed. "For as many boastful officers as I've  
encountered, you two are their opposite. I didn't realize SeeD  
taught a class in modesty."  
  
"Not modesty," Xu corrected, "quiet pride in ourselves and  
our organization."  
  
Jen nodded her agreement. "Being a SeeD changes you that  
way. We don't need to tell the world that we're the best, we'll  
demonstrate it for them."  
  
The next morning Xu carefully packed the last of her things  
into a duffel bag. Somehow she had acquired enough things in the  
last two years to make the use of a second bag necessary. 'It's  
the set of Galbadia SeeD uniforms,' she answered herself when  
asking where all this stuff had come from. She would have  
returned the Galbadian uniforms except that her body had changed  
sizes in a few key areas so that her Balamb ones didn't fit her  
comfortably. The ones she had from that Garden would have to be  
altered before she could wear them again, a fact she hadn't  
accounted for when she tried one on the other night.  
  
Pan said good-bye to her before his first training session.   
He looked forward to challenging her again. It was a mutual  
feeling. Finalized copies of her paperwork was turned in after  
speaking with Pan. All she had left to do was to walk out the  
gate with her bags in tow. She already had her tickets bought  
for the train to Deling City, then Dollet, and finally south to  
Centra.  
  
Xu was nearly off the grounds when a car drove past her and  
turned sharply in front of her, blocking her from leaving.   
Headmaster Martine got out of the passenger side and walked over  
to her purposefully.  
  
"Headmaster?" She asked politely, keeping the annoyance she  
felt at being stopped from reaching her voice.  
  
"I wanted to say something to you before you left, but  
didn't have the balls to do so yesterday during our debriefing,"  
he firmly placed his hands behind his back and paced to and fro.   
"I wanted to thank you. I know that my treatment of you hasn't  
always been favorable, but you stuck with it. I regret seeing  
you leave. I know that Cid is going to produce the better SeeDs  
with someone like you on his staff and that irks me."  
  
"You could raise the standards at Galbadia," she suggested.   
From her time at both schools, she was certain that Balamb was  
the more intensive program scholastically while Galbadia focused  
on physical training and discipline.  
  
"That is what I will strive for," he gave her what was  
intended to be a smile. His face was so creased from his  
constant frowning that the kind gesture would have looked more in  
place on a Bite Bug. "Good luck Mistress SeeD Instructor Xu  
Anshin," he held his hand out to her.  
  
She took hold of the offered hand and shook firmly while  
groaning on the inside. She couldn't be rid of all those silly  
titles soon enough and her family name wasn't 'Anshin' as he used  
it. Considering their first meeting, it was probably his poorly  
aimed stab at humor.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
He returned to his car and rode back to the Garden complex  
proper. It would be a while before he figured things out, in her  
opinion. He could have just walked out here like any other  
person would have. And if he was going to take a car, courtesy  
would have prompted him to offer her a ride to the train depot.  
  
Xu shook her head as she slung a duffel across her back with  
the other on her shoulder. She needed to get out of this  
country. Such acts were beginning to seem normal to her.  
  
-----  
  
Please visit us on the web at http://www.centragarden.net  



	6. Part 06

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 6  
  
a fanfic by His lordship Chaos hislordshipchaos@hotmail.com  
additions by Greenbeans gbeans@tyrlen.org  
edited by Helen Fong iriachan@yahoo.com  
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. www.squaresoft.com  
  
  
- Quistis -  
  
The chronometer was relentless.  
  
Incessant ticks and tocks that Quistis usually tuned out were resonating   
with a near bellicose, mind-shattering brutality. The idyllic twisting in her   
swivel chair became too much; it was the best if not only way she could   
describe it. There was too much movement, too much to watch and see when all   
she had was some form of emotional oblivion.  
  
The open textbooks and studypads messily sprawled out before in a   
chaotically artistic fashion were just blurs of words and facts. Nothing wanted   
to gel in her mind. And her mind didn't want to accept anything she had been   
trying to read. There had once been a time--not even two weeks ago, though even   
now that seemed like a distant recollection--where such a vast assault of   
knowledge would have kept her enthralled for hours. Usually far beyond the   
point of lights out where she would read in the dark, underneath the covers   
with a penlight.  
  
The fact that everything was scattered across her desktop was a deliberate   
one. It was an attempt to focus her mind, give her reason to slowly close the   
books and set aside the studypads one by one as she met their challenges of   
logic and, as always before, succeeded. More than anything Quistis wanted to   
satiate her hunger for knowledge. But the head could do nothing for her when   
her heart refused to participate.  
  
The problem of what to do with herself during the winter break demanded to   
be worried about. As much as a part of her didn't want to, Quistis knew she'd   
stay at the Garden again this year. The time alone was already being hard on   
her. The place would have only a handful of people at most to whittle away the   
days with. She wouldn't venture outside the Garden complex; not when there was   
a chance of meeting a monster along the way to Balamb...  
  
Quistis looked around the dorm room.  
  
She was now the only one left. And without Xu, everything seemed a lot   
bigger than before. Strange how something that now appeared expansive could be   
so suffocating. Brief yet horrific visions found a means of returning to haunt   
her, and once again she saw Sean's lifeless body within the jaws of the   
T-Rexaur.  
  
Her eyes closed, tears squeezed out and running down her cheeks as she   
tried to squeeze out the memory at the same time. The difficulty of breathing   
came from her shallow gasps as she fought back the urge to break down sobbing   
again.  
  
The closest people she had ever known were now gone. Xu for what now   
seemed like an eternity already. And Sean was already lost in that eternity. At   
first there had been a gaping maw, a black hole that left her drained and void   
of rational thought and feeling. Balamb Garden became like living in insomnia,   
where sleep and awake were blurred. But the face of her home, her family, had   
changed.  
  
The gaping maw was closing.  
  
Its legacy for Quistis to bear was one of pain.  
  
And loneliness...  
  
  
  
The winter break passed on, and though the skies for the most part   
remained blue, Quistis' world remained gray. The entire Garden had been subdued   
by recent events; few people were displaying the vigor that was typical for   
this time of year. Winter break was upon them, but few spoke of the excitement   
that the season would bring. There was a time, not so long ago, when many   
cadets were looking forward to remaining at the Garden and getting involved in   
the now infamous snowball wars.  
  
Many of the students who had once wanted to remain at Balamb and take part   
in the snowball wars left--though a noticeable amount of them still remained   
(mainly due to prior arrangements that couldn't be changed this late). Cid used   
the snowball wars as a catalyst to dispel the gloom Sean's death had cast over   
the Garden. Within the first few days a small tournament had been established,   
with many of the events being special team missions such as Capture the Flag.   
After the first week, much of the melancholy among the students had lifted   
somewhat.  
  
The enthusiasm for the games increased, and the tournaments were no longer   
seen as a distraction from grieving. In the last few days before the winter   
break drew to an end, other cadets were starting to trickle in from their own   
vacations. Stories were being swapped, and the winter tournament was soon going   
to feature its final wintry melee. And fortunately for all involved, the   
evening before the event found a snowfall that would ensure a good game.  
  
Most of the cadets were in the Cafeteria at this time, laughing together   
in the warmth of comradery. Most of the cadets were there, but not all.  
  
Headmaster Cid and Doctor Kadowaki quietly watched Quistis shuffle along   
the edge of the Quad, absently kicking at the snow with her boots. There was no   
joy on her face; her expression was drained, void of emotion. The cool, fresh   
air was usually something she savoured, but right now life looked as if it had   
gotten the better of the young cadet.  
  
"She hasn't been joining in the games," Cid said, his voice reflecting his   
own sadness over her plight. The winter tournament was a voluntary sign-up. He   
had considered forcing her to take part in the games, but in her fragile state   
he feared that would do more damage than good.  
  
The advantage with it being winter break was that Quistis could see Doctor   
Kadowaki on a daily basis. Ideally she would recover from the shock enough to   
attend classes once they resumed.  
  
He turned to the doctor. "How is she doing?"  
  
Kadowaki sighed, leaning a shoulder against the window. "Physically, she's   
in perfect condition. I was worried that she'd stopped eating, but it looks   
like she's found her appetite again. Psychologically, though, she's still in   
shock. Quistis hates the fact that everyone's approaching her because of Sean.   
That only drives her grief and guilt even further. She's been trying to isolate   
herself from everyone else, spending a lot of time in her room or outside when   
no one else is around. I can only hope it doesn't continue like this into the   
new semester."  
  
"I fear how much of this is my fault," Cid admitted. "Much of this was an   
unforeseen tragedy, but were we expecting too much of young Miss Trepe?"  
  
"Nonsense!" Kadowaki said, showing some annoyance with the Headmaster.   
"Under the circumstances, you've done the best anyone could have. Even when she   
first came here, you already had a network of friends to help her along."  
  
Cid nodded, his hands behind his back as he continued to watch Quistis.   
"The problem is that our old network has been dispersed. I don't know how   
easily it will be to create a new one to assist Quistis' growth, especially   
with how she feels now."  
  
"Give it time, Cid." The doctor's voice was quieter and more sympathetic.   
"A number of the cadets who were close to Sean will be returning shortly.   
Ideally we won't have to create her friends; they will go to her themselves."  
  
"Indeed," Cid agreed. "If you can, keep your eyes open for them; they have   
to be the ones to make the first move. From there, perhaps we all can   
co-ordinate our efforts."  
  
For as many strings as he could try to pull in helping Quistis become a   
SeeD, Cid had to silently acknowledge his own limitations. He may have set the   
ball in motion for Quistis gaining friends, but he was only a catalyst. For the   
people who truly *were* her friends, they would do anything they could for her   
regardless of his influence.   
  
Cid's greatest fear laid in seeing just how many would prove their worth   
as Quistis' friends, now that her old ones had gone. And he had no idea how   
many there were, if any. Should none decide to prove themselves to Quistis, Cid   
feared that she would be like this for good.  
  
The Headmaster took one final look at Quistis, sighed deeply, and then   
joined Doctor Kadowaki in walking down the hallway.  
  
  
  
Quistis didn't notice the Headmaster's face disappear from behind the   
window. She hadn't even noticed his face being there, watching her, in the   
first place. Lost in a walk that bore no thoughts, save for a draining   
melancholy, Quistis continued to stare at the snow she was crushing beneath her   
boots.   
  
The evening winds were absent. The skies were mostly devoid of clouds,   
letting the moon and stars shine down. It was a beautiful night, and under   
other circumstances she would have enjoyed it. She was still reflecting on   
everything that had happened, as well as the loneliness she was facing now.  
  
Quistis abruptly lifted her head as she heard a second set of footsteps   
crunching in the snow. Another cadet was meandering her way, apparently doing   
the exact same thing she was. He didn't seem to notice her until they crossed   
paths.  
  
It was Eugene; she recognized him from Sean's funeral.  
  
Regardless, her tone wasn't exactly pleasant with him. "What are you here   
for?" she asked. Her voice was subdued, though not without the obvious fact   
that she didn't want to be talking to him. Sorrow and exhaustion had weakened   
Quistis' defenses to a bare minimum tonight.   
  
Eugene suspected she'd use all her remaining energy to keep those defenses   
up once the Garden began its training again. There was no way she could   
continue her SeeD training and maintain this wall at the same time.  
  
Something had to give.  
  
"I was out for a walk," he replied, his own tone coming out leisurely--yet   
with the authority of an upperclassman to ensure Quistis wouldn't try to brush   
him off. "Saw you, thought we might as well make tracks in the snow together."  
  
Quistis backed down.  
  
Everyone who tried consoling her always anxiously said their condolences   
and then left. This was something she hadn't expected--especially given how   
involved Eugene had been in orchestrating and performing the blood oath.  
  
She nodded, and trudged alongside him as she wandered the snow-covered   
Quad. Side by side, it was quite the contrast to see. Eugene was tall and had   
muscle to fill out his frame. Compare to him, little Quistis was but a shadow.   
At best she came up to his shoulders. There was no fixed pattern they took,   
unless she happened upon a previous set of her own tracks. More often than not   
Quistis then chose a different route.   
  
It took her about five minutes before realizing that Eugene was following   
her lead and going at her pace. He seemed perfectly content to remain this way,   
looking out at the barren trees and lights stretched out across the Quad. For   
some reason, Quistis felt annoyed that Eugene seemed to be paying more   
attention to watching his own breath than to her.  
  
"Well?" she finally asked.  
  
Eugene took his time as he turned away from looking at the Quad to glance   
down at Quistis. "Well what?"  
  
"What did you want to ask me?" Quistis kicked at the snow, sending a white   
spray into the air with her boot tip.  
  
"Nothing," he answered, returning his attention to the serene beauty of   
the Garden. "You're in no mood to chat, and neither am I. As I said before, I'm   
just out for a walk."  
  
He continued to walk, even though Quistis had stopped and was staring at   
him in surprise. She quickly got over it and raced after him. Eugene said   
nothing once she caught up with him, and said very little else for the rest of   
the night. He only answered anything she asked him first.  
  
And somewhere along the way, even though she herself didn't fully realize   
it, Quistis' hand reached up and gently held onto Eugene's. He only tilted his   
head for a moment and then went back to watching the scenery.  
  
  
  
It was a few days later that a new family decided to forge itself, a new   
set of brothers (and in time, sisters) to take up the gauntlet thrown down by a   
fallen comrade. Brotherhood--as all family matters are concerned--is not bound   
strictly by the blood that runs through one's veins. Yet in a sense, there was   
family blood involved.  
  
And it was a blood found in an oath taken during Sean's memorial. The   
three of them had taken up the knife and pledged to make his sacrifice and   
death an act of honour--one that would be carried on in their own lives. SeeD   
to SeeD, brother to brother.  
  
The Cafeteria closed at 2100 hours.  
  
A half-hour before the closing time found the place deserted, with the   
exception of some kitchen staff minding the counter and beginning with final   
clean up for the day. A pair of cadets abruptly entered, though not as   
customers looking for a late night snack. Shortly thereafter another cadet   
strolled in.  
  
"I'm glad you could make it," LeVar said, nodding to the others as he sat   
down opposite them at the table. "Now then, down to business."  
  
"I assume we're here to discuss Quistis," Eugene said, an elbow propped up   
by the table with his chin resting on his hand. "I feel a personal   
responsibility to this, I admit. Hell, I hosted the ritual. Because of that,   
she has that scar on her hand."  
  
Jessie shrugged, leaning back in his chair as much as he could without   
toppling over. His arms were crossed over his chest, giving him a philosophic   
look. "That's not to say it's a bad thing. If anything it shows her level of   
commitment to honour the pact we all made that day." He abruptly cast a glance   
over at the food counter, and then got up. "Could you hang on for a minute?"  
  
Eugene looked curiously at Jessie. "For what?"  
  
"Ten gil says its hotdogs," LeVar glibly remarked.  
  
"When you two are involved, somethin' like that isn't even a bet," Eugene   
sighed. "It's an inevitability."  
  
Jessie laughed and bowed in a comical gesture to his friends. "Everyone   
has their sinful indulgences. Mine happens to be a little more infamous than   
others."  
  
"Yours also happens to be a little more gag-inducing than others too,"   
LeVar retorted.  
  
"This from the cadet who has a few books of questionable virtue in his   
personal library," Jessie scathingly shot back.  
  
Eugene raised his hands, motioning for a verbal cease-fire. "Children,   
children, we have something of a more urgent nature to talk about."  
  
"I'll be quick," Jessie reassured his friends, swiftly walking across the   
Cafeteria for his precious snack. Once he claimed his meal, he walked back over   
to continue the discussion.  
  
"We all know that right now ain't exactly a high point in Quistis' life,"   
Eugene explained, starting first with the obvious. From there they could work   
up a 'program' of sorts on how to deal with this. "Sean's dead, and her   
surrogate big sister Xu is gone to Galbadia. In a loose sense she's become an   
orphan all over again."  
  
"And we're here to solve that, right?" Jessie said between chews.  
  
LeVar nodded, though his face seemed rather grim as he talked. If   
anything, it just showed how deeply he was thinking about the situation. "To an   
extent, yes. However Quistis isn't some machine you just wind up when it breaks   
down. She's a lot more complicated than that. For all the prodigy in her, in   
many ways she's still a child."  
  
"A child who's seen some rather adult things," Eugene soberly added.  
  
"My point is this," LeVar continued, "while we can throw our entire heart   
and soul into helping her overcome this tragedy, a significant degree of our   
success depends on Quistis herself. If she doesn't want healing, all our   
efforts will be a waste."  
  
Jessie swallowed another large chunk of the three hotdogs he was   
voraciously devouring. "Kinda like 'lead a Chocobo to water, but you can't make   
it drink', right?"  
  
"Something like that, yes," LeVar said. "But I honestly believe that if we   
want to approach this right, we have to let Quistis know where we stand. We're   
not here to coddle her."  
  
"If we mothered her to death now, that could seriously threaten her   
chances of being a SeeD later," Eugene stated. "Grief's not an easy spiral to   
escape from. But whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger."  
  
LeVar sighed and lifted his chin off his laced fingers. His eyes were very   
precise as he looked at each of his two friends and fellow cadets in   
succession. "She's fallen, and hard at that. Our hands are extended to help   
pick her back up... but unless she makes the effort on her own to place her   
hand in ours, there's nothing else we can do."  
  
Jessie pushed his plate away from his pleasantly full stomach. Despite   
having been quite involved with his eating, he had been listening intently to   
the entire conversation. "We make a point of being a part of her life from here   
on in."  
  
"It's better than sittin' here on our butts and doing nothing," Eugene   
agreed. "We'll also have to work on building up the ranks of the Trepies. That   
might be where my expertise is needed most." As someone intimately connected   
with Balamb Garden's information network, he was one of the best cadets for the   
job. None of the three were certain how much of the Trepie conspiracy the   
Headmaster was parry to, but felt confident that he wouldn't disapprove.  
  
Eugene held out his arm, his palm hovering just over the tabletop. "Are we   
in agreement then?"  
  
LeVar didn't hesitate to place his hand upon Eugene's. "For as long as we   
remain cadets, and as long as Quistis will let us."  
  
"I'm definitely in," Jessie added, enthusiastically slapping his palm down   
on the others.  
  
Eugene and LeVar abruptly groaned and withdrew their hands.  
  
"Geez, Jessie," Eugene lamented as he appraised his mustard-stained   
fingers. "Wipe your hands off before you do somethin' like that."  
  
  
  
Time passed, in both the brevity of a few days, and a slow crawl of   
infinity. Amidst the excitement of returning to classes, a number of cadets   
were lamenting about their academic workload. The return to the Garden only   
served to put the pressures back on them to graduate as SeeDs.  
  
Quistis had to admit that she wasn't feeling very chipper herself. She   
leaned back from her reading and scanned the unusually quiet Library. There was   
perhaps a handful of other cadets milling about. A pair over in the corner was   
quietly talking. That could have easily been Xu and Sean talking over there.   
But it wasn't.  
  
It was too much. Everything was too much.  
  
Sean...  
  
Quistis bit back the tears that wanted to form. She couldn't cry for the   
rest of her life. She needed to move on. Xu was strong; she didn't spend all of   
her time mourning. And now Xu was off in Galbadia learning to be an Instructor.  
  
That still didn't stop Quistis from missing her terribly. A tear slipped   
down her cheek. During the day she tried to be strong, to not show how lonely   
and afraid she was feeling, but at night she cried herself to sleep. At night   
she was left alone with the hurt she was feeling. She wasn't paired up with a   
new roommate yet. That would happen soon, now that the break was over.  
  
Spending time in the Library outside of classes and meals helped to   
relieve the loneliness some. The books would always tell her a story, and she   
could finally read again what they had to say. But more people were coming up   
to speak with her now; it was as if Sean's death pulled her out of the shadows   
and thrust her into the spotlight for all to see. She felt awkward having all   
these people she'd only seen in passing coming up to introduce themselves. And   
given the nature of their motives for approaching her, this wasn't the sort of   
attention Quistis wanted. Not at all.  
  
Death seemed to be a reoccurring theme in her life.  
  
Witnessing Sean's death was bad enough, but she'd experienced worse. No   
matter how hard she tried to avoid it, in intimating about Sean's death Quistis   
found herself reliving the memories that 'worse' dredged up. She recalled when   
she learned of her parents' deaths.  
  
Time had ebbed away much of the considerable hurt she'd felt then. Now all   
that remained of her parents and the pain of losing them were seemingly distant   
childhood memories. So much had happened in the course of then and now, much of   
it for the better.  
  
Perhaps the passage of time would take the edge off of her memory of   
Sean's death. Quistis realized that while she could hope this would be so, she   
couldn't be sure. She was very young when her parents died, and only had   
fleeting images of them. Memories were there before her mind's eye like a   
scattered collection of postcards. Most of what she could recall was a moment   
captured in still life. No real details or dialogue, but the hazy warmth of   
simply remembering the good times and bad.  
  
Sean she knew better. It'd be hard to forget him, not that she wanted to.   
But the image of his limbs dangling out of the jaws of a T-Rexaur was what she   
wished to forget. The horrific sound of bones crunching and popping, only to be   
drowned out by her own screams of--  
  
Someone abruptly tapped her on the shoulder.  
  
Quistis turned around in her seat to see three upper-classmen ranged   
around her. One was Eugene. The others she recalled seeing hanging around Sean   
from time to time, but didn't know their names. Odds were they were making   
themselves visible for more condolences; the wall within Quistis went up   
instantly.  
  
To these cadets, more than anyone else, she had to prove herself strong.   
Even if the loneliness of braving it alone was wearing her down in every sense   
of the word.  
  
"Yes?" she asked politely.  
  
"We need to have ourselves a little chat, Quistis," Eugene said. The two   
cadets with him moved in closer so that she was boxed in between them and the   
desk. The privacy of their conversation was assured.  
  
"I don't believe we've been properly introduced," the dark-skinned cadet   
to her right said, inclining himself in a brief bow. "I'm LeVar and the fellow   
behind you is Jessie."  
  
She looked at the three cadets ranged around her. At her left, Eugene was   
the largest of the group in terms of mass. A head covered in wavy blond hair   
topped his broad shoulders. The fiery red stubble that blanketed his chin   
indicated the necessity of shaving often to maintain a clean look.  
  
To her right, LeVar stood a few centimeters shorter than Eugene did. His   
dark hair was shaven short, and a pair of round-rimmed spectacles balanced on   
the bridge his nose. He kept his hands folded together in front of him as SeeD   
training dictated while at ease.  
  
She had to crane her neck awkwardly to see Jessie; he had a long tail of   
braided, dishwater-blond hair trailing down his back. The hair on the top of   
his head was cut short and spiked. He didn't have the solid build of either of   
his mates, but Quistis was smart enough to realize that nasty surprises could   
be hidden in unassuming packages.  
  
"It's good to have names to put to the faces," she replied. "What do we   
need to talk about?"  
  
"We've been watching you," Eugene admitted.  
  
"And you are spending far too much time alone," LeVar continued the   
thought.  
  
Jessie gave her an enthusiastic wink. "So we're going to fill up your   
time!"  
  
"Not quite," LeVar muttered dryly.  
  
Eugene gave them both a look that plainly said to knock off the banter.   
"It's like this; you're a SeeD cadet, but you're not much of a team player.   
Sean and Xu had a pretty solid lock on you while they were here. Now that they   
aren't around, you're left without a posse--and that isn't going to cut it."  
  
LeVar and Jessie made their agreement with this statement clear. Quistis   
cringed inwardly underneath their gazes; this was by far the most interaction   
someone else had initiated with her.  
  
"As upper-classmen, it's our obligation to pull you back into the fold   
with us mere mortals," Jessie quipped with a lop-sided grin. LeVar whacked him   
upside the skull for saying that. "Ow! What was that for?" Jessie snapped,   
rubbing the back of his head.  
  
Quistis wasn't sure if she should be offended, or something completely   
different. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Sean and Xu are in a class of their own. You're also a member of that   
class. You *will* help shape the future of SeeD, there's no doubt about that.   
It was good for you to be among your true peers... but now that they're gone,   
you'll have to make due with the rest of us," LeVar explained as Jessie still   
sulked and continued to rubbed the back of his head.  
  
"You don't have to be that callous with it, LeVar," Eugene said. "You make   
us sound like a sack of potatoes."  
  
LeVar gave a grudging grin to his companion. "It's all a matter of what   
your basis for comparison is, my friend. That's what most people look at in   
defining themselves."  
  
Quistis nodded, only half understanding the philosophy behind what LeVar   
was saying. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she made a mental note to ask   
him later and abate her rampant curiosity.  
  
"Don't get the wrong impression when I say this, Quistis," Jessie said. "I   
don't want to come off as callous, but it's a basic fact that life happens   
while you're making other plans. Sean's death was a serious blow to all of us;   
no one expected or wanted it to happen."  
  
"But now comes the time where you discover just how strong you really   
are," Eugene continued without missing a beat from Jessie's statement.   
"Quistis, there are two types of people in this world: those who get back up   
after they've been knocked down, despite the pain, and those who stay down out   
of fear of gettin' hurt again."  
  
The two turned to LeVar, who seemed to be the one ready to wrap up the   
core of what they had to say. Quistis honestly found herself at a loss; they   
were flowing smoothly from one to the next, but everything they spoke seemed   
unrehearsed. Her heart was fluttering in her chest as they brought the reality   
of her situation directly face to face with her.  
  
"I won't say you'll be back to your old self in a few days," LeVar told   
her. "You won't be the same after what happened--none of us will. But if you   
have the strength to get back up, for no matter how long the process takes,   
we'll be here for you. If you need us to help pull you up, our hands are being   
offered."  
  
Eugene smiled and gave her a nod of encouragement. "We'll do our best to   
help you stretch yourself to meet new challenges. See, fighting is my thing;   
I'll gladly practice weapon skills with you."  
  
"If you joined the study group I'm a member of, it would be beneficial to   
us all." A small grin tugged at LeVar's mouth. "Having a study partner does   
help, no matter how smart you already are."  
  
"And when you're not looking for brains or brawn, I'm your man!" Jessie's   
broad grin grew even more so.  
  
"You actually have something to offer her?" came LeVar's rapid reply. "And   
here I thought we kept him around for no apparent reason."  
  
"Do not mock the man who can cure you of insomnia," Jessie playfully   
threatened his colleague. "I have a pouch of Sleep beads and I know how to use   
them."  
  
"How ironic that he's always the last one to stop talking and actually go   
to bed," LeVar dryly retorted.  
  
Eugene rolled his eyes at that. "Here we go again."  
  
Thankfully, Jessie ignored the added barb and returned his attention to   
Quistis. "I'll introduce you to some of the guys--er, and girls--that are fun   
to be around when you have free time."  
  
"Yes, we mustn't forget the girls," Eugene remarked, stifling an amused   
laugh. "Jessie here knows many of them on more than a mere first name basis."  
  
"Ah, jealousy rears its ugly hydra head yet again." Jessie sighed, looking   
angelically up to the ceiling. "Seriously, Quistis, there are some amazing   
Triple Triad players around the Garden if you play."  
  
"Don't you have anything practical to offer her?" LeVar said under his   
breath loud enough for all of them to hear.  
  
"I have a level five Ruby Dragon card she can try to win off of me," he   
commented, not seeming to notice the implied insult.  
  
Eugene glared at them again in fatherly exasperation. "Don't let their   
nipping fool you, Quistis. LeVar is a good study partner. I wouldn't have   
passed my physics class last term without his help. And Jessie is a skilled   
magic user; he could teach you a lot."  
  
Jessie snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah! Magic! That, I can do," his smile   
turned sheepish at forgetting his forte. "I recently learned how to refine   
mid-level magic from the low level magic that can be found around here. I'll   
make you some Cura beads and let you practice with a spell that has a bit more   
punch."  
  
"I don't know what to say..." Quistis admitted softly.  
  
"'Yes' works," LeVar drawled.  
  
Eugene took her hand up in his and lightly traced a finger along the scar   
on her palm. "We're your brothers, Quistis."  
  
She looked at her hand in his. The faint line would always be there, she   
was certain of that. The emotions then balled up in her throat. At realizing   
that they wanted to make good on this promise, it threatened to bring tears to   
her eyes.  
  
"You're not going to be alone anymore," Jessie assured her, his light tone   
betraying the seriousness of the moment.  
  
Quistis smiled, and for the first time since Sean's death it was an actual   
sincere smile. Nothing was forced. "Thank you," she whispered.  
  
Having people to spend her time with would be a great relief. But it was   
more than that. She could sense a feeling of concern and genuine interest in   
her well being from them. They weren't just concerned well-wishers.  
  
They wanted her to join them.  
  
"Group hug!" Jessie suddenly announced, holding out his open arms towards   
the others.  
  
Eugene and LeVar instantly shot him very unimpressed looks. Jessie feigned   
pouting at that. "Somebody's insecure about their--"  
  
"Shut up," the other two guys chorused.  
  
"He does this all the time," LeVar told Quistis. A sideways glance was   
cast back at the chuckling Jessie. "I think he usually does it just to get the   
female cadets in his embrace."  
  
"I don't hear said female cadets complaining," Jessie retorted, still   
acting as charmingly angelic as possible.  
  
"Save it for later," Eugene said. He kept hold of Quistis' hand as she   
stood up from her chair. "C'mon, let's go get ourselves some dinner. No more   
eating meals alone, got that? Not unless you're in such a rush that you can't   
sit down at all."  
  
Quistis smiled inwardly as Eugene escorted her to the Cafeteria, with   
LeVar and Jessie bringing up the rear. "Yes, sir," she answered.  
  
  
  
It was the first meal Quistis enjoyed since Xu left. The food suddenly had   
renewed its melange of tastes, and was no longer a bland substance to be   
stabbed at by her fork. Truth be told, it was the first time she cleaned her   
plate since then as well.  
  
Eugene encouraged her to keep eating. LeVar then added that the quality of   
the food mattered and to not go around eating lots of sugar (unless she wanted   
to end up like Jessie). To his credit, Jessie took no offense at the dig. He   
instead suggested she avoid prunes unless she wanted to become as socially   
bland as LeVar was.  
  
"And you'll have no fun in life if you're like that," he added with a   
wink.  
  
"None of that," Eugene interrupted before he could say more. "We agreed to   
play it straight, didn't we?"  
  
LeVar stabbed his fork into his meat for emphasis before cutting it with a   
knife. "Stick close to me, Quistis. I'll keep you from being corrupted by their   
filthy minds."  
  
"Bitter that I've had girlfriends and you haven't?" Jessie gave him a   
pointed look. He then leaned back in his chair with a smirk.  
  
Strangely enough, that drew a chuckle from LeVar. "Unlike you, *I* have   
standards. My female's ability to walk on two legs is one of them," he cut into   
Jessie's taunt savagely.  
  
The smirk on Jessie's face turned cold.  
  
Eugene slammed his hand down onto the table. "Enough! You're going to give   
Quistis here the wrong idea. They're just playin'," he explained hastily. A   
stern glare went to the other two cadets. "RIGHT?"  
  
Quistis blinked, still trying to figure out what LeVar meant by 'having to   
walk on two legs'.  
  
Jessie looked away, abashed.  
  
LeVar coughed into his fist. "My apologies; we didn't mean to act crude   
in front of a lady."  
  
"Yeah, I'm sorry," Jessie chipped in.  
  
Quistis inclined her head, not entirely sure what had just happened, but   
willing to nod and smile in response to it. At least things would be   
interesting with them around.  
  
  
  
"I think that's enough for today," Doctor Kadowaki made a final notation   
on her clipboard before setting it aside. Young Quistis sat across from her   
with her hands clasped together on her lap. It was another painful therapy   
session for the girl.  
  
Kadowaki's heart went out to her.  
  
Losing a close friend was never easy, especially at her age. And after   
losing her parents as well. In Kadowaki's mind, Quistis had seen too much death   
for a person so young.  
  
She regretted that. She also regretted that this wouldn't be the last time   
Quistis would be faced with the subject. SeeD was a dangerous line of work; the   
risk of death was a constant factor in their lives. Was it cruel to force her   
into such a grizzly profession?  
  
Ultimately that decision wasn't Kadowaki's to make. It was her job to   
assure that Quistis was up to the task at hand. The fact that a few of her   
fellow students--those ruffians that used to hang out with Sean, no less--had   
taken her under their wing was reassuring. Kadowaki could have wished that they   
were better company, but they seemed to have turned a new leaf after this   
tragedy.  
  
Death was humbling.  
  
Quistis was spending time with two of them--Eugene and LeVar if she   
recalled their names correctly--nearly every day. The third one, Jessie, acted   
as an alternate if those two weren't around. The company was good for her. The   
doctor could already see the effects of their reassurances on the girl. Quistis   
was starting to open up again like she used to: still somewhat insecure about   
herself, but no longer sealing herself in.  
  
They may have a better chance of working her through the anxiety she felt   
when they discussed fighting. It wasn't the fight that Quistis feared, but the   
monsters. Reluctance after falling from the saddle was to be expected, just so   
long as she got back up eventually.  
  
At least she had friends to push her and or pull her back as the need   
required. Kadowaki once again considered calling the boys in to have a chat   
with them regarding their handling of her, but struck the idea down. If nothing   
else, this was a test of their ability to work through the difficulties of a   
team member. It was a responsibility they didn't have to take on, but if they   
were up for the challenge, let them try to work it out on their own.  
  
Keeping Cid's fingers out of the pot would be the difficult part. Kadowaki   
was certain he knew about Eugene and had privately discussed a few matters   
regarding Quistis. And he'd already meddled to some degree when it came to   
assigning Quistis a new roommate. She'd have to introduce Quistis to her new   
roommate gently, lest she dredge up more grief.  
  
"The Headmaster informed me this morning that your new roommate will   
arrive tomorrow. Would you like me to tell you about her?" Kadowaki tried to   
sound enthused about the newcomer, but it came out flat at seeing the   
expression of disinterest on Quistis' face. She forged ahead any ways. "She's a   
transfer student from Galbadia Garden in her last year of SeeD training. Her   
name is Skye Reynolds, seventeen years old. She was born in what is now   
Galbadia. Cottage Grove to be exact."  
  
Quistis' head snapped up.  
  
'I knew that would get your attention,' the doctor thought to herself.  
  
Cottage Grove was one of the small villages lining the shores of Lake   
Obel. Nearly fifteen years ago it was part of the disputed territory between   
Galbadia and Timber. Galbadia finally settled their differences by seizing the   
entire region. The village itself was true to its name. Small cottages and a   
laid back lifestyle defined the people there. It was a quiet corner away from   
the bustle of the busy world.  
  
It was also Quistis' place of birth.  
  
"I don't remember much about Cottage Grove except for a lake that spread   
out for kilometers," the girl admitted.  
  
Yes, the lake.  
  
There was good reason for her to never forget it since her parents died in   
a boating accident. Perhaps partnering Quistis with Skye wasn't as good of an   
idea as Cid made it out to be, Kadowaki reflected. "Will it bother you to be   
roommates with Skye?" she asked.  
  
It wasn't fair to Skye to change her quarters solely for this reason, but   
she was willing to be a bit unfair to spare Quistis additional grief. The   
winter break had been a trying ordeal for them all to begin with; Quistis   
didn't need this compounding the pain and wounds she was slowly working to   
heal.  
  
The girl shook her head. "As long as she's nice..."  
  
Kadowaki smiled faintly. "From what I've read, 'mellow' is closer to the   
truth."  
  
  
  
Eugene caught up with Quistis in the Cafeteria later that day. She was   
still a little damp from her shower after weapons training. The smile on her   
face was encouraging to see, especially given how exhausted she looked. Her   
weapons instructor seemed to be pushing her as hard as it could--not that   
Eugene objected.  
  
"Working hard, I see," he remarked, sitting down with his tray across the   
table from her. "At least you smell springtime fresh; some of the male cadets I   
know enjoy the overwhelming scent of sweat. Personally I find myself struggling   
not to gag."  
  
That got a giggle from Quistis.  
  
However, Eugene noted that she was also rubbing her hands very tenderly.   
It wasn't out of nervousness, that much was clear. He'd been involved with   
weaponry and fighting enough to know irritated skin. And given that it was on   
Quistis' palms, that definitely wasn't a good thing for her own training.  
  
"You okay?" he asked.  
  
Quistis nodded, quickly pushing her hands into her lap.  
  
"I'm the weapons buff, remember?" he pressed, cracking a wry grin while   
boring into her eyes with a stern gaze. "Let's see your hands, Quistis."  
  
Meekly she complied--though after a few more seconds of hesitation. Eugene   
instinctively winced at seeing the calluses on her skin; it seemed odd if not   
unnatural for a girl so young to have the weathered hands of a seasoned   
fighter. But what caught his eye were the irritated red marks across her palms.  
  
"Is the whip pinching your skin?" he asked. He'd seen this sort of thing   
before and not just with the whip, and made a point of saying that to her.  
  
Quistis squirmed a little in her seat. "Yes," she finally owned up,   
causing Eugene to grin. She was certainly the stubborn type, not refusing to   
give in or give up. That was becoming more and more clear every day he, LeVar,   
and Jessie spent with her.  
  
"Meet me in the Quad on our off-day, early morning preferably," he said.  
  
Quistis nodded as the two agreed upon a specific time and place. Privately   
she was relieved that there was someone other than herself to fall back on when   
an obstacle came that she couldn't overcome. The Garden's classes were one   
thing; there it was a controlled environment, something that she could (to an   
extent) manipulate as she felt compelled to. If she wanted to showcase her   
skills she could, and if she wanted to shrink back into the crowd (which Xu and   
Sean had made a point of discouraging) that was just as easily done.  
  
But everything else to do with the Garden--to do with life itself--that   
was where the complications lay. Suddenly she was no longer a mere face in the   
crowd. There were people who were more unpredictable than books ever were.   
Quistis knew it was something she would have to face, but she still felt   
incredibly self-conscious when it came to her inherent talents.  
  
"Hey, don't worry," Eugene reassured her, winking in her direction. "We've   
got you covered."  
  
That drew a smile on Quistis' face and she nodded.  
  
  
  
The next day, Quistis was in her room reading when there was a quick tap   
on the door before it opened. The Headmaster himself escorted a female cadet to   
her new room.  
  
"Skye Reynolds, meet your roommate, Quistis Trepe," he said, introducing   
the two to each other. "Quistis, this is Skye. I believe Doctor Kadowaki told   
you about her yesterday?"  
  
Quistis nodded while standing up to properly greet the newcomer. Skye   
snapped a quick salute before sticking her hand out to shake. Quistis was   
mildly surprised; Skye seemed more than formal in her mannerisms. Maybe it was   
just the way Galbadia trained its SeeDs.  
  
Skye was taller than the Headmaster standing next to her and her hair was   
black and cut short with the longer locks on top streaked blonde. Everything   
below ear level was shaven. Her face was on the narrow side with high   
cheekbones that caused a person's eye to trace along them and into her eyes.   
The eyes Quistis met with were rich brown in color. Yet what caught Quistis'   
notice was that they didn't betray what Skye was thinking privately, as so many   
other's eyes did.  
  
The Headmaster slipped away as they studied each other.  
  
"I look forward to getting to know you," Quistis said politely.  
  
Skye nodded her agreement before bringing her bags in from the hallway.   
She wasn't as compact of a packer as Xu was, Quistis noted. Then again, Xu   
wasn't one for keeping baubles or indulging in frivolous things.  
  
"May I ask you a question?" Skye waited for Quistis' agreement before   
continuing. Quistis meekly nodded. "There used to be a Trepe family in my   
village. Would you happen to be related to them?"  
  
Quistis frowned. "Yes, I lived in Cottage Grove until my parents died,"   
she answered.  
  
Skye winced slightly. "I'm sorry. They told you where I'm from, huh? I've   
sometimes wondered what happened to you. I remember my parents discussing how   
distressed the Mayor was at having to send you to an orphanage in Deling City.   
You didn't stay there long, I hope?"  
  
Quistis briefly considered telling her that she didn't want to discuss it.   
But a part of her was curious to know more about the home she barely   
remembered. The only way she would get the information was by building up a   
trust with Skye. Quistis sincerely doubted she could pump any of her three   
surrogate 'brothers' for this sort of information. Skye was her best--and   
possibly only--link to her past.  
  
"I went to another orphanage not long after arriving at the one in Deling   
City," Quistis explained. "I was treated very well there and given the   
opportunity to come to the Garden."  
  
"All's well that ends well, I s'pose." Skye began unpacking her duffel,   
tossing some of her clothes onto her bunk. "Would you mind showing me around   
the Garden if you have the time? It doesn't look as big as Galbadia, but I hate   
getting lost."  
  
"I'd be happy to."  
  
Quistis lent Skye a hand in putting her things away. Mellow was definitely   
the word to describe her personality. She didn't seem excited, nor disappointed   
by anything Quistis told her about the Garden. Every bit of info was greeted   
with the same amount of polite interest. It wasn't apathy, as far as Quistis   
could tell; just consistent digestion of new knowledge with nothing being given   
more notice than anything else.  
  
"Do you play Triple Triad?" Quistis asked as they walked down the corridor   
to the Cafeteria.  
  
"It's allowed?" Skye asked before continuing more to herself than her   
companion. "Of course it is. Martine isn't in charge here. I used to play, but   
I'm woefully out of practice."  
  
"Why would it not be allowed?" Quistis couldn't think of a reason why it   
wouldn't be. And from Skye's statement, she got the impression that it wasn't   
at Galbadia Garden.  
  
"I don't know. Headmaster Martine has many... quirks." Skye was careful to   
speak respectfully of her former Headmaster while still expressing her   
displeasure at his eccentric policies. Quistis instantly picked up on that, and   
felt a pang of concern for Xu resonate inside her.  
  
"I'll play you without trading any cards," the younger cadet offered.  
  
"That's kind of you."  
  
"That was the rule my last roommate and I played by. We'd also chose cards   
randomly to keep things interesting," she explained.  
  
Skye looked down at her blonde roommate. "You seem to think highly of   
her," she observed. "Did she graduate?"  
  
"Yes, Xu's gone to Galbadia to become an Instructor," Quistis explained   
while leading Skye into the Cafeteria. It was still early enough in the day   
that it wasn't slammed by the lunch rush. She wasn't ready to eat just yet, but   
Skye might be hungry if her body was reminding her that it was mealtime in   
Galbadia right now.  
  
Skye abruptly stopped following.  
  
Quistis paused with a questioning look.  
  
"Damn Martine," Skye hissed with an expression as hard as stone.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing," Skye sighed heavily before moving up to the counter to order   
something to eat.  
  
  
  
The next evening found Quistis in the Quad with Jessie. Ever since the   
trio of cadets had 'offered' their services to her, Quistis felt like she was   
in a tag-team match. Whenever two or all three of them couldn't be around,   
they'd individually alternate.  
  
Practice with weapons and fighting was only just starting between her and   
Eugene. Quistis still wasn't sure what he had in mind for her on the weekend.   
LeVar had made good on his word to hook her up with his study group; the   
subjects they were studying were a little over her head, but it was good   
incentive for her to study even more and catch up.  
  
Now it was Jessie's turn to tutor her. Quistis wasn't really sure how   
enthusiastic to feel, given that this was the one skill she had only begun to   
develop right before Xu left. If anything, spell casting was her weakest   
ability.  
  
Although he didn't show it, Jessie knew that fact as well and was   
concerned about accidentally discouraging Quistis. Dressed in casual   
clothes--which consisted of jeans, and a faded emerald vest over a white   
shirt--Jessie gave a playful salute upon seeing her.  
  
"Xu's taught you more defense spells, right?" he asked once they briefly   
caught up with each other's lives.  
  
Quistis lifted the pouch that Sean had given her. Inside it were a number   
of beads she'd managed to amass from other cadets or Faculty members. There was   
a variety of them, but not many of any type.  
  
With a lop-sided grin, Jessie cracked his knuckles. "Well today, we're   
here to teach you how to be a true femme fatale. Those sort of supporting   
magics are all good and fine, but if you seriously want to inflict some   
damage--especially when a corresponding GF's involved--you need to know the   
heavier spells."  
  
Quistis nodded, making a mental note to again read some of the magic books   
in the Library. A lot of what Jessie was talking about was completely new to   
her; she hoped she would be able to keep up.  
  
"A lot of times," Jessie was saying, "the power of magic isn't inherently   
found within the bead you use. If anything, I'd say they act as a catalyst; the   
bead gives you a definite focal point. From there it depends on the energy   
quanta the caster holds. The more concentrated you can make your magic, the   
higher the level of casting you perform.  
  
"For example, ten Fire spells makes one Fira spell. Ten Blizzards make for   
one Blizzara. Ten Thunders give you one Thundara, and so forth." Jessie grinned   
as he stretched out his arms. "I think I've been pushing my poor Quezzy into   
overtime with all my work on Thundara spells."  
  
Quistis looked puzzled when she heard the name 'Quezzy' mentioned. "Who's   
she?"  
  
"He, actually," Jessie corrected. "Quezelcoatl's a GF who teaches you the   
skill for refining low level magic to medium level. You'll probably get him   
soon; Quezzy is a standard-issue GF at Balamb, along with Shiva. Cid's probably   
waiting for you to learn the basics before he sets you on the advanced   
casting."  
  
Intrigued, Quistis grilled her tutor on a number of the other GFs and   
their respective skills. Along with Quezelcoatl, Shiva was issued to all senior   
cadets. Jessie also informed her about the infamous Fire Cavern test, where   
one's GF skills would be graded in a battle against Ifrit. If Ifrit was   
defeated, then he would become the cadet's GF as well.  
  
It took Jessie a good twenty minutes to finally abate Quistis' deluge of   
questions. "Now how about we actually do some magic?" he remarked, producing a   
Thundara bead. "I'll show you what one of the bigger spells looks like."  
  
"Won't that damage the Quad?" Quistis asked.  
  
Jessie waved the fears aside. "Don't worry! I know my Thundara spells; the   
attack will be in mid-air. At worst it'll rattle a few nearby windows. And   
since there are no evening classes going on around here, we're safe."  
  
He had Quistis step back so he could show her the casting. The bead   
remained positioned between the tips of his index and middle finger. Quistis   
found it odd that Jessie didn't close his eyes as he began to gather his   
powers; she suspected that as one got better at casting, the focus came   
naturally.  
  
Abruptly Jessie brought his index finger right in front of his nose. Every   
muscle in his body was tense, and his face displayed the pent-up energy he was   
summoning. A blast of hot air blew past Quistis, sending her bangs of blonde   
hair dancing, as Jessie's eyes widened and he shouted, "THUNDARA!!"  
  
There was an explosive flash of light that momentarily blinded Quistis,   
followed by a crash of thunder. When she dared to open her eyes after the   
surprise Quistis saw a large black cloud slowly dissipating about ten feet from   
where Jessie stood.  
  
He glanced over his shoulder at her, an enthralled grin on his face. "Was   
it good for you too?"  
  
"That was incredible," Quistis breathed, awestruck. She had never seen Xu   
use such an intense spell like that before. Granted, Xu was more into   
hand-to-hand combat as opposed to sorcery.  
  
Jessie let out a deep breath, his shoulders slouching with the expulsion   
of magic. "As I said, that's a mid-level magic. You can also cast multiple   
spells in a single go--but it requires casting another spell first. Either   
Double or Triple, but it certainly makes for quite the effect."  
  
He gestured to the smoke still dissipating in the air.  
  
"You get the idea, Quistis. But we'll have to save that for when we're out   
of the Garden. Cid tends to frown on cadets demolishing a few of his   
classrooms."  
  
Quistis knew the devastating potential of magic. She'd heard about what   
Xu's Limit attack could do.  
  
"There's a lot more dangerous spells out there, Quistis," Jessie continued   
as he pulled out a Thunder bead for her to use. "According to some of the   
Sorceress War myths I read about in my earlier classes, there was some nasty   
spell called Ultima that was used by the sorceresses. Who knows; maybe Adel   
herself knows it? But regardless, that incantation isn't pretty, and can kill   
in a single blow."  
  
That was a lot to think about, and Quistis recalled from her history   
classes the infamous Sorceress War. It started as any other war starts, as a   
struggle for power, but how it ended was the mystery. One day, the world was   
fighting against the Sorceress and the next they were rebuilding their   
shattered lives. She knew that the Sorceress War had something to do with her   
home village being seized by Galbadia, or at least it happened around that   
time. Deling was like a wolf that took advantage of a weakened opponent and a   
world that was too afraid to fight back.  
  
Quistis was disrupted from her thoughts as Jessie placed the Thunder bead   
in her palm. Her fingers instantly curled around the bead.  
  
"Okay, your turn," he announced.  
  
Quistis looked down at the bead. "Do I hold it like I hold my Cure or Scan   
beads?" she asked. It was a valid question. She'd never used offensive spells   
before, and Jessie had a very different casting stance from what Xu taught her.  
  
"You can hold the beads any way you like," Jessie offered. "It usually   
reflects your fighting style. And since I'm so cool, my spell casting also   
looks cool."  
  
Once again, he managed to get Quistis giggling.  
  
Jessie pointed to a fair-sized boulder lying off to the side, close to one   
of the small flowerbeds. "Aim for that rock. Since you are a beginner in your   
*real* spell casting, it'll be great if you manage to get even a lightning   
spark."  
  
In her mind, she focused just like Xu had taught her in those early   
casting exercises. Except this time, she saw the rock in her mind and then saw   
a flash of light pulverizing it. Concentrating on the attack, Quistis felt the   
rush as she unlocked the power drawn from the bead.  
  
"THUNDER!"  
  
A surprisingly large burst of light exploded from her hand.  
  
Moments later, the top half of the rock was reduced to a pulverized mass   
of dust.  
  
"Was that good enough?" Quistis asked, reeling a little from both the   
surge in her body and from the force of the spell. She was sincere, and   
evidently had no idea the power she was capable of unleashing.  
  
Jessie could only nod, his eyes wide in surprise. "Uh... yeah. Good," he   
stammered.  
  
She didn't seem convinced, especially given Jessie's stunned reaction. Her   
own thoughts were that he had expected more from her, and was politely trying   
to mask his disappointment; there was still part of the rock left intact, after   
all. "Are you sure?" she pressed quietly.  
  
"Quistis, when I began using aggressive magic, I was lucky to scorch the   
bark on a tree. But you... your first time out, and you pulverize a rock. And a   
big one too." He then muttered to himself, "Just what the hell was Xu teaching   
you?"  
  
Quistis pursed her lips, giving Jessie a pouting expression. "So that was   
good?" She still wanted final confirmation, it seemed.  
  
"That's a very good thing." Jessie was still shaking his head in   
disbelief. "I don't know whether Cid will be delighted or angry for the   
debris."  
  
  
  
Skye stood before Headmaster Cid in his office with her hands folded   
before her and her eyes locked forward. A part of her felt disloyal to Galbadia   
for what she was about to do, but the warning needed to be given.  
  
"What's on your mind Miss Reynolds?" The Headmaster's tone was gentle. He   
gave her his full attention after flipping off the screen to his desk terminal.   
His willingness to see her on such short notice, and then gave her his full   
attention, rocketed him past her former Headmaster. Martine didn't want to be   
bothered by his students and thus left everything to his aides. Not that this   
was necessarily a bad thing; Eileen practically ran Galbadia's Garden with all   
the organizing she did for Martine.  
  
"Yes, Headmaster." She tried not to fidget. This really wasn't the first   
impression she wanted to make--that she was a squealer--but...  
  
"Miss Trepe informed me that a SeeD Xu was stationed at Galbadia?" she   
asked.  
  
"That's correct."  
  
Skye swallowed, then continued. "Shortly before I left, we were told that   
a new Instructor was on her way. The rumor mill got to grinding and it was made   
clear that we should give her as much trouble as we could. They said that she   
was from the Anshin clan."  
  
She shrugged. "You have to understand how the rumor mill works in   
Galbadia," she continued. "Headmaster Martine controls it completely. The   
students may feed into it, but the source can usually be traced right back to   
him. In this case, someone who was blind, deaf, and dumb would know that he was   
the one who put out the word to haze the new Instructor."  
  
Cid leaned forward in his chair. "And you believe that it is SeeD Xu that   
will be hazed at Headmaster Martine's order?" He didn't condemn her for what   
would otherwise be considered traitorous statements. He wanted to know what she   
did before deciding.  
  
"Well, there weren't any Instructors coming from Trabia that I knew of. Is   
SeeD Xu from the Anshin clan?" Skye shook her head. "No, that makes as much   
sense as a Shumi SeeD. The rumor mill doesn't have to be logical if it's worked   
properly."  
  
"Is there anything else?" His level gaze met hers.  
  
She flushed slightly before answering. "No, sir. I apologize for wasting   
your time with this."  
  
His look softened at that. "Conveying a warning isn't a waste of time. I   
am concerned with the well being of my SeeDs and my students wherever they may   
be. Rest assured that I will look into this further."  
  
"Thank you, sir." She continued to blush; Martine would have tossed her   
out on her ear long ago. The respect Cid paid her was an unfamiliar courtesy.   
She could only hope that Xu would be lucky enough to find even a shred of that   
in Galbadia.  
  
  
  
Quistis was quite pleased with her recent raid of the Library. A new   
shipment of books had arrived earlier in the week and they were on the shelves   
ready for her greedy eyes to read through. The stack of books she carried in   
addition to her usual textbooks made for an awkward load. Thus it made her the   
perfect target for Murphy's Law.  
  
Most students who saw someone as weighted down with books as she was would   
have gone out of their way to avoid the person (if not offer to help carry the   
books). Instead, a pair of sprouts decided to break out into a fight right in   
front of her. Quistis couldn't avoid tripping over them as one boy slammed   
another against the wall.  
  
The boy with short blonde hair punched his fist into the dark haired boy's   
belly. The victim tried to shove his assailant away, but to no avail.  
  
"What are you doing?!" Quistis lunged forward and put herself between the   
dark haired boy and the blonde.  
  
"Git outta the way, Trepe, we're having a private conversation," the   
blonde growled.  
  
"I don't know who you are, but what you're doing isn't right. I demand   
that you back off or I'll turn you in to the Faculty," she kept the other boy   
covered from further harm.  
  
"Ha! You've been saved by a girl, Squall. What a pansy," the blonde   
haired boy pushed his fingers through his shortcut hair and walked away.  
  
"You shouldn't have interfered. Seifer would have hit you if he wanted,"   
Squall stood up slowly. He didn't seem to be in too bad of shape.  
  
"I don't care what this Seifer character does. Beating up on a classmate   
isn't right," Quistis stated vehemently. Squall bent over to help her pick up   
her scattered books.  
  
They walked together to Quistis' room. She invited him in if he wanted,   
but he declined.  
  
"If you know what's best for you, you'll stay out of the way," he shoved   
his hands into his pockets and left.  
  
Quistis wasn't sure what to make of his attitude, but was certain that she   
didn't like the impression she got of Seifer. He was a bully, plain and   
simple. Squall was probably too proud to ask for her help. It was a shame.   
She would be able to help significantly if he'd only let her.  
  
With thoughts of Squall, Quistis diligently pulled out one of her   
textbooks. Once her homework was finished she could indulge her desire to read   
the newly acquired books.  
  
After an hour or so, the door to her room opened. Quistis looked up from   
her textbooks as Skye returned from the Headmaster's office. "You look like   
something's on your mind."  
  
Skye nodded, though didn't go any further. "It's nothing to worry about,   
I'm sure."  
  
It was an awkward situation for Quistis, this new roommate. She understood   
the need for group interaction, but that still didn't make up for the fact that   
Skye wasn't Xu. For two years she and Xu had lived together; if Xu had   
something on her mind, she usually told Quistis about it. They shared a lot.   
But with Skye things were different. Quistis could have easily chalked it up to   
their relative newness to each other, or else just Skye's laid-back   
disposition.  
  
"So how'd your day go?" Skye asked.  
  
Quistis paused from writing down solutions that LeVar's study group was   
currently working through. The problems were of an ethical nature, and the   
Headmaster was going to be doing some lecturing for the class in the near   
future. As a result, everyone in the class wanted to be as prepared as possible   
for the debate/discussion. Sometimes Cid was known for playing Devil's   
Advocate.  
  
"Okay, I guess," she answered. Did her run in with Squall count as being   
interesting?  
  
She was a little disappointed with her magic session earlier in the day.   
After Jessie gushed compliments about her Thunder spell, she had barely been   
able to get a spark going from any of his beads. After an hour of unproductive   
results, they called it a day. "I haven't seen you very much, even though   
you're new here."  
  
"Don't count on me being around a lot either," Skye said, retiring to her   
bunk. "I'll be graduating in a couple terms and I'll be needing all the time I   
can for the tests and field exams." She noted the crestfallen on Quistis' face,   
and Quistis' attempt to hide it. "But," she added. "I'll be here as much as I   
can. We are roommates after all; it seems only fair that we should get to know   
each other."  
  
A part of Quistis still remained melancholy; she knew Eugene would be   
graduating in a few months, and he was spending as much time as he could with   
her. At the very least Skye could make a more noticeable effort. Then again,   
this seemed very much Skye.  
  
Skye reclined on her covers, her hands laced behind her head as she put   
her feet up. "I can tell you're just dying to find out something new about me.   
Ask away."  
  
"Why do you want to join SeeD?" Quistis pounced on the opportunity   
instantly.  
  
It was a question she had been wondering of herself, even more after Sean   
was killed. Quistis knew that in her own case there hadn't been much say in the   
matter. She was ten at the time, and would have done whatever was asked of her.   
Now the question had become why stay at Balamb?  
  
The answer was one she found herself unable to answer.  
  
Skye shrugged. "The job has a lot of perks. Good pay, touring the world,   
meeting interesting people and then beat the stuffing out of them."  
  
The cadet laughed as she saw Quistis gawk at her.  
  
"Oh, come on, Quistis; I was joking. But that's what we're being trained   
to do here at the Gardens. SeeDs are meant to be weapons. Sure there's a whole   
'family' atmosphere, but we're still studying to become A-class mercenaries. I   
s'pose I'm just here to enjoy life to the fullest--and it doesn't get any more   
interesting than with SeeD."  
  
Quistis remained a bit surprised. To have someone so laid-back as Skye   
talk coolly about 'seeing the world' and 'living life to the fullest' seemed so   
contradictory. She was impressed that Skye had such a lofty dream in the first   
place. Although, Skye seemed to only want to become a SeeD so that she could   
enjoy the perks alongside the missions. Excelling within the SeeD ranks looked   
to come in as a distant second.  
  
"What about you, Quistis?" she asked in return. "Why are you here?"  
  
Quistis studied her shoes, avoiding Skye's probing eyes. "I don't know.   
I'm not sure I ever knew."  
  
She turned her head when she heard Skye softly laughing. "Quistis," her   
roommate said. "That's nothing to be ashamed of. In fact I'm glad you're asking   
yourself that--especially given your circumstances. You're not even a teenager   
and already so much is expected of you. You *should* be asking yourself why   
you're here at Balamb.  
  
"The SeeD's life is a lot more grueling than the cadet's life. If you go   
into it for all the wrong reasons, it will do more harm than good--to you and   
everyone else you come into contact with."  
  
Quistis didn't get any sleep that night.  
  
She lay in bed, staring up at the bunk above her and wrestling with her   
reasons to leave against her reasons to stay. The tide of emotions broke again,   
and somewhere in the darkness of the newborn morning she cried again. Perhaps   
for the first time since coming to Balamb, she realized the expectations and   
hopes that were being placed on her. That was why Xu and Sean had taken such   
active interest in her, just as Eugene, LeVar and Jessie were now. And   
Headmaster Cid surely played a part in all this.  
  
So many aspirations rested on such small shoulders.  
  
When the morning came, Quistis was awake.  
  
And still without an answer.  
  
  
  
A few days in passing found Eugene waiting for them in the sparring hall   
when Quistis and Skye arrived. "You brought a friend?" he asked, looking at   
Quistis inquisitively.  
  
Quistis blushed, suddenly at a lack for words.  
  
"You must be her new roommate, Skye," he said, extending his hand. The two   
cadets shook, and then he returned his attention to Quistis. "I took the   
liberty of getting both the Headmaster and Faculty to authorize this. That's   
why I needed the few days in between to make arrangements.  
  
"You're welcome to remain here too," he added to Skye.  
  
Skye shifted her hips in a way that accentuated the knife that hung from   
her belt, which was what she used for battle. Folding her arms across her chest   
she drawled, "That was my intention. I don't have anything else that demands my   
attention today."  
  
"Then you won't be disappointed," he replied with a smirk. Eugene walked   
over to one of the side rooms, where the weapons used for sparring were stored.   
Moments later he emerged from the storage room, a large scarlet cloth in his   
hands.  
  
He raised his hands, offering the item hidden beneath the wrapping to   
Quistis. She had not the slightest idea what awaited her, and she tried not to   
tear into unwrapping it like... like the child she knew she was. But the   
eagerness of her trembling hands couldn't be hidden. A few loose flaps of   
crimson fabric revealed something she definitely wouldn't have guessed to   
expect.  
  
Skye whistled as she appraised the weapon. "You give all the girls you   
date one of these?" she idly remarked.  
  
In Eugene's hands was a long, iron ring chain. One end was a T-shaped   
gripping bar, and on the other end was a rather vicious-looking spearhead.  
  
Quistis' eyes widened. "Wh-what is it?"  
  
"This is called a rante ber gangedug. It's a chain whip," Eugene stated,   
handing it over to her. "Take it; feel the weight."  
  
It was surprisingly heavy, far heavier than the leather whip she was used   
to training with. Quistis let the spearhead drop to the ground, taking the rest   
of the chain links down with it. She definitely didn't want to lose control of   
this thing because of sweaty hands.  
  
"Certainly the bullwhip is a weapon to be reckoned with," Eugene   
explained. "However, this type of whip holds twice the potential for inflicting   
damage. You've become quite good with the whip, Quistis; we'd like to see what   
you can do with the rante."  
  
At that moment, Quistis was uncertain as to who the 'we' were. The   
Faculty, Headmaster Cid, or her trio of brothers? Or was it a conspiracy   
amongst all of them? Yet more than anything, she was beaming at the idea that   
someone felt confident enough in her skills to deliberately move her into a new   
level of combat. Ever since she started sparring with Xu and Sean, Quistis had   
remained uneasy. Fighting didn't seem to be in her blood--even though she was,   
her Shumi teacher said, excellent with the whip.  
  
"And for this," Eugene added, "you'll definitely want gloves. Your hands   
won't get pinched, and it'll give you the extra grip you need." He reached back   
and pulled out from his pockets a pair of black leather gloves. When Quistis   
tried them on it was like they had been custom-fit just for her.  
  
"Thank you," was all she could get out.  
  
"It's your call," Eugene told her. "You want to try the rante, or would   
you rather continue with the bullwhip?"  
  
Quistis frowned as she considered the options. On the one hand, she was   
becoming quite proficient with the bullwhip; classes were becoming tougher, but   
she was proving herself extremely adept with the weapon. For the rante ber   
gangedug, it would be like starting from the beginning all over again. This   
whip was heavier, and thusly a lot harder to twirl around. She doubted she   
could crack it like she always did the bullwhip.  
  
Silently she turned and took a deep breath, psyching herself up for making   
a test strike. The same principle would probably work with both types of whips.   
"Could you step back. Please?" she asked the older cadets.  
  
Both Skye and Eugene moved aside to give her the space needed to properly   
test the rante out. Quistis adjusted her grip on the handle and then shifted   
her body to give an initial twirl. What she wanted as a fast, decisive strike.   
Finding a target was irrelevant; she just wanted the feel of the weapon.  
  
The centrifugal pull was startlingly more than Quistis expected it to be,   
and she was yanked sideways. The precision strike she was hoping for went wild,   
the rante nearly torn from her grip. Skye easily dodged the flying spear tip,   
which carved a slender yet noticeable scratch across the floor.  
  
Hastily Quistis pulled her chain back, meekly coiling it. "S-Sorry," she   
stammered.  
  
Skye shrugged. "To be expected."  
  
"So... do you still want to try working with it?" Eugene ventured.  
  
"I don't like this handle," Quistis admitted, though with a fair degree of   
personal certainty. "This T-bar doesn't give me the mobility I want. If I can   
get it changed, that would help a lot."  
  
Skye turned to Eugene. "I'd say that's a big 'Yes'."  
  
"The Faculty can help rework that if you want," Eugene offered.  
  
But Quistis shook her head; her eyes still focused on the rante ber   
gangedug. She absently flicked the chain with her wrist, getting the feel for   
how much force she'd have to put behind the chain to get it moving. It was   
definitely heavier than the bullwhip, but nothing that felt too awkward for   
her. "I'd like to make the modifications myself," she stated.  
  
Both Skye and Eugene couldn't hold back their surprise.  
  
"Quistis," Skye said. "You're not a Weapons Smith."  
  
"Not personally modify it," Quistis corrected herself. "I want to draft up   
my own changes and then give it to a weapons maker in Balamb."  
  
Sean and Xu had shown her a few shops in their time. Xu had told her   
Sean's father was a Weapons Smith, and silently Quistis felt that no better   
tribute to Sean could be made than by reworking her own weapon to her own   
style. If only his family could be the ones to make the changes themselves...  
  
Eugene was impressed by how quickly she was taking a liking to her new   
toy. "I'm no expert," he admitted. "But I know a little about the rante. What   
specifically were you looking at?"  
  
Quistis raised the hand that was clenching the grip of the rante. "For   
starters, I liked the longer handle my bullwhip had. It gave me a lot more   
freedom to maneuver my whip; this T-bar looks like all my moves will be jerky   
ones."  
  
"It would be better if you shortened the chain a little," Skye added. This   
was the first time she seemed to show some form of genuine interest. "Quistis   
still needs to build up the weight needed to throw it around properly. You can   
extend the reach of the chain as time goes on."  
  
"I'd be inclined to agree," Eugene said with a nod. "So, do you want the   
rante?"  
  
Quistis beamed. "Yes," she answered happily.  
  
Eugene breathed a sigh of relief; the rante ber gangedug had been Cid's   
idea. He could only reassure himself through some kind of silent chant that the   
Headmaster, as always, knew what he was doing. With any luck, the change of   
weapon would give Quistis a change of mind when it came time to fight monsters   
again. Anything to ensure Sean's death wouldn't prevent her from becoming a   
SeeD.  
  
  
  
The next few months passed by, finding the snow of winter melted by the   
rains of spring. Quistis kept up her sessions with LeVar, Eugene and Jessie.   
With Eugene's final tests to become a SeeD very close, she saw less and less of   
him. However, the other two guys made a point of covering for him in his   
absence.  
  
Today marked the first in a number of weeks since she had been able to be   
with all three of them at once. She was glad to be in their company--but the   
reason for their gathering made Quistis more than just a little uneasy.  
  
"Are you up for this?" Eugene asked as they stood in front of a large set   
of doors.  
  
It was her first time in the Training Center since Sean's death. She knew   
that she'd have to return at some point, but it seemed too soon. Bravely, she   
fought off the urge to bolt back the way they came.  
  
"I'm ready," she said with more confidence than she was feeling. Her   
knuckles wrapped tighter around the elongated handle of her rante ber gangedug;   
the weight and shine of the chain gave her some sort of comfort. Even if the   
power she felt with it in her hands was a delusion, it was a welcome one.   
Anything to keep her mind off the last time she was in here.  
  
Eugene simply nodded and led them in. His parasol sat on his shoulder,   
ready for use. His weapon was one of the most unique she'd seen. It appeared to   
be a simple bamboo parasol--except that much of it was made of metal. As a   
result it offered a wide variety of combat options. Opening it for a shield to   
duck behind was merely one of its uses.  
  
Quistis was quick to realize the devastating potential Eugene's weapon   
had.  
  
Next in line was Quistis with the tip of her rante ber gangedug hanging   
loosely from her left hand. It was a weapon she still didn't feel overly   
confident with. In the time training with it, she was discovering the many   
differences between a bullwhip and a chain whip.  
  
The bullwhip was great for snapping; it was more fluid. It was also   
heavier and a bit longer than the weapon she held now. The rante stiffened when   
used because of the weighted tip and centrifugal force. The idea, when using   
the rante, was to strike the enemy in an unarmored spot where the tip could   
tear into the flesh. Anything else just made for a hell of a nasty welt.  
  
Another technique that she was hesitant to practice was releasing the whip   
to entangle the enemy. She would never even think of throwing her old whip, but   
it was a skill she was expected to know and practice with the rante ber   
gangedug. The knife on her belt would become all the more important should she   
lose the whip during battle. She needed to practice more with both weapons,   
that was for certain.  
  
On the plus side, everything had gone smoothly for her requested   
modifications. Eugene made good use of any connections he could find. And her   
Faculty trainer had made a point of having two spare whips of the same   
modifications, to be used as Quistis' personal back-ups should her primary one   
get damaged.  
  
Jessie was sauntering besides her, whistling cheerfully to himself as they   
entered the Training Centre. "I'm just here to cover your butts," was his   
reason for being there. While Jessie didn't bother going in armed (given his   
present company), he did have a pouch full of spell beads and a few Guardian   
Forces.  
  
LeVar brought up the rear of their party with his halberd at the ready. He   
was the one who encouraged her to become familiar with the entire whip family   
after learning of her choice to switch to the rante. It was advice that he   
practiced himself. He was comfortable with a weapon as basic as a bo, as well   
as most of the polearm family--and expanding some into throwing spears. The   
weapon he carried was designed so that he could change the head to be a variety   
of blades, prongs, or axes.  
  
From her studies, Quistis knew that LeVar's current choice of blade was of   
a more classical nature. The cutting edge looked like it could easily slice   
through whatever it touched.  
  
"You feel that?" Jessie said quietly to Quistis as they walked along   
something that could have been called a path. "Your heart's pumping in your   
chest, every nerve is alive and on edge, and somehow you can almost sense where   
things are?"  
  
"That's because you're using a Scan bead, you dolt," LeVar cut in.  
  
Jessie gave his roommate an unimpressed look. "I'm talking about the   
adrenaline rush, you uncultured swine." He took a deep breath of air, savouring   
it. "Isn't it great to be alive?"  
  
"We won't be for much longer if you two idiots keep this up," Eugene   
hissed. "I don't exactly like giving our position away to every damn monster in   
the Training Centre."  
  
Quistis readily agreed with that.  
  
The first monster they encountered was a lone Grat. Eugene invited her to   
make the first move. She twirled the whip above her head briefly to build up   
some force before snapping it forward. The pointed tip dug into the thick skin   
of the Grat's torso. Her aim was off; she was trying for the flesh between the   
two halves of its maw.  
  
The Grat protested the roughing up by swinging its long limbs at her.   
Eugene jumped between her and the Grat with his parasol open to block the   
attack. Its limbs pounded against the metal flaps harmlessly.  
  
Jessie turned to LeVar. "Ladies first," he said with a grin, gesturing to   
the Grat.  
  
"And men before mice," LeVar retorted, stepping forward. He held the   
halberd above his head with his hands spread apart along the shaft. The weapon   
arced down into the Grat with the axe blade digging deep into the monster. He   
twisted the pole to shred the innards of the Grat into a gory mess.  
  
The monster fell to its side, dead, before he withdrew his weapon. A slick   
coating of blood covered the head. Quistis swallowed down the bile at the back   
of her throat. This wasn't the first monster she'd watched die, but it was   
certainly the most graphic.  
  
LeVar noticed her pale look. "You've never fought with anyone who uses a   
sword, have you?"  
  
She shook her head in the negative.  
  
"Get used to it," He motioned at the Grat carcass with the halberd.   
"Swords leave the enemy looking anything but neat."  
  
"So," Jessie spoke up. "Who's up for dinner?"  
  
LeVar rolled his eyes as he swung his halberd around to a position where   
the blade was lowered to the ground. "It never ceases to amaze me just how   
tactlessly you can crack a joke."  
  
"Life is a game we all play," Jessie advocated, placing a hand on Quistis'   
shoulder. "The rules may be made up as we go along, but that still doesn't deny   
the fact that we're all playing it."  
  
"If life, as you say, is indeed a game," LeVar countered. "Then it's a   
complicated one not to be made light of."  
  
"That doesn't mean we shouldn't enjoy it," Jessie said.  
  
Eugene swung around the edge of the group, his eyes constantly scanning   
the trees and rocks for any other predators that might be bidding their time.   
"Cut the chatter; you might give our position away to something far worse than   
a Grat," he told the other two cadets as he closed his parasol.  
  
Quistis felt her body chill; Eugene was careful enough around her not to   
say what such a monster was, but she knew well enough. A T-Rexaur. Stabbing   
memories of Sean's death returned, of his limbs hanging out from the savage,   
blood-soaked jaws. Quistis momentarily closed her eyes and did her best to   
force back the terror creeping into her system.  
  
She became aware of LeVar and Jessie flanking her on both sides. "Don't   
worry," LeVar said quietly. "Just concentrate on what you're here to learn.   
Leave the worrying to us."  
  
Their next encounter was a lot more eventful.  
  
They didn't run into a single Grat, or even two or three Grats. They ran   
into a nest. Jessie, LeVar and Eugene immediately formed a circle, their backs   
to each other. Quistis became a part of the circle, but her entire body was   
tensing up to the point of being frozen in place. She had never seen so many   
monsters in one place, and they were all worked into a frenzy.  
  
Jessie already had a number of spell beads slipped between his fingertips.   
"I wasn't expecting this when I woke up this morning," he muttered. "They look   
rather pissed, guys."  
  
"I count ten, maybe twelve of them," LeVar said, brandishing his halberd.   
"Mostly adults, a few juveniles. The nest itself looks to be on my right."  
  
Quistis' gaze darted over to the direction LeVar had indicated, and noted   
that the majority of the Grats were clustered around that area. The others were   
working to surround them.  
  
A lone Grat shrieked and charged. Quistis didn't scream, but backed away   
as she saw it head right for her. The Grat didn't get very far; LeVar rammed   
his blade right into its maw with no hesitation and very little difficulty.   
"Make that ten, maybe eleven," he glibly corrected himself.  
  
"We can handle it," Eugene stated, loud enough to snap any of them out of   
a panic. "Widen the circle, people; I don't want any of them getting any closer   
than we can help it, but we'll need the space if we want to use our weapons   
without killing each other. LeVar, Quistis you two have the range weapons, so   
you're on primary offense. Any of those things attacks, and I want you to be   
the first ones to counterattack if you can. Jessie!"  
  
"Already on it!" Jessie cut in. "Casting a Confuse as we speak. If you   
guys can buy me more time, I can throw some Bio into the mix."  
  
"Don't get too carried away, Jessie," LeVar said, shaking his weapon free   
of the Grat's blood. "We may need you to smack us out of a Sleep spell."  
  
Eugene grimaced, his parasol shifting from one moving Graf to another.   
There seemed like too many targets to properly focus on. "I have a GF that can   
clear us a way out."  
  
"Save it as a last-ditch. None of us know any Limit attacks, but we still   
need the fighting experience," LeVar countered.  
  
Another Grat charged, this time heading straight for Eugene. Eugene held   
his ground and opened his parasol as the monster's limbs pounded away. However   
he didn't remain on the defensive for long. Quistis jumped as she saw a large,   
slender blade pop out from the top of the parasol. Eugene quickly rammed the   
blade into the Grat's thrashing maw and then raked it downwards, spilling a   
pool of innards at their feet.  
  
That didn't appear to go over too well with the remaining Grats, who   
suddenly charged en masse. Whatever adrenaline wasn't already in Quistis'   
system rushed, making her blood hot. The next few minutes became a blur.   
Survival instinct kicked in and she was barely aware of any fear or training as   
she raised her rante and let the nearest Grat get sliced by her spear tip.  
  
Monsters and weapons and blood were everywhere, the air thickly saturated   
with the heat of battle. Quistis felt her muscles pumping as she raked the   
rante's chain down on anything that got too close to her. More than anything   
she didn't want to lose her rante, and to be left with just a knife.  
  
"Dumbass!" Jessie exclaimed, forced to throw a makeshift Blizzard attack   
as an adult Grat came too close for comfort. "This isn't a fight, it's a   
free-for-all!"  
  
Quistis twirled her rante around, before giving a swift, downward yank to   
the handle. The spear point grazed the intended Grat, but also ricocheted off   
the ground and bounced back into the air. Eugene let out a surprised shout as   
the tip grazed his shoulder blade.  
  
That sent Quistis into near hysterics. She turned her attention to Eugene,   
desperately trying to say something of an apology. "I'm fine, keep fighting!"   
he snapped, pointing at the Grat now right in front of Quistis.  
  
She didn't have the time or chance to attack. Quistis threw her rante in   
front of her, the monster's mouth clashing right into the chain. The weight of   
the Grat sent her tumbling over backwards, its thorn-like teeth being barely   
held at bay by her chain. Quistis screamed, closing her eyes and looking away   
from the Grat. Moments later Jessie tore a sizeable chunk out from the Grat's   
backside with a Fira spell.  
  
"You're lucky the thing didn't have the chance to spray you with its   
sleeping gas," he remarked as he helped her back onto her feet before attending   
to the opening in their defenses.  
  
LeVar was swinging his halberd in every direction possible, the blade a   
blur of steel cutting into creature. But he made a point of staying as close to   
the others as he could. A stray tendril cuffed him across the back of the head.   
He stumbled ahead, dropping to his knees.  
  
All too quickly Quistis saw what was happening.  
  
The Grats were trying to divide them!  
  
"Don't split up!" she cried out, shuffling over to LeVar's aide. The last   
thing she wanted was to be witness to another death. She knew that she wouldn't   
be able to handle it if the tragedy repeated itself.  
  
Jessie cast another poisonous Bio spell on the surviving Grats as Quistis   
and Eugene finished the monsters off. While her attacks weren't the best,   
Quistis was visibly holding her own--so long as it was against one Grat at a   
time. Eugene was taking great care to ensure that if anyone got stuck with   
multiple targets, it was himself.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, Quistis saw that Eugene's open parasol had   
an added feature--namely the poisoned needles extending around the edge. He   
spun the umbrella, slashing while attempting to poison the Grat.  
  
LeVar staggered back to his feet, a little groggy from getting a lungful   
of gas, and resumed his fighting as well. Between the four of them, the last   
Grats were taken out quicker than before. The last one was left for Quistis to   
handle alone. It did a lot of thrashing around, and Quistis didn't have the   
strength or ability to fatally wound it.  
  
At the very least she got some experience in using her rante. She   
managed--though more by accident--to snag one of the Grat's limbs with her   
chain. Quistis desperately tried to hold the infuriated monster at bay as it   
tried to squirm free. Eugene nodded to LeVar, who finished the Grat off with a   
decisive slash across the front.  
  
The Training Centre seemed eerily silent in the aftermath. The four SeeD   
cadets regrouped, appraising each other. Pretty much everyone was splattered   
with Grat gore. LeVar and Eugene had the most on them, with Quistis coming in a   
close third. Jessie, who for the most part was busy running defense, had a few   
stray bits on himself.  
  
With a deep sigh, of both relief and exhaustion, Eugene turned to the   
others. "I think we've had enough training for today. Unless anyone else would   
care to remain?"  
  
"A nice, hot shower seems in order," LeVar replied. "Followed by something   
at the Cafeteria."  
  
Still being mindful of any other monsters around (no doubt the entire   
Centre was wide awake after the noise those Grats had made), they worked their   
way towards the exit. Quistis was kept in the middle, with LeVar in the lead   
this time and Eugene bringing up the rear.  
  
"I don't ever want to be stuck in a melee again," Jessie groaned, picking   
a piece of Grat off his shirt. "These stains'll never wash out!"  
  
Eugene made a face as he shook his parasol free of any gore. "You think   
that's bad? I won't be able to use this for a week while it gets cleaned."  
  
Quistis couldn't help but stare at the unique weapon in the older cadet's   
hands. "I never knew a weapon like that existed," she said.  
  
"Thank the Weapons Guild, Quistis," Eugene replied. "They're the geniuses   
who come up with these things. Weapons Smiths also play a big part in revamping   
original works. This metal parasol used to just have the poisoned spikes, but   
about a year ago I managed to get an upgrade."  
  
She already knew what he meant. "The retractable blade from the tip."  
  
Eugene nodded. "That's one of them. I've also got a blade, about the same   
length, hidden at the base of the parasol. If I twist the shaft just right, I   
can fight with both a small sword and a shield."  
  
"And should all those tricks fail, he can simply club his opposition,"   
Jessie quipped.  
  
Eugene shrugged, and lightly bopped Jessie on the head. "Can't argue with   
that tactic."  
  
Jessie grinned, throwing a friendly arm around LeVar. "Think of the   
Cafeteria stories we'll spin tonight!"  
  
"After we all take a much-needed shower, I hope," LeVar said, grinning   
himself. "You did well, Quistis. Thanks for watching out for me."  
  
She blushed a little, meekly shuffling towards the exit with the others.   
Quistis didn't feel as jovial as the older cadets were. No doubt Eugene and the   
others were used to this sort of thing. Fighting and killing another living   
creature was still very new to her. And the intensity of that had been   
overwhelming, with attacks coming in from all sides. Quistis suddenly doubted   
the former pride she took in her combat skills.  
  
She looked up as she felt a warm hand coming to rest on her shoulder.   
Eugene was looking down at her, a proud smile on his face. "Well done, Quistis.   
Well done."  
  
Admittedly she didn't feel like this battle was a grand success. It was   
the training more than anything else that had taken control--that and pure   
survival instinct. She knew her techniques hadn't been developed enough to   
cover her friends. For the most part she had been powerless, out of control.   
And to add to it, she had accidentally nicked Eugene with her rante. Yet he   
said nothing about it, and when Quistis tried to apologize, he cut her off.  
  
"It happens, Quistis. For what it's worth, I'm glad you were there by our   
side."  
  
If there was anyone who kept his cool in that fight, it had been Eugene.   
As they walked out of the Training Centre, Quistis silently resolved to follow   
his lead.  
  
As it turned out, most of the stories told at the Cafeteria that evening   
had Quistis as a primary player. For as much as Quistis shyly detracted from   
the probing questions, Jessie made it his mission to talk about how she rescued   
LeVar from certain doom. And LeVar accepted the jesting from this with good   
grace for once.  
  
When asked, Eugene seemed to downplay her role in the fight to a more   
realistic level. "She's got the potential," he said. "Give her a few years, and   
this will be kid's play for her."  
  
He said nothing about the scar on his shoulder, though he did quietly   
consult Doctor Kadowaki about it.  
  
Before the night was out, the Trepies had managed to score significant   
points for Quistis' popularity. At the very least, more and more cadets were   
now curious about just who Quistis was.  
  
  
  
A month in passing saw Quistis' life returning more and more to the way it   
used to be under Sean and Xu's tutelage. Only now those two 'elder sibling'   
figures had been replaced by three brother surrogates.  
  
She was still working on the rante ber gangedug, developing her skill in   
aiming and throwing it. Eugene couldn't help but smile whenever he watched her   
fight to get yanked off her feet from the centrifugal force generated by the   
weight and speed of the chain. But at least she was learning how to hold her   
ground. In a year she would probably reach the mastery level she had with the   
bullwhip.  
  
Happily she was starting to work on weapons sparring, which took the   
pressure off Eugene to always be there to train with her. His own time was   
growing precious as his graduation neared. Currently his schedule consisted of   
a weekly meeting with LeVar and Jessie.  
  
Luckily enough--though not necessarily for them--the two guys were   
roommates. Jessie was lounging on his top bunk, and LeVar was busy scribbling   
down some notes when Eugene entered.  
  
"You look rather happy today, Fearless Leader," Jessie remarked as he   
turned his head and watched Eugene walk into the dorm room. "Played with your   
Limit again?"  
  
Eugene nodded. Having discovered it only a week prior (thanks to Cid and   
his conveniently 'missing' whistle), he was still taking on injuries to refine   
it a little better. It was very satisfying to clobber an attacker like that.  
  
"Pull up a chair," Jessie offered, pointing to the relative direction of   
his own unused desk chair. "Let the weekly Quistis report begin."  
  
Eugene sat down and wheeled his chair closer to the other two cadets. He   
began by outlining her progress with the rante. Grappling and weight training   
were only just beginning for her, but he expressed his high hopes. "What about   
your areas?" he asked afterwards.  
  
"Academics isn't a problem," LeVar said with a large degree of certainty   
in his voice. "Not only is she rivaling us older bookworms, but she's hoarding   
all our Triple Triad cards. I swear she's only showing up now to win more   
cards, and not just to study with us."  
  
Jessie laughed, his head and shoulders hanging off the side of his upper   
bunk. "Like you would ever be a challenge for her in Triple Triad, LeVar. A   
kitten could beat you."  
  
Eugene marveled at how for once, LeVar didn't give a scathing retort to   
Jessie's prodding. However that awe was soon destroyed as LeVar swiveled around   
in his chair, grappled onto Jessie's shoulders, and yanked his roomie off the   
bunk. With a resounding 'Thud!' Jessie toppled in a heap onto the floor.  
  
But the impact seemed to do little to damage him.  
  
"Mental note," he groaned. "Do not shine on LeVar when you're hanging off   
a bunk."  
  
Eugene shot LeVar a very dark look; that could have ended in Jessie   
cracking his neck if he landed wrong.  
  
LeVar just shrugged. "It's not the first time I've done it to him. He'll   
live."  
  
With more of a weary sigh than a laugh, Jessie picked himself off the   
floor and dragged himself onto LeVar's lower bunk. "Besides, this does wonders   
for building up my resistance to impacts."  
  
"Perhaps we should switch to a less physically painful subject," Eugene   
said, turning to the other cadet in the group. "How is she doing in magic."  
  
Jessie stretched his arms against the headboard. "Still not so good, I'm   
afraid to say. I don't get it either; the first time I took her out training   
she obliterated half a boulder on her first try. As a result, Cid 'encouraged'   
me to go find some other place to practice doing offensive magic. But she   
hasn't been able to duplicate that blast of power since."  
  
He opened up one of his hands and started absently playing with a Float   
bead. Eugene smirked when he saw Jessie slowly start to levitate in the bunk.   
Jessie's family lived in an area where Thrustaevis frequently roamed. From them   
a Float spell could easily be drawn. As a result, Jessie had a small stash he   
kept for training... or implementing his usual pranks. Every break, Jessie   
would come back to the Garden armed with a handful of Float beads and way too   
many ideas on how to get into trouble.  
  
"It's not like I haven't tried everything," Jessie added. "I've racked my   
brain and even taught a few unorthodox lessons, but she's still needs a lot of   
work.  
  
"Maybe she has a magic power of a different sort," LeVar suggested. "If   
she has an atypical magic skill, that would make it harder for anyone to figure   
out how to draw that energy out from her."  
  
"That still doesn't explain her first explosive display," Jessie   
countered.  
  
LeVar closed his book and set it aside. Even though Jessie was still   
staring upwards, he took the time to stare directly at his friend. "It would if   
it was her first discovery of a higher and more intensive magic than mere Cures   
and Scans, Jessie. That sort of casting isn't exactly focused at all, and no   
particular technique is really given. You built up your teaching based on what   
you saw the first time around; it appears Quistis' style of casting isn't   
following the norm."  
  
Eugene noted that LeVar was wisely not taking the time to rib Jessie's   
tutoring efforts. When it came to Quistis, it was something they all took   
seriously. A blockade for one of them meant a blockade for them all. Quistis'   
insecurities about one thing had a way of manifesting itself into other parts   
of her Garden life.  
  
"So what you're saying is she's not good with base magic?" Eugene asked.  
  
"Oh, she's got the vitality," Jessie said, still staring up at the   
ceiling. "Endurance and tenacity are two things she excels at--but right now   
they're only serving to frustrate us both. She keeps on trying but without the   
results from her first attempt."  
  
"She could very well have a high ability to wield magic," LeVar countered.   
"But if it's not like the magic any of us are used to dealing with, we can't   
help her find it. Sadly she'll have to find out how to use her magic herself."  
  
Jessie still remained skeptical. "Forgive me, LeVar, but for as much   
brains as she's got, I don't think an eleven year-old would be able to   
successfully create her own technique for spell casting."  
  
Eugene scowled as he thought everything over.  
  
In either case, he saw one distinct problem that would no doubt rear its   
ugly head in the future. If Quistis had this much trouble with magic now, how   
much harder would it be for her to discover her Limit--which was one of the   
hardest magics to use.  
  
Scholastically, Quistis was damn near rivaling them. LeVar was rather smug   
in reporting her progress in his study group--and the fact that a few other   
study groups were wondering if they could 'borrow' her in order to tackle some   
of the nastier questions in the text. In terms of weapons and grappling, she   
was moving along as much as could be expected for a girl her age. She had taken   
a very swift liking to the rante ber gangedug, and was putting on some added   
muscle weight from her fitness training.  
  
This magic problem was the only real obstacle.  
  
And pretty soon, he wouldn't be around to help make sure she solved it.  
  
  
  
It was an hour before the Library closed for the evening. Eugene strolled   
between the tall shelves of books looking for the person who asked to meet him   
here at this hour. SeeD Kei was at the end of an aisle flipping through a book   
when he found her.  
  
Eugene didn't know much about the SeeD. He knew that she graduated in the   
last class and that she had quite a reputation for her prowess with a katana.   
She was also known for having a scathing sense of humor that was punctuated by   
her temper. One didn't screw with SeeD Kei without running the risk of being   
burned for it later.  
  
Kei noticed him as soon as he started down the aisle to join her. She   
didn't waste time with pleasantries by getting right to the subject of their   
discussion.  
  
"Why are you taking such an interesting in Quistis?" Kei idly flipped   
through a book. "Is it because of your oath?"  
  
He considered his answer carefully before giving it. "Partially," he   
admitted, leaning against the nearby shelf. "I owe it to Sean. He loved the   
kid. He saw so much potential in her. I want to see his dream realized."  
  
Kei smirked with bemusement. "Sentimental fool."  
  
He jutted his chin out at her. "Don't call me a fool."  
  
He didn't need to be criticized by her for doing what was right. They were   
all on equal ground here in the Garden.  
  
"I never said I wasn't a fool myself," Kei closed the book before   
replacing it and drawing out another one. "Cid's up to something. He's entirely   
too smug as of late."  
  
Her blunt statement took Eugene aback. She wasn't confronting him, more   
like consulting him.  
  
"I've noticed," Eugene agreed with a slight nod. "Any idea what?"  
  
"It involves Quistis. That much I'm certain of. And if it involves her,   
then it likely involves you as well," the SeeD reasoned.  
  
"Ahhh... and is that why you asked me to meet you here tonight?"  
  
"Let's just say that I'm testing the waters," she didn't look up from the   
book she was thumbing though. She wasn't affecting the act of nonchalance very   
well. The actions were to deceive him into thinking she was bored, but he could   
tell that she was intently focused on what he had to say.  
  
Eugene shrugged. "I've been forthright with my intentions; Quistis Trepe   
will graduate from Balamb Garden as a SeeD."  
  
"Shouldn't you be concerned with your own graduation?" Kei arched an   
eyebrow at his bold statement.  
  
"I'll graduate, don't you worry about that."  
  
Kei snorted. "You tell Quistis not to go it alone, but you don't practice   
what you preach."  
  
"What are you implying?" he asked indignantly. "We're a team! I've got   
LeVar and Jessie to back me up. They've been slowly replacing me so I can work   
on my own exams."  
  
"Rogues, the lot of you," Kei replaced the book and drew out another one.   
Then she paused to smile. "Just like me when I was growing up. This'll be fun."   
Her eyes slid over to meet his. "I want in. As a SeeD, I can offer things to   
her that you can't yet. I can take the burden off of you when you need to focus   
on your studies."  
  
"You want in?" He tried to wipe the stupidified look off his face. "Why?"  
  
Kei rocked back on her feet before addressing him directly for the first   
time since they began speaking. "You owe it to Sean. Let's just say that I owe   
it to Xu."  
  
'Owe it to Xu?' Eugene asked himself. 'Why would Kei owe it to Xu?' He   
racked his brain for possible reasons. Garden rumor had it that Kei escorted Xu   
during the graduation ball, but that could be explained away. Sean wasn't   
there--Eugene paused to shove away the thought of *why* he wasn't   
available--and Kei was a lesbian.  
  
'A lesbian with the reputation for being a perfect gentleman on such   
occasions,' he reminded himself. They could have gotten together for the night   
in a platonic sense. But hadn't he seen them hugging each other after Sean's   
memorial?  
  
"Xu doesn't fish from the same side of the pond like you do," he said   
thoughtfully. Instantly he regretted having been so blunt, and braced himself   
for a retaliatory cuff on the head.  
  
"'Fish from the same side of the pond'...?" Kei cocked her head to one   
side in confusion before what he meant dawned on her.  
  
"Idiot!" She snapped closed the book in her hand. "She's my cousin, not my   
lover!"  
  
"Your... cousin?" Eugene's relief about not getting hammered was replaced   
by utter surprise. He did a double take and a hasty mental comparison. They   
were about the same heights with Kei having the advantage, he guessed. Their   
hair was different; Kei's was jet black while Xu was a dark brunette. Then   
again, he could sense some similarities in their personalities and outlook on   
things with Kei being the concentrate, extreme version.  
  
Maybe the idea of them being related wasn't that outrageous after all?  
  
"Yes, my cousin, and it'd be in your best interest to keep that tidbit of   
information to yourself," Kei glared at him.  
  
"Hey, if that's how you want it." He put his hands up. "Don't see why   
you'd hide it."  
  
"Why doesn't concern you. What does concern you is Quistis. Get me up to   
speed on what you all are doing with her." Kei slid the book back onto the   
shelf and gave him her undivided attention.  
  
"Well, this is what we're thinking," he began.  
  
The rest of the hour before closing was spent discussing ways to encourage   
Quistis to grow in new directions. If she was going to be the mascot of Balamb   
Garden as Sean envisioned, they'd need to do some prep work.  
  
Kei also had a few suggestions of her own.  
  
One of which left Eugene very uneasy.  
  
----  
Please visit our website at http://www.centragarden.net  



	7. Part 07

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 7  
  
a fanfic by His lordship Chaos hislordshipchaos@hotmail.com  
with Greenbeans gbeans@tyrlen.org  
edited by Helen Fong iriachan@yahoo.com  
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. www.squaresoft.com  
  
  
- Quistis -  
  
"The Fire Cavern test?!" Eugene had to bite down on his tongue to keep   
from shouting it across the corridor. Granted the hallway was deserted, but   
there might have been others in the various rooms they passed who could have   
heard it. That still didn't hide the surprise (and disbelief) in his voice.  
  
He looked to Kei, who was walking alongside him. Only a day had passed   
since their discussion in the Library and already Kei's role in Quistis'   
upbringing was making him edgy.  
  
Kei nodded as if it was a perfectly sensible idea. "It's not like she   
won't be doing it eventually. I can get the two of you off campus, and from   
there we can test Quistis in the cavern."  
  
"I know we're tryin' to push her into the best that she can be," Eugene   
admitted, glancing over his shoulder with newfound paranoia. "But this sounds a   
little extreme even for her. She's only twelve, Kei."  
  
If she was concerned about anyone hearing their conversation, Kei didn't   
show it. She seemed perfectly calm as she simply replied, "I know that."  
  
"Kei, *I* haven't even taken the Fire Cavern test yet! I'll be doing that   
in about three weeks along with all my other graduation exams."  
  
A wry grin appeared on Kei's face. "Then you should be grateful I'm   
showing you what you're up against."   
  
Eugene was still leery, having been around Quistis for quite some time   
now. She had yet to be given her own Quezelcoatl and Shiva GFs, and he doubted   
she would be able to use them properly against something as powerful as Ifrit.   
But Kei insisted that, regardless of Quistis' knowledge of GF use, it could be   
a profound growing experience.  
  
After all, Ifrit wasn't technically a monster and would back down if it   
saw she was not a threat to it. Not to mention there was one SeeD and one   
near-graduation SeeD cadet who would be close by. Kei also argued regarding how   
many things at Quistis' age were done just for the challenge, and not for   
succeeding.  
  
"You have a taste for dramatics," Eugene sighed, conceding to Kei's idea.   
"Brashness certainly reflects your personality."  
  
The two agreed that Kei would take care of the arrangements, including   
Skye. Eugene personally doubted that Skye would be a problem, given her usual   
disposition. Kei could probably just say 'I'm taking Quistis out for some   
training' and Skye would only shrug in acknowledgement.  
  
Once the initial details were etched out, the two parted company in the   
Quad. Kei added she would pay him a visit at the usual time and place (the   
Library just before it closed) the next day. All Eugene had to do was brace   
himself and hope Kei knew what she was talking about.  
  
  
  
Quistis couldn't help but confess her own anxious curiosity to Eugene as   
they stood in one of the back corners of the Parking Garage. It was after   
lights out, and Eugene had unexpectedly brought her here about ten minutes   
before she would be considered breaking the rules. Rebelling like this was a   
unique thrill, but it was severely muzzled by the fact that she didn't know   
what they were doing or why. Eugene was the one in the lead; all she could do   
was follow.  
  
"Try to not make so much noise," Eugene said, his hands folded over his   
chest as he leaned against the wall. There, his tall stature was partially   
masked by the shadows. If either of them ran the risk of being spotted, it was   
him. Then again, Quistis' nervous fidgeting was liable to get some curious hall   
monitor coming their way to investigate what all the noise was about.  
  
Quistis nodded and tried not to shuffle about so much.  
  
All her pent-up excitement and energy had to be channeled somehow; it   
seemed wrong for her to have to keep it suppressed like this. She marveled at   
how calm Eugene was--though, in reality, Eugene was sweating bullets.  
  
"But what happens if the night patrol finds us?" Quistis asked.  
  
Eugene continued to scan the immediate area from where he stood. His   
battle parasol was in its harness and hanging down his back; Quistis had yet to   
ask him why he had it in the first place. He kept his voice to a low whisper as   
he answered, "Actually, Quistis, I'm counting on that."  
  
Abruptly the sound of slow, deliberate footsteps echoed across the   
deserted garage. With most of the main lights turned off the figure looked   
absolutely menacing as it drew closer, parts of it shifting in and out of the   
light.  
  
Quistis squeaked, and instinctively moved behind Eugene. However Eugene   
seemed strangely calm. "I see you cleared the garage as promised," Eugene   
remarked, nodding to Kei as she finally emerged from the shadows.  
  
"I'm a familiar face around here," Kei replied. "All I had to do was offer   
to make the rounds in the garage, and the patroller was happy to let me." She   
glanced down at Quistis, who was still hiding behind Eugene. "We'll have to   
skip the introductions until we're outside. There's a five minute window, and   
after that it'll be a lot harder to get out unnoticed."  
  
Eugene nodded and nudged Quistis out in front of him.  
  
Kei took the lead while Eugene took the rear.  
  
That left Quistis in the middle again, one or the other ensuring she would   
duck down when they ducked, or ran when they ran. To Quistis it felt strange   
doing this. Balamb Garden was designed to keep people from sneaking in, not   
sneaking out. Everyone who was in the Garden wanted to be there. Then again, it   
was fun to pretend like she was an actual SeeD, on a mission full of danger and   
intrigue.  
  
The rush Quistis felt was so unlike what she felt whenever she went with   
the guys into the Training Centre. This was something completely new, and she   
was enjoying it. What an adventure it was to get off the grounds after dark!   
Quistis did her best to mimic Eugene and Kei's movements as they slipped   
through the shadows and silently dashed across open areas. The hardest part was   
not to giggle or squeak in excitement when they had to stay quiet the entire   
time.  
  
After what felt like only two or three minutes (amazing how time was   
accelerated courtesy of adrenaline), they were outside of Balamb Garden and out   
of sight from any sentries, Eugene eased up.  
  
"Well, I think it's safe to finally say something outside of a hushed   
breath," he sighed, the worst of the tension (for now) leaving his system. It   
was a good thing Kei was escorting them; as a SeeD she could make up anything   
she wanted and very few would argue. She made for a very convenient contingency   
plan.  
  
"Quistis, meet SeeD Kei," he said, gesturing to Kei. "Since I'll be   
graduating soon, she'll be around to help you out. As a SeeD, Kei has a lot of   
pull around the Garden. She can give you a hand when we cadets have reached our   
limits."  
  
Quistis didn't know what to say apart from a meek, 'Thank you' as she   
shook Kei's hand. Kei had a firm, powerful grip, and Quistis bit her lip to try   
and stop from showing just how crushed her own hand was.  
  
Eugene gestured for Kei to say whatever else she wanted. His job was more   
providing a basis for introductions; from there, Kei would have to decide what   
she wanted to share with Quistis.  
  
"I'm also Xu's cousin," Kei added. The surprise on Quistis' face mirrored   
that on Eugene's. Of all the things for Kei to say, he hadn't expected that.   
"She spoke very highly of you," Kei continued. "I expect that in time I will be   
able to say the same, as well."  
  
Quistis nodded, and the group moved further from the Garden's outer   
perimeter.  
  
An apparently abandoned jeep was awaiting them just beyond the outskirts   
of the area. Kei pulled out the keys from one of her pockets. "It's easier to   
walk out of Balamb than drive," she stated. Besides, she had the jeep signed   
out for two full days, and since she was a SeeD no questions would be asked   
about what she did with it--unless she came back with only a few melted pieces   
of what used to be said jeep.  
  
"I assume you brought her rante?" Eugene asked Kei.  
  
The SeeD nodded. "It's in the back of the jeep. Did you make sure she   
brought her gloves?"  
  
Now it was Eugene's turn to nod. "She also brought along her spells. How   
effective they'll be against a GF has yet to be seen."  
  
Quistis looked from one to the other, the uneasy feeling creeping into her   
system that this all had something to do with her. Once they all piled into the   
jeep and drove off, Quistis dared to ask where they were going. "To the Fire   
Cavern," Kei answered. "You're going to be tested, Quistis."  
  
Any otherwise cool composure Quistis had managed to hold was lost. A look   
of unparalleled shock mirrored in her widening eyes. To enter the cave was one   
of final tests for a graduating cadet! She wasn't even close to being that. Her   
face showed her thoughts well enough: what were Kei and Eugene thinking?!  
  
She looked to Eugene, as if he might suddenly start laughing and tell her   
it was all a joke. But he was just as serious as Kei was. He was too tense for   
this to merely be a gag.  
  
"Consider this a test of your abilities, cadet Quistis," Kei said. "While   
your credentials are impressive, they are merely paper. If you succeed in the   
cavern, you will receive your GF--but that doesn't mean you graduate. Not yet,   
any ways."  
  
Quistis still didn't seem thrilled with the prospect.  
  
But Kei looked straight at her. "I'll watch your back. Trust me," she   
said, her voice indicating how much she meant every word.  
  
Eugene tried to remain cool and looked up at the sky. A bump in the road   
jostled his head, but he still kept his eyes fixated on the stars.  
  
He just hoped Quistis actually survived this and had the chance to   
graduate, period.  
  
  
  
A blast of intense heat caused Quistis to back away from the cavernous maw   
of the cave to gasp for breath. Intellectually she knew that it was a *fire*   
cavern, but that did little to prepare one for the heat. Eugene gave her a   
sympathetic smile as Kei fished something from the pack that was slung across   
her back. She handed each of them a water flask to fasten to their belts.   
They'd need to maintain their fluids while battling in the cavern.  
  
Eugene had to resist the urge to take Quistis back as he stared into the   
gaping hole in the earth. The scorched earth and crimson steam belching out   
from the entrance made it appear to be a gateway into hell itself. No wonder   
cadets were kept away from it until they were tested. Eugene scowled; he didn't   
have the slightest idea what awaited them in the underground. Breaking curfew   
and leaving the Garden unauthorized was one thing. But in here Quistis could   
get seriously hurt--or even killed. His eyes glanced over to Kei, who   
definitely looked determined for them to go through with this.  
  
"Out of frying pan and into the fire cavern," Eugene muttered to himself,   
unable to smile at his own half-hearted joke.  
  
Once everyone was ready, Kei led the way. Quistis' eyes traced along the   
cavern's walls with intense curiosity. She would have to look up the history of   
the cave and when it was formed when she returned to the Garden. With a gloved   
hand she reached out to touch a nearby rock.  
  
The rock suddenly moved.  
  
Quistis let out a startled squeak as she withdrew. Glowing eyes followed   
her, then the wings of the Buel that was resting along the wall spread. It gave   
a squawk of protest for being disturbed before taking to the air. A pair of Red   
Bats that had been hanging from the cavern's ceiling swooped down to assist   
their comrade.  
  
"The Buel uses low level element magic that you can draw from it. The bats   
are nothing more than a pest, so focus your attention on the ugly one," Kei   
advised.  
  
Ugly didn't begin to describe it in Quistis' opinion. Its head was at the   
center of its body with a pair of beady eyes and a pointed muzzle. Two pairs of   
three wings rotated behind it in opposite directions to keep it in the air. She   
wouldn't be surprised if there was magic behind its ability to fly. How it was   
keeping in the air didn't seem to be physically possible considering its wing   
configuration.  
  
Such thoughts were promptly knocked from her mind as a Red Bat dived at   
her, trying to rake across her face. Quistis guarded her head with her arms.   
Having it get caught in her hair was inviting disaster.  
  
The Red Bat hissed and ascended.  
  
As Kei had told her, Quistis ignored it. Her grip around the rante ber   
gangedug tightened as she saw the Buel charge, letting loose a high-pitched   
screech as it attacked. In the midst of the crimson hues and choking steam, the   
thing looked almost like a demon screaming towards her.  
  
From where he stood far behind Quistis, parasol ready to be deployed and   
deflect the Buel's attack, Eugene clenched his jaw. Kei on the other hand   
hadn't even bothered to unsheathe her katana.  
  
Suddenly Quistis glared at the attacking Buel and tried to give a shout   
that would rival its own battle cry. With a rapid motion she raised her rante   
and twirled the weapon before yanking down hard to bring the chain whip   
smashing into the ground. The speared end didn't slash the Buel, but it did   
club the creature right in the face. With a yelp the Buel's flight faltered and   
it crashed onto the cavern floor. In a vain attempt to rise it fluttered its   
wings and let out a pitiful whine. It wasn't going anywhere.  
  
The ease of her victory greatly surprised Quistis. She stepped forward,   
appraising the fallen Buel.  
  
"Take whatever you can from it," Kei stated, startling the young cadet out   
of her reverie. "And then move on. We don't have time to stand around." She   
turned to Eugene. "Stop being so damned intense; you'd think you were her   
brother or something."  
  
Eugene delivered a solemn gaze to Kei before he turned and walked over to   
Quistis. "In many ways, I am."  
  
They moved through the rest of the fire cavern at a good pace. It wasn't   
anywhere near as swift as a graduating SeeD would want, but naturally Quistis   
wasn't a graduating SeeD. About a half-hour later, Quistis found herself   
getting dizzy from all the heat. Her body was sweating profusely, making her   
entire uniform one damp unpleasant mess to walk around in. Her water bottle was   
empty, but Eugene had switched his full bottle with hers.  
  
On the positive side, all her training with fighting Grats had made Buels   
barely even a challenge for her--once she learned their fighting techniques.   
Soon no airborne creature had a chance to get beyond the outer range of her   
rante.  
  
After what seemed to be an exhausting eternity they reached the final   
chamber of the cavern. Somewhere on the other side, Ifrit awaited them.  
  
Kei called Quistis back, and gave the cadet a small polished stone.   
Quistis recognized it as GF Shiva's stone; Xu had one just like it. "You'll   
want to use this against Ifrit," Kei told her. "Summoning a GF is a lot like   
casting a spell: you need to concentrate."  
  
Quistis felt Shiva stir, a warm flux in the temperature of the stone.   
Shiva had sensed the changing of hands, but was too groggy to take notice since   
she had yet to be called upon. On the other hand, when she was handed the stone   
of Quezelcoatl, the GF took notice of its new owner. Quistis sensed a curious   
probing before Quezelcoatl decided it liked her.  
  
It appeared that the two Guardian Forces would co-operate with Quistis in   
fighting Ifrit. But that didn't make Eugene feel any easier. And the glare Kei   
gave him was enough to make him not press the issue. With that sort of look in   
Kei's eyes, Ifrit would be a more preferable adversary to fight against.  
  
They crossed into the final cavern.  
  
The stalagmites and stalactites were longer here and the high ceiling made   
the cavern seem almost hospitable. However, the heat generated from this   
chamber seemed to be what warmed the entire Fire Cavern. Only a third of this   
underground room was solid rock to stand on; the rest was one enormous pool of   
molten flames. There was some kind of lava pit in front of them, bubbling and   
churning scarlet and orange liquids all mixing together. The intense heat from   
the pit was staggering, the air almost too hot to breathe. Quistis had to pause   
and take a long drink from her water flask.  
  
Once she satisfied her thirst, her curiosity got the best of her. Quistis   
ventured forward to peer over the edge of the bubbling pit. Not exactly sure   
when or where Ifrit would be appearing from, Eugene started moving to a   
flanking position parallel to where Quistis stood. He glanced down at the fiery   
lake, and suddenly realized with a chill (despite the resident heat) how the   
Guardian Force would be making his appearance.  
  
"Don't get too close to the edge," Kei cautioned them both.  
  
Eugene glanced back at Kei, his parasol resting on his shoulder. He nodded   
and kept his distance from Quistis.  
  
Quistis, on the other hand, looked at them both in confusion. "Where's   
Ifrit?" she asked.  
  
She got her answer a few seconds later as the entire Fire Cavern seemed to   
rumble. Stones came loose from the ceiling and plummeted to the ground below.   
Both Quistis and Eugene leapt back from the edge of the flaming lake as the   
stones splashed down, spraying the molten liquid in all directions.  
  
"So," rumbled a voice. "You are here to challenge me, are you?"  
  
The flames crackling atop the surface of the molten lake burned even   
fiercer than before, doubling in numbers. The intense shudders of the Fire   
Cavern continued as the lava started to bubble violently. The lake swelled,   
pouring down in blurry cascades of liquid inferno. Steam flooded the area,   
driving the SeeD cadets further from the edge.  
  
And then out from beneath the surface of the fiery lake emerged Ifrit.   
Ifrit looked every bit an infernal demon. Its immense body resembled something   
out of a horror story: tall and muscular, long talons twitching on each hand,   
with a sloping head that resembled a dragon. A pair of horns corkscrewed out   
from the back of Ifrit's crimson head.  
  
Quistis felt her throat go dry as she tilted her head up and up and then   
up again, gaping in newfound terror at the sheer size of the GF. How could she   
possibly be expected to defeat something this monstrously huge with her tiny   
chain whip?!  
  
Ifrit scanned the trio, its growling breath echoing across the cavern. The   
low guttural sounds escaping its throat made it seem even more daunting. The GF   
was seeing who was the one chosen to fight against it. One look at Kei and   
Ifrit could sense she had already fought and defeated it before. The GF didn't   
even give her a second glance, now appraising Quistis and Eugene.  
  
"Very well," it stated, glaring at Eugene. "I accept your challenge."  
  
Eugene was startled by its acceptance of a challenge he was certain he   
hadn't made. "Wh-What? I ain't your challenger!" he shouted back, vehemently   
shaking his head. Given a few weeks, definitely.  
  
Ifrit leaned back, surprised. It turned to Kei with a quizzical   
expression; Kei simply pointed over to a paralyzed Quistis. The rogue GF almost   
seemed to do a double-take as it appraised the trembling adolescent in front of   
it. It looked back at Kei as if to silently ask 'Are you sure about this?'  
  
Kei nodded.  
  
With what sounded like a conceding sigh, Ifrit turned to Quistis. Its jaws   
opened to unleash a ferocious bellow, which shook the roof of the cavern. That   
more than anything else snapped Quistis back to attention, and she raced across   
the cavern to give herself more room to fight.  
  
Ifrit watched her move before letting loose with an explosive barrage of   
fireballs. Quistis' agility was put to the test as the GF hammered her   
relentlessly, the young cadet dodging the flaming balls as they struck the   
rocky terrain and erupted. The flames always died out quickly, but left in   
their place a small crater of scorched earth.  
  
At one point during the battle Quistis was singed by a blast from the   
fire. She cried out, the pain shooting through her arm unexpected and unwanted.   
Eugene stepped forward to defend her, but Kei glared at him so fiercely that   
even a rampant T-Rexaur would have shrunk back into a corner and complied.  
  
Quistis winced as she had to dive roll out of the path of yet another   
fireball, the uneven ground feeling harsh against her shoulder. She came out of   
her roll in a crouch, and saw an opening as Ifrit momentarily lost sight of her   
behind a burning fireball. Her fingers curled around Shiva's GF stone.  
  
It had been a long time since she had 'held' Shiva in her hand. At the   
time, Shiva seemed rather thrilled with all the petting it was receiving. As   
she closed her eyes and focused on calling upon Shiva, Quistis silently prayed   
that the GF would remember her.  
  
Shiva definitely recognized Quistis.  
  
The icy GF exploded from the stone in Quistis' hand, revealing herself to   
a startled Ifrit. Her whitened body was a stark contrast to the sunset hues of   
the Fire Cavern. But when Shiva just hovered there in the air and looked back,   
Quistis realized to her horror that she didn't know how to command a GF to   
perform a spell.  
  
Ifrit saw her hesitation, then unleashed a second wave--this one directed   
at Shiva. Shiva screamed as her body was pelted with her opposing element,   
trying to shield her face.  
  
Quistis' eyes widened as she saw the beating Shiva was taking, utterly   
helpless to say or do anything to intervene. She didn't know if a GF could be   
killed like a human, but she didn't want it to happen. Somewhere amidst the   
tears, anger and magic, Ifrit became a T-Rexaur in Quistis' eyes.  
  
With a cry mixed of rage, fear and desperation, Quistis projected   
everything she had towards her GF. Whatever managed to explode from somewhere   
deep within her channeled itself right into Shiva. The GF's body shimmered   
before she held out her hands and leveled a cyclone of wind, snow and ice at   
Ifrit. The attack was enough to send Ifrit stumbling back, reeling slightly   
from the impact.  
  
Kei straightened up as she witnessed the burst of magic from Quistis. This   
was something she had never seen happen so quickly before. If humans could bond   
tightly with their GFs in a moment's time, Quistis looked to have done so with   
Shiva.  
  
Shiva pummeled Ifrit with a second wave of Diamond Dust. The fire   
elemental roared with outrage, as though to shatter the icy case surrounding   
him with his voice alone.  
  
Quistis then summoned Quezelcoatl, and tried to repeat how she had given   
Shiva the command to attack. It worked, Quezelcoatl reacting instantly and   
throttling Ifrit with a Thunder Storm. She then alternated between the two,   
just as relentless as Ifrit had been at the start of the fight.  
  
Ifrit had no chance to attack when it had to direct all its efforts   
towards defending itself from Shiva and Quezelcoatl's spells. Soon its strength   
wore out, and Ifrit admitted its defeat.  
  
The air temperature in the Fire Cavern dropped considerably, a refreshing   
draft flooding the area and racing past Eugene and Kei. Satisfied with their   
near flawless victory, Shiva and Quezelcoatl returned to their stones. Quistis   
tightly gripped the stones, feeling each GF tingle her skin in celebration.  
  
But the battle had been won at a cost.  
  
Quistis dropped to her knees, and then collapsed on the ground. Kei and   
Eugene raced to her side, Eugene actually sliding across the loose dirt and   
rocks the last couple meters. He cradled her unconscious form in his arms,   
looking up at Kei.  
  
"Heat stroke," he said. "She's exhausted."  
  
"I don't blame her," Kei replied. "We should take her outside and make   
sure she's all right. I'd prefer not to have Doctor Kadowaki me ask me   
questions I'm not about to answer."  
  
Eugene bit his lip about saying this wouldn't have happened if they hadn't   
taken Quistis here in the first place. But truth be told, he was still in awe   
of having witnessed her defeat of Ifrit. The thrill and experience Quistis   
gained made his protests after the fact a moot point.  
  
Both he and Kei knew it.  
  
"Not many cadets have given me so much trouble," Ifrit rumbled, licking   
its wounds. It stared directly at Kei, and Kei simply crossed her arms over her   
chest. Something unspoken was shared between the two; Eugene had a healthy   
suspicion that Kei was one of those 'troublesome' cadets Ifrit had mentioned.  
  
Ifrit reached out and flicked something across the cavern. Kei's arm   
snapped forward and snatched the item out from the air. It was Ifrit's stone.  
  
"She has proven herself more than worthy of calling upon me," Ifrit   
stated, its body starting to sink back into the molten lake. "When she awakens,   
give that to her."  
  
Kei pocketed the Ifrit stone, and then gently removed Quezelcoatl and   
Shiva from Quistis' hands. The two GFs pouted upon their removal.  
  
"I'd say this was well worth the risk, don't you?" she asked Eugene.  
  
Eugene smiled wearily and nodded, though his own mind was preoccupied with   
something else. What he didn't like was how well Quistis had managed to command   
her GF even on a first-time basis. That wasn't the concern though, but again   
she was displaying some sort of incredible magic... and yet her training with   
Jessie still needed work. Why?  
  
He puzzled over that as he hoisted Quistis onto his back and carried out   
her out of the Fire Cavern. Kei brought up the rear, toting everyone's weapons.   
When the fresh, cold air of the night struck their faces, it was a very   
welcomed sensation.  
  
  
  
Quistis spent the next few days 'sick' in bed.  
  
Well... technically she was sick, Eugene reflected. She had lost a lot of   
fluids and was both physically and mentally exhausted. But he would have never   
dreamed of such a tiny thing utterly trouncing Ifrit. What a precedent she had   
set--even if they couldn't tell the other cadets about it.  
  
Doctor Kadowaki called it a nasty flu bug and had Quistis placed in the   
Infirmary. Quistis was put on an IV line until her body had replenished its   
fluids. For most of her time in recovery, Quistis was pretty groggy; yet   
whenever she was awake, she was smiling for some mysterious reason.  
  
"I don't care what the Doctor says," Jessie stated as he and Eugene kept   
vigil outside the Infirmary. "I've faked sick plenty of times to know my   
symptoms, and that is no flu virus." He turned to Eugene. "What's the story?"  
  
Eugene sighed, sticking his hands into his pockets. He turned his head   
away from Jessie and looked down the corridor. "You wouldn't believe me even if   
I told you," he answered.  
  
Doctor Kadowaki had demanded the same thing from him, and that was the   
answer he had given her. It definitely risked his graduating as a SeeD--had Kei   
not intervened. He had no idea what she told the Doctor, but the hammer had yet   
to fall on him.  
  
It looked like he was in the clear.  
  
Now he just had to worry about his own battle with Ifrit.  
  
  
  
Kei disappeared during the month of July, and for half of August. Quistis   
had managed to piece something together about Kei being asked to escort someone   
to the Anshin clan. As much as she wanted to see where Xu had grown up, she   
knew she had other obligations.  
  
The battle and victory against Ifrit had done wonders for her   
self-confidence. Jessie and LeVar both noticed something different about her,   
namely that Quistis was getting a little more aggressive in her work. The shy,   
reluctant passivity was being slowly eaten away and replaced with the maturity   
gained only by a profound experience.  
  
Eugene never did tell them what said experience was. And he made it a   
point that Quistis should never tell anyone else about it. She understood; more   
than only her would get in trouble for such a dangerous violation of Garden   
rules. He did add, though, that she could continue to work with Ifrit inside   
the Training Centre.  
  
He became her sole partner inside the Centre as much as he could afford to   
during his last two months, watching her get more proficient at summoning Ifrit   
and having the GF incinerate a pesky Grat. When Kei returned, he left the   
duties with her.  
  
Quistis had a number of questions to ask Kei about life in the Anshin   
clan; Xu had never really said much of anything about them. Kei proved to be   
even more tight-lipped. No love was lost between Kei and her abandoned   
heritage.  
  
Breaking up Squall and Seifer fights also became one of her regular   
duties. It was either happy coincidence or bad luck that she ran across them   
more often than not when they scuffled. Privately she wondered about their   
chances at graduation with the number of reprimands that must be on their   
records. Only time will tell with that pair.  
  
Time wasn't on her side at it swiftly came for Eugene to take his exams.  
  
Quistis had to race from one of her classes over to where the potential   
graduates were taking their written exam. Eugene walked out about twenty   
minutes later, and got a passing grade. His field test came two days later.  
  
During the interim, Quistis helped him pack up his things in his dorm   
room. "I'm going to miss seeing you around every day," he said to her as he   
removed some mementos from home and carefully placed them into a duffel bag.   
"You're the sister I never had."  
  
That surprised Quistis a little. The way Eugene behaved around her made it   
seem like she reminded him of a little sister. "Don't you have one?"  
  
"Nope," Eugene said, shaking his head. "I got two brothers: one younger   
and one older. They're all tending the family farm. I got nominated for the   
glory road; most the gil I'll be earning will go to support the farm. Machinery   
costs a lot these days."  
  
Quistis nodded, saddened all the more that he'd be leaving soon. But she   
had been through the same ordeal with Xu and made it out alive. This time it   
was different, though. Quistis felt a lot older than from what she had been   
almost nine months ago. And the changes had been all for the better.  
  
Eugene grinned as he paused to watch Quistis carefully fold some of his   
clothes up. It was an odd feeling, leaving a legacy like her behind. But now   
more than ever he felt certain Quistis would graduate a SeeD. With any luck,   
their paths would cross again in the future.  
  
  
  
Eugene paid her one final visit after the private graduation ceremony was   
held. Quistis was busy crushing Jessie at a game of Triple Triad in his and   
LeVar's dorm, with LeVar sprawled out on his bunk reading up for a report due   
in a few days.  
  
When Eugene strolled in unannounced, he was in a SeeD uniform and looked   
every bit the part.  
  
"I'll be damned," Jessie laughed as he stood up and patted Eugene on the   
shoulder. "You made it after all!"  
  
"Top of the class, no less," Eugene added, the pride in his voice unable   
to be hidden. "I was Squad Leader, and got the best field grade of them all."  
  
LeVar rolled out from his bunk and carefully stepped over the Triple Triad   
game. "It's going to be different with you not around anymore," he said,   
extending his hand. The two friends shook. "Who's going to help me keep Jessie   
in line?"  
  
"I don't know," Eugene admitted. "Maybe you should ask Quistis."  
  
Quistis' head snapped to attention as she stood alongside LeVar, waiting   
for her turn to say good-bye. She wrapped her arms around Eugene's thick chest,   
warmly hugging him as best as she could. "I'll never forget you," she said.  
  
Eugene hugged her, though tried not to crush her in his grip. "I'll miss   
ya too," he admitted, smiling fondly. He abruptly paused and glanced over at   
Jessie and LeVar, who were both grinning like Cheshire cats up to no good.  
  
"Awwww!" the two chorused, giving a wistful sigh.  
  
Eugene huffed, "The first time you two work together, and it's to mock me.   
There is no justice."  
  
Quistis had to giggle at that.  
  
"So what's the first mission?" Jessie asked, tossing an issue of Weapons   
Monthly off his desk to clear a place to sit.  
  
"I leave for Centra this afternoon," Eugene replied, finding a corner of   
the bunk bed to lean against. "At least I think it's the Centra Ruins.   
Something about a missing person. I don't know; they haven't given us much   
information about it."  
  
"Or else they've told you everything and you're not allowed to share,"   
LeVar countered.  
  
Eugene just shrugged. "That too."  
  
  
  
As the summer faded into fall, things changed in a gradual and subtle way   
for Quistis. Even with Eugene gone, Jessie and LeVar were busy keeping her a   
part of Garden life. Jessie was starting to make good on his word and introduce   
Quistis to a variety of his friends. These people treated her differently from   
when they had talked to her after Sean's death. Everyone seemed more sincere   
and friendly. A number of them invited Quistis to join them in their activities   
when she had some free time. Offers and challenges for Triple Triad abounded,   
as rumour of Quistis' growing skill at the game spread.  
  
And more than one female cadet fawned over how Jessie was being so   
selfless in being a surrogate big brother for her. Jessie played it for all he   
could, and managed to get a few nightly rendezvous in the process too.  
  
Much to Doctor Kadowaki's relief (not to mention Cid's), Quistis was   
making a lot of progress in her therapy sessions. Ripples from her duel against   
Ifrit had boosted the young cadet's self-confidence considerably, and much of   
the grief she had suffered in the wake of Sean's death was gone. It wasn't that   
Quistis had forgotten or suppressed the pain. Most importantly, she had learned   
to cope with it and move on.  
  
Quistis never really seemed to realize any of this, moving through her   
classes and training as any other cadet would have. On October fourth she   
celebrated her 13th birthday. Kei, LeVar and Jessie had hosted a surprise party   
in the Cafeteria about an hour before it closed. While there hadn't been that   
many presents to give to her, it was the laughter and friendship that Quistis   
appreciated the most.  
  
She was aware of how much a 'household' name she was becoming among her   
peers--but thanks to the earlier efforts from Sean and his friends, virtually   
all of the talk about her was incredibly positive.  
  
Trepie support was on the rise, and Jessie had made it his mission to get   
to know each female supporter personally. LeVar just rolled his eyes--though he   
admittedly had more contact with the ladies, who would always ask him how   
Quistis was doing.  
  
"At this rate, you might get a date before you graduate," Jessie once   
ribbed him. "Maybe the Fire Cavern will freeze over after all."  
  
"If that becomes the case," LeVar retorted, "I'll have Ifrit drive the   
zamboni machine and run you down."  
  
LeVar paused in his studies as he thought about a rather cute red-haired   
female cadet whom he had met thanks to Quistis' growing notoriety. His thoughts   
returned to his homework, and he started paging through the small stacks of   
books sprawled out on the table. Across from him, Quistis was doing her own   
research on a subject their study group had been assigned for a military   
history class.  
  
He watched Quistis from the corner of his eye as she squinted at the book   
on the desk. She paused in her reading to massage the bridge of her nose before   
getting back to it.  
  
"Headache?" he asked with modest sympathy.  
  
She nodded without looking up from her studies.  
  
"Do you get them often?" LeVar knew the answer, but kept it to himself. He   
had noticed this starting to happen more frequently to Quistis, but decided not   
to press the issue until Quistis brought it up. Now seemed like a good time to   
test out his suspicions.  
  
She shrugged. "Only when I'm studying. Maybe I'm thinking too hard?" She   
favored him with a small lopsided smile.  
  
He closed the book he was reading then walked over to the desk she was at   
and closed her book after marking the page. "Or perhaps it's something else.   
Let's go see Doctor Kadowaki."  
  
Confusion colored her face as she looked back at her book reluctantly.   
"I'm not sick. Why would I need to see the Doctor?"  
  
"Trust me."  
  
He picked up her books with his own and then gently guided her out of the   
Library.  
  
  
  
Jessie spun around in his chair and gave a wolf whistle as Quistis   
hesitantly entered the dorm room. "Not bad at all," he remarked, nodding his   
approval.  
  
"Are you sure?" Quistis asked, wrinkling her brow as she tried to get used   
to seeing the world through a pair of wire-rimmed glasses. LeVar's insistence   
that she see Doctor Kadowaki had result in the diagnosis that she was in need   
of glasses. Now Quistis would have to use them when she was studying, but not   
out in the field.  
  
"Reading glasses aren't just for old ladies," LeVar stated, nudging   
Quistis further into the room. "If anything, they give you an air of class and   
sophistication."  
  
Jessie drew a blank look before finally replying, "What he said.   
Seriously, Quistis, those glasses actually make you look really... pretty."  
  
Pretty.  
  
Skye had said the same thing upon seeing Quistis with her new glasses.   
Quistis wasn't sure how to interpret that; in the past, everyone described her   
petite appearance as being cute. Cute like a baby, or a puppy dog. Pretty was a   
descriptive word she had yet to grow accustomed to.  
  
Not that she was entirely objecting to it.  
  
After being praised by Jessie for a few more minutes, she had to excuse   
herself to get to a training session with her rante ber gangedug.  
  
"See you at the Cafeteria later tonight," LeVar said, waving to her as she   
left.  
  
Jessie's grin started to fade when Quistis closed the door behind herself.   
"So... you noticed it too?" he inquired solemnly.  
  
LeVar nodded. "Yeah."  
  
The two guys looked around the room, expecting the other to give a   
suggestion first. LeVar seemed to find something fascinating amidst the piles   
of books on his desk. Jessie took to counting the dots on the ceiling tiles.  
  
"We need to do something," LeVar said finally.  
  
Jessie tipped his head back, putting distance between himself and his   
roommate. "Why are you looking at me like that?"  
  
"For Quistis' sake, it has to be done."  
  
"I know that," Jessie replied, growing more agitated. "But I just don't   
think I'm the guy to do it. This is out of our league."  
  
"What about Kei?"  
  
Jessie almost laughed out loud. "Forget it! I'd rather face this thing   
alone than risk giving Kei a reason to kick my ass. I know Eugene told us she'd   
make a valuable contact, but even still," he pointed to LeVar. "You've talked   
with her more than I have; you know her better!"  
  
At this rate, they were going to be stuck at an impasse. By the time they   
came up with a solution, odds were it would already be too late to handle the   
situation properly. Or at least as properly as they could try.  
  
LeVar held out a gil. "Heads, I speak with Kei. Tails it's your duty."  
  
"Ha! You've already lost," Jessie laughed confidently. "I've never lost a   
coin toss, and we both know it."  
  
  
  
Kei was waiting for Jessie when he entered the Library just before closing   
time the next evening. She briefly looked him over before getting down to   
business. "I don't usually meet with you," she stated. "What happened to your   
friend?"  
  
Jessie shrugged, hands shoved deep into his pockets. "LeVar's with Quistis   
in their study group and I lost the coin toss. Look, Eugene told us that if we   
needed certain things regarding Quistis, we should come to you."  
  
Jessie seemed incredibly nervous around Kei, which was warranted in a   
sense. Usually LeVar was the one to make contact with Kei. Besides that Kei had   
quite the 'queen bitch' reputation if you got on her bad side. But Kei could   
sense there was something else that was making him agitated.  
  
"And what is it?" she asked.  
  
Jessie's eyes snapped back to fixate on her, and then he looked away to   
some of the books as if they were more interesting. After a little hemming and   
stuttering, he managed to sputter out an, "Um..."  
  
"Well?" Kei pressed, quite ready to smack him in order to get the answer.  
  
"She's getting breasts, okay?" Jessie hissed, his face turning a shade of   
red. "There, I said it. You happy now?"  
  
For once, Kei was caught by surprise.  
  
She could only blink at the cadet in front of her.  
  
Jessie was still visibly uncomfortable about the whole matter, but pressed   
on regardless. "Look, Quistis is going to need some kind of bra, and the only   
experience I have is in taking them off--and that's bloody hard to do as it   
is!"  
  
Kei suppressed the urge to really smack Jessie, but he had a disturbingly   
valid point. Quistis was on the verge of puberty, and her body would start   
going through a lot of physical changes. She was already starting a noticeable   
growth spurt. Guaranteed the men she hung out with wouldn't know the first   
thing about how to handle this. Jessie's flustered state only served to further   
prove the point.  
  
Now it looked like she was getting stuck with the 'job' of guiding Quistis   
into womanhood.  
  
"So why come to me?" Kei asked. "Why not go to Skye? She is Quistis'   
roommate after all."  
  
"Because I'm having a hard enough time with you as it is," Jessie said,   
getting more exasperated with the entire discussion as time went on. "I know   
you a little better thanks to Eugene, but I've barely even talked to Skye. At   
least with you, I relatively know where I stand."  
  
And currently it felt like it was in deep shit.  
  
Against her better wishes, Kei agreed to quietly take care of the matter.   
A very relieved Jessie bowed slightly to her and then quickly left the Library.  
  
Kei shook her head, wondering what she had gotten herself into. Xu would   
be better equipped to handle things like this. Hell, even as a child Kei had to   
be physically forced into the traditional female dress of the Anshin (cohesion   
wasn't nearly enough). And she never went for the dress styles that were common   
in this part of the world. In fact, she was so set against the idea that she'd   
rather walk around naked first.  
  
  
  
"C'mon Quistis, we're going to town." Kei tried to sound enthused by the   
prospect, but it came out forced. She'd rather spend the day fighting Grats   
barehanded than take Quistis to Balamb for a shopping trip, but it had to be   
done.  
  
Quistis didn't argue the unannounced trip. She had been looking for   
something to do. She was ahead in her studies and had planned on wasting the   
rest day away by playing Triple Triad. It was strange for Kei to seek her out.   
Her curiosity was piqued as to what prompted it.  
  
As it turned out, Kei had signed a jeep out for their excursion. Quistis   
enjoyed the ride, letting the wind play with her hair. The best part about this   
was knowing that she didn't have to worry about wearing her glasses; they would   
only get in the way.  
  
Kei glanced over to the pre-teen sitting next to her. Now that it was   
brought to her attention, she could see the subtle curves beginning to   
distinguish themselves from the shapelessness of childhood. Quistis would be   
beautiful once she matured, there was no doubt of that in Kei's mind. She   
couldn't mess today up, not if she was going to show the girl the joys of being   
a woman... at least, that's the impression Xu gave.  
  
It took her by surprise when Quistis readily agreed to go to Balamb with   
her alone. Had a bond between them formed after their Fire Cavern adventure?   
No, at best Kei was a shallow replacement for her cousin. If anything, Quistis   
was extending some of the trust she granted Xu to her.  
  
Such a trusting child...  
  
"What are we doing today?" Quistis asked once Kei had found a place to   
park.  
  
Kei made a show of wrinkling her brow as she considered it. "We should   
probably start with some clothes shopping," she suggested.  
  
"Clothes shopping?" the younger asked. Kei simply nodded and began walking   
towards downtown Balamb where there were plenty of shops clustered together. It   
might be possible to get everything done there without having to leave the   
immediate area.  
  
Neither of them wore any clothing that identified them as being from the   
Garden. Kei wore a pair of faded blue jeans and a white tee shirt. A stylish   
jacket was worn overtop the shirt to add a bit of flavor to the outfit. Quistis   
watched her curiously as she brushed her hair back with her left hand and ran   
it down her neck.  
  
Kei had dryly suggested that Quistis try wearing something other than a   
uniform when they went to town. Quistis wasn't as obsessive about keeping her   
nice clothes nice as Xu was, after all. This suggestion demonstrated Quistis'   
plight quite plainly. She'd grown so much that none of her civilian clothes fit   
her properly. Buying something that was her size would be a top priority.  
  
The first shop they went in was one of the larger clothing outlets in   
Balamb. Kei frowned slightly then stood up on her tiptoes to scan the room for   
the department she wanted.  
  
"Ah, follow me," Kei told her companion. They went to the back of the   
store, which was sectioned off from everything else. It was the undergarment   
department.  
  
Quistis flushed slightly as she turned her eyes away from the various   
styles of panties and bras on display. Kei took no notice of this and continued   
even further into the depths with her in tow. Stopping in front of one rack,   
Kei examined the items it held until finding one that matched what she was   
searching for and pulled it out.  
  
"Here, try this training bra on and tell me if it's loose," she   
instructed.  
  
Quistis shuffled even more and turned away with the bra held awkwardly in   
her grasp.  
  
Kei folded her arms across her chest with annoyance. "It's not going to   
eat you. There's no doubt that you're going to get bigger; you'll grow into it.   
We need to know what size to start off with."  
  
Quistis flushed even more. "You didn't tell me that we came to Balamb for   
this," she whispered harshly. Why did she feel so embarrassed all of a sudden?   
She'd undressed in the locker room with other girls around plenty of times. But   
her body was *changing*, she could see it as much as she could feel it. It made   
her feel awkward, ungainly, and equally embarrassed when her classmates noticed   
the differences.  
  
The SeeD's stance softened. "I'm sorry. You'll feel better about this trip   
and about yourself by the end of today, I promise."  
  
Quistis' eyes met her own. They clearly said that she shouldn't promise   
things that she couldn't deliver. Kei put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a   
small squeeze. "Trust me, Quistis."  
  
The girl looked down at the bra still clinched in her fist. Kei had asked   
that same thing in the Fire Cavern and hadn't failed her then. "Okay..."  
  
Abruptly a saleswoman conveniently presented herself to show Quistis to a   
changing room. Kei continued to politely glance through the various items   
available for purchase.  
  
  
  
While Quistis received some impromptu (and much needed) instruction from   
the saleswoman, Kei had little else to do. She wanted to stay close to Quistis   
just as a precaution, but in a section like this there wasn't much to browse   
that could snag her interest.  
  
Something else caught Kei's eye, however: namely a cute girl looking at   
some lingerie that left very little to the imagination. Kei's imagination went   
places it shouldn't before she gave herself a mental shake. 'I'm here to help   
Quistis, not go cruising for chicks,' she scolded herself firmly.  
  
  
  
As Quistis learned how to put on and wear her training bra, the saleswoman   
took a brief moment to glance over at Kei. She watched the young man that had   
brought the girl in the changing room into the store. His selection for   
training bras had been several sizes too large for the girl. At least he wasn't   
shying away from the subject as she had seen many fathers do. Odd that there   
was very little resemblance between the girl and the young man. It shouldn't   
surprise her though. After the war, the broken shards of many families were   
reformed into a new whole. The girl having a loving father figure was all that   
really mattered.  
  
  
  
Nearly an hour passed while Kei waited. The saleswoman took it upon   
herself to help Quistis find something that was appropriate. She then went the   
even further by explaining some of the physical changes Quistis was going to   
experience in the upcoming months. For that, Kei was grateful.  
  
Putting the bill on the Garden's account, Kei paid for the bras and then   
held onto the bag as she and Quistis left the store. They wandered around the   
arcade area, doing a bit of window browsing before they hit the next store.  
  
Kei slowed down as she peered into the Weapon Smith's shop window. There   
was a finely crafted blade sitting on display. Quistis gave her hand a small   
tug to keep her moving and Kei whimpered on the inside. She wanted to admire   
the weapons, not go clothes shopping.  
  
By late morning Quistis' wardrobe had been somewhat replenished, though   
Kei had admittedly been of little help when it came to seeing what sort of   
typically female clothes best suited Quistis. The cadet seemed to take it in   
stride, and at the store had paraded around in a very pretty dress like she was   
in a fashion show.  
  
Even though it cost more than Kei would have preferred, she still bought   
it for Quistis. Balamb would pick up the tab. And Kei dared someone to try and   
have Quistis return the dress after seeing the smile on her face as she tried   
the gown on for the first time.  
  
Kei was ready to call it a day and return to the Garden when Quistis began   
to ask her something.  
  
"Kei?" Quistis shuffled along the sidewalk with her bag of clothes held in   
front of her.  
  
"Hum?" the SeeD asked. Kei glanced at her watch and noticed that lunch   
time was fast approaching, but they'd eaten a late breakfast. Quistis shouldn't   
be hungry just yet.  
  
Quistis stopped walking. "Could I, um..." Shuffle. "I'd like to..."   
Squirm. Quistis blushed and stared down at her toes.  
  
'She's picking up Jessie's bad habits,' Kei thought darkly.  
  
"What is it, Quistis?" she asked gently. Different people required   
different approaches to drag answers out of them. Smacking Quistis around   
wouldn't have nearly the effect that it did on Jessie, nor would she want to   
face the wrath of Xu for doing such a thing.  
  
"I'd like to get my ears pierced," she said in a barely audible whisper.  
  
Kei rocked back on her heels. 'Well, well, if this isn't a surprise. What   
to do?' She smirked and began walking again.  
  
"Let me ask you something first," she drawled. "Why do you want to?"  
  
Quistis blinked, then quickly caught up to the SeeD. "Why? Um... because   
it's what girls do."  
  
"Not Xu," Kei pointed out.  
  
"Ah..." Quistis bit down on her lower lip as she tried to come up with   
another reason. "Because I want to."  
  
"Why?"  
  
The girl scowled, her forehead furrowing in thought. She didn't know why.  
  
"Did you know that in some parts of Winhill babes have their ears pierced   
with a needle no more than a year after birth?" Quistis shook her head. "Body   
piercing isn't something that the Anshin practice at all. That's why Xu doesn't   
have hers pierced. Point in fact, some cultures view it as a rite of passage   
for womanhood."  
  
Quistis continued to follow her with a look of polite interest. Kei had   
her hooked now; curious to know where she was going with this. "What culture is   
that?"  
  
"Yours, Quistis," Kei dug her hands into her pocket and laughed at the   
startled expression on the cadet's face. Balamb Garden was such a melding pot   
of ideas and people that Quistis often forgot the differences in her friends'   
backgrounds. Or that her homeland was different than theirs. To her, they were   
all from Balamb.  
  
"So I guess that the real question is: are you ready to become a woman?"   
Kei peered at her through narrowed eyes.  
  
Quistis was visibly startled by this turn of events. She thought they were   
just going clothes shopping. The prospect of facing this stage in her growth   
was unexpected, but at the same time delightfully frightening. She wanted be an   
adult. She wanted to be a SeeD.  
  
"I'm ready," she answered with less resolve than she was feeling. Why did   
her voice have to crack? Was it because of the fear that was balled up in her   
stomach all of a sudden? Now was the time to prove that she was ready to be a   
woman.  
  
Kei noticed the cracking of her voice, but said nothing. They continued   
walking as the SeeD lead the way. "It hurts, you do realize. Not as much as   
some things--like a beating delivered by Xu after she's discovered that you've   
eaten the last apple around for kilometers. But still, it isn't a pinch on the   
arm either."  
  
Quistis refrained from laughing at the voice of experience. She couldn't   
imagine Xu becoming upset over an apple unless Kei had done something to   
provoke her to that point. Logic itself said that pain would be involved. The   
act involved forcing a foreign object through sensitive flesh. Logic couldn't   
justify all of this, but it could certainly try.  
  
"You're actually getting off pretty easy. Thank goodness you weren't born   
Anshin," Kei nodded her head firmly.  
  
"Why's that?" she asked. Xu never spoke this much about her homeland.   
Quistis was glad that Kei was in the talkative mood. Admittedly, she'd gone   
through every book in the Library that even mentioned Centra with hopes of   
learning more about the place Xu was from. There was a lot of ancient history.   
Considering that it was the 'birthplace' of modern civilization before the   
monsters drove people to the continents of Galbadia and Esthar, that was to be   
expected. But there wasn't much information to be found covering the last 70   
years or so. Modern history of the Centra continent was a completely blank   
slate.  
  
"Ask Xu." Kei shook her head with bemusement then added, "I never grew   
up."  
  
Quistis wasn't sure how to take that, so she tucked it away for later   
consideration.  
  
The shop Kei led them into was a small one. A matronly looking woman stood   
behind a glass counter that held all sorts of jewelry and makeup.  
  
Kei nudged Quistis forward. "You should ask her about makeup as well," she   
suggested. The woman smiled kindly at Quistis and began to speak about what   
shades would go best with her fair skin. Quistis absorbed the lesson on colors   
as Kei patiently stood back and watched.  
  
'This is going better than I expected,' she thought smugly. At this rate,   
she could squirm out of nearly every 'lesson' Quistis needed. She already   
planned on saddling Kadowaki with explaining the changes Quistis' body would be   
going through in the upcoming years. Boys wouldn't become much of an issue   
(through either Quistis' disinterest or Kei's discouragement of guys on the   
prowl) until Xu returned. Once her cousin was back, she could explain the finer   
points of courtship.  
  
Quistis abruptly turned around to ask Kei a question, breaking her free of   
her private thoughts. "Do you wear makeup?"  
  
Kei blanched. "No."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
'Because it's stupid,' Kei thought silently before coming up with a better   
answer. "It's not the Anshin way."  
  
"But doesn't Xu...?"  
  
"......"  
  
Quistis had her there. Though she got only a half point since her cousin   
was rather reserved about it. Xu only bothered to put light makeup on when she   
knew she wasn't going to be training that day.  
  
Kei jutted her chin towards the woman at the counter, trying to distract   
Quistis from that line of questioning. "Get what answers you can. You'll learn   
more from her than from me."  
  
That was the truth put bluntly. The two spoke for what seemed like forever   
about things that held no interest for Kei. She amused herself by looking at   
the items in the glass cases lining the shop walls, but that grew tiresome   
before long. So she stood back with her arms crossed and waited for the girl   
talk to subside. She'd nearly lulled herself into a standing sleep when the   
woman behind the counter called for her to come over.  
  
"You're her guardian?" She asked.  
  
"One of them. It takes a Garden to raise a SeeD, you know." She smirked at   
her own pun. The woman smiled hesitantly, moving past the awkward pause that   
followed.  
  
"Sign here," she pushed some papers across the counter, release forms and   
the like. Kei glanced over at Quistis to see if her nerve had dissolved. From   
the look on her face, it hadn't. Kei signed the papers after giving her   
companion one more, long look. Quistis returned her gaze with her shoulders   
back and her head held high.  
  
She was scared shitless.  
  
While the woman worked, Kei considered how it could be worse. The process   
was a refined one that reduced the discomfort involved to a minimum. After the   
ear was pierced a Cure spell was cast with the stud still in place. This sped   
along the scaring process and the holes were healed almost immediately.  
  
Kei shook her head mentally while thinking of how the Anshin would   
complicate the process if they practiced it. Their stubborn belief that most   
wounds should be healed naturally over time would only increase the chance of   
infection and make the person's ears ache for days (if not weeks) afterwards.   
It was stupid. Then again, they were stupid, so it's for the better that they   
never picked up the practice.  
  
To her credit, Quistis didn't so much as flinch. Not that Kei expected her   
to. By now Garden training had significantly increased her pain threshold.   
She'd faced Grats, Bombs, Buels, and the Guardian Force Ifrit--and survived.   
This was child's play for her.  
  
It was time to acknowledge that she'd grown up.  
  
Quistis tried not to touch the studs in her ears. The unusual weight and   
slight sting were sensations that she would quickly become accustomed to, but   
it was tempting to fiddle until the newness wore off. Kei chuckled lightly as   
she guided her charge to their next stop. There wasn't much more left for them   
to do in Balamb and they still had yet to visit Kadowaki today.  
  
  
  
Jessie was seated on the floor his back against the wall and his arms   
propped up on his knees. Next to him, LeVar was just as anxious as he leaned   
against the wall. From their vantage point, they could see the Infirmary door   
down the hallway.  
  
Earlier on in the day, they had discovered that Quistis was strangely   
absent from all her usual haunts. A few choice inquiries clued them in that Kei   
had taken Quistis out for the day. Given Jessie's recent conversation with Kei,   
it wasn't hard to guess why.  
  
Their own academic obligations had prevented either of them from going to   
Balamb and shadowing Kei. That, and the fact that the SeeD would surely notice   
being followed by two amateurs. Jessie and LeVar liked their internal organs   
right where they were. So both cadets had simply sulked around the Garden until   
they learned Kei and Quistis had returned.  
  
The trail of witnesses ended at the Infirmary.  
  
"So, you still think Kei will pull it off after all?" LeVar asked.  
  
Jessie could only shrug. "I haven't the slightest idea. This is the first   
time I've actually made a bet where I didn't know the odds. This could go   
either way."  
  
LeVar nodded slightly, still focused on the closed Infirmary door. "You   
backing out, then?"  
  
"Hell no!" Jessie snapped, jumping to his feet. "You know me: when I'm in,   
I'm in 'til the end. We've got twenty gil riding on this."  
  
LeVar winced, checking the corridor to make sure no one else was around to   
hear them. "Keep it down a little, will you?" he hissed to his roommate. "If   
Kei finds out we're betting on how she does with... explaining things to   
Quistis, not even Cid will be able to find our bodies."  
  
"I still think we could have had an underground pool going with the   
Trepies," Jessie argued.  
  
"You want to risk that much of a leak?"  
  
"Nah. That gives Kei more bodies to hide. With any luck, when she maims   
everyone else, that'll give me sufficient time to escape to someplace a little   
more inviting. Like Galbadia Garden."  
  
LeVar abruptly motioned for silence as the door to the Infirmary opened.   
Kei and Quistis stepped out.  
  
"Thank you for your time, Doctor," Kei said, warmly shaking Kadowaki's   
hand. "It was good of you to help out."  
  
"That's two you owe me," the Doctor stated.  
  
A smirk tugged at the SeeD's lips. "When Quistis graduates, we'll call it   
even."  
  
LeVar and Jessie quickly ducked around the corner to avoid being seen. The   
two females went the opposite way down the corridor, so the guys didn't have to   
scamper off and find a new hiding place.  
  
Jessie was pouting in the aftermath. "No fair," he muttered to LeVar. "Kei   
cheated! She let everyone else tell Quistis about... maturity. "  
  
"And that's twenty gil you owe me," LeVar added with a smirk. "Told you   
she'd get it done one way or the other."  
  
"If you had seen her reaction when I told her about Quistis needing a   
training bra, you'd have placed your bet with me," Jessie said dryly. His eyes   
narrowed as he saw LeVar abruptly chuckle. "And what's so funny?"  
  
LeVar reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a single gil coin. He   
handed it over to Jessie. Upon a quick examination of the coin, Jessie's eyes   
widened. He glared at LeVar.  
  
"You used a two-headed coin on me, you bastard?! I nearly wet myself when   
I had to approach Kei!" He crossed his arms over his chest and deliberately   
turned away from his roommate. "As compensation for my mental anguish, I demand   
that we call this bet a draw."  
  
"Suit yourself," LeVar replied.  
  
Sure it meant not being able to collect another twenty gil from his   
friend, but the look on Jessie's face before and after his talk with Kei had   
been so worth it.  
  
  
  
By the end of the year, Kei had become a familiar face among Quistis' core   
group of friends. Granted there was some obvious distance (not to mention   
tension) between Kei, and LeVar and Jessie. But that was to be expected between   
actual SeeDs and SeeD cadets. Quistis enjoyed having another female to talk to;   
Skye was frequenting their dorm room less and less. Quistis usually saw Skye   
when the elder cadet was sleeping.  
  
In fact, it took quite a bit of effort on Quistis' part to find one of   
Skye's studying hangouts. There was something she wanted to ask the older   
cadet and had finally built up the nerve to approach her. Quistis wasn't a   
meek person by nature, but some subjects were more painful than others were...  
  
Upon seeing Quistis home in on her, Skye stacked up the books next to her   
on the bench to make room for Quistis. There were so many benches throughout   
the Garden that Skye could take up an entire one and not feel guilty for   
monopolizing it.  
  
"What's up?" Skye asked.  
  
Quistis looked at her hands that were folded tightly on her lap. Now that   
she was here, her resolve was wavering. Did she want to know that bad..?   
"Please tell me about home."  
  
Skye gave her a puzzled look. "Huh?"  
  
"Tell me about Cottage Grove."  
  
"Oh," Skye breathed softly. After their first encounter, she made it a   
point to never mention their hometown in front of Quistis. And until now,   
Quistis had shown no interest in having the status quo change.  
  
Quistis understood Skye's hesitation. She probably didn't even know where   
to start. "Is it nice there?" She prompted.  
  
"Eh... Yeah. Lake Obel is beautiful during the summer. There's a   
festival held at the lake's shore every year. Everyone in the village goes to   
it, even the old grannies whom you never see leave their porches." Skye   
abruptly closed her mouth. Talking about the lake where Quistis' parents died   
in such fond terms probably wasn't a good idea.  
  
"How many people live there?"  
  
"I don't know exactly. Maybe a couple hundred? The Mayor could give you   
the exact count. Or the lady at the general store, she knows all the gossip   
and whatnot."  
  
"Too small of a village for you?"  
  
Skye smiled slightly and nodded. "Too slow. It'd be a nice place to   
retire or raise kids, but it's no fun for people our age.  
  
"Now let me ask you a question. Why are you curious all of a sudden?"  
  
Quistis bowed her head. "I don't remember it, not even the lake.   
Probably because I was so young when I went to the orphanage. I wanted to know   
what it was like there."  
  
"Oh."  
  
They sat in silence for several minutes before Quistis got up and walked   
away. Skye watched her go with an odd feeling of sadness. It must be horrible   
to not remember where you're from.  
  
  
  
It was in early December that Jessie invited Quistis to join his family   
for the winter break. Beforehand he brought the idea to Kei, who needed a   
little cajoling (and a lot of nerve from Jessie) to finally give her approval.   
It only came when Jessie playfully said that if Kei was that protective she   
could come along with Quistis.  
  
Turned out she agreed to those terms.  
  
Jessie hadn't expected that, but the SeeD had called his bluff. And he   
really did want for Quistis to get out from Balamb and see a little of the   
world during her break. Jessie also managed to recover some of his pride by   
telling Kei that he could also provide travel fare for all three of them.  
  
"It's my invitation," he said as he explained his logic. "If you can't get   
there on your own, it's my duty to escort you there myself."  
  
The location of Jessie's hometown was in the Wilburn Hill region,   
southwest of Deling City. The day after the winter break began, the three took   
a train heading to Deling City. Jessie also took some time to show them around   
the city.  
  
Quistis felt strange as she was escorted through part of the downtown   
core. This was the place where she had spent some of her childhood before going   
to Balamb Garden. Scattered memories seemed to be lurking everywhere. But   
everything she looked at seemed a little smaller than she remembered.  
  
"How are you going to get to Wilburn Hill?" Kei demanded evenly as Jessie   
led them into a small building. From the start he had only said 'Trust me!'   
when it came to the travel arrangements. So far he had come through, but Kei   
didn't like not having control of a situation.  
  
There was no train that they could take to the plateaus, and renting a car   
in Deling City would be costly. If he said they were going to walk or   
hitchhike, she'd slug him on the spot.  
  
"Afternoon!" Jessie called loudly, waving to the man behind the desk like   
they were best friends. "de Bono, it's been a while!"  
  
The man in question was tall and thin, and looked slightly cadaverous with   
his pale, gaunt face. He broke out into a broad, toothy grin when he saw   
Jessie. "Damn, you mean they still haven't kicked your sorry ass out of the   
Garden yet?"  
  
Jessie leaned on the counter as the two guys shook hands. "It's all a   
matter of making sure you never get caught."  
  
Obviously old friends, Jessie took some time catching up on recent events   
with de Bono. He also introduced Quistis and Kei. de Bono looked Kei up and   
down with a lopsided grin on his face.  
  
"Interesting pick," he remarked to Jessie. "I take it you're going for   
stamina this time around."  
  
Quistis didn't get the joke.  
  
Kei wasn't sure if she did either.  
  
But Jessie's eyes widened, and he coughed to divert everyone's attention   
from the remark. "The car ready?" he asked.  
  
"Ah, yes," de Bono said, briskly walking around back. He returned a few   
moments later with a set of keys and an ID pass. "The usual red tape applies,   
Jessie. Present the ID to the officer in the lot and you can take your car."  
  
Jessie grinned as he spun the keys around his index finger. "Pleasure   
doing business with ya." He glanced over at Kei. "I do this every break, so I   
know the employees rather well."  
  
"Isn't it expensive to rent a car for the break?" Quistis had to ask.  
  
"Nah," Jessie said, waving her worries aside. "This isn't a rental place;   
it's a safe deposit lot for cars. My dad does a lot of business in Deling City,   
so he gets dropped off here and then takes the car out for however long his   
business trips are."  
  
Kei gave him a curious look as they headed out back to the car. The   
vehicle in question was very nice. While it wasn't a luxury car, it was built   
for durability and strength. It resembled a cross between Galbadian military   
jeeps and a small tank. The paint job was black, and inside had a surprisingly   
large amount of room. "It's called a hummer," Jessie supplied helpfully as   
Quistis was at a loss as to what to call the small, cannonless tank.  
  
Even at their departure from Deling City, Quistis could see the ominous   
outlines of the plateaus known as Wilburn Hill. This was also the name of the   
town and region, though she wasn't exactly sure why. Wilburn Hill was more   
referring to the base of the cliffs rather than the cliffs themselves.  
  
"It's kinda funny when you think about it," Jessie remarked as they drove   
along down the main road. "The entire area that isn't surrounded by ocean is   
surrounded by the Great Plains of Galbadia. The cliffs are the only real   
attraction around here."  
  
One of the main roads that criss-crossed wasn't too far away from the   
mouth of the valley the town of Wilburn resided in. The distance might have   
been around fifteen kilometers.  
  
'Double that distance and you're at the Galbadia Missile Base,' Kei   
thought ruefully. Ever since they had been in Deling City, it had taken a lot   
of effort on her part to not dwell on all the problems with Galbadia. She had   
wished to visit Xu, but her obligations to Quistis came first. Besides, Quistis   
seemed thrilled to learn that Kei was coming along on the trip.  
  
She doubted Quistis knew how much pulling Jessie had to do to get either   
of them to join him in the first place.  
  
The distinguishing feature of Wilburn Hill was that it was surrounded on   
three sides by towering cliffs, making it resemble a cubbyhole. The cliffs on   
two sides led straight into the ocean... once you actually got over them. The   
vertical ascent was daunting, and no doubt provided a number of thrill seekers   
and adrenaline junkies a rush to scale the height.  
  
As she sat in the passenger seat, staring out at the landscape swiftly   
passing them by, Quistis noticed how everything around here was low grass and   
dirt. There were no forests, and it didn't look like they would be near a large   
river or lake--or even the ocean. It was definitely different from the Balamb   
continent.  
  
They were fast approaching an area where the land started to noticeably   
drop in altitude. Or at least one part of it did. A shadow fell over the   
vehicle as it followed its course towards the base of the steep cliffs. As far   
as Quistis could tell, they were being swallowed up on all three sides.  
  
Up ahead loomed the town of Wilburn. It had many different levels, a   
majority of the houses and buildings fitting the landscape rather than altering   
the landscape to fit the town. Jessie gave them a brief driving tour before   
heading over to his house.  
  
"Well, here we are," Jessie announced, pulling the hummer in front of a   
rather impressive and expensive home. There were at least two floors that could   
be seen, as well as a large front garden full of flowers, trees and fountains.   
Everything was enclosed with a large iron wrought gate that swung upon for   
them.  
  
Jessie parked the hummer next to three other vehicles and everyone got   
out. SeeD training had conditioned all of them to pack lightly; only Jessie had   
an extra duffel bag. He told Quistis that it contained peace offerings to   
appease his siblings.  
  
Kei tried to mask her confusion as she looked up at the grand manor. She   
would have never imagined someone like him to live in a place this luxurious.  
  
"I know what you're thinking," Jessie remarked, looking up at the house   
himself. Ensuring neither one had to make eye contact gave Kei the dignity of   
not having to look at his quiet smirk. "'If he's this loaded, why is he in a   
Garden?'"  
  
Jessie shrugged at the question. "My dad runs a mining operation that   
extracts ore on one side of the cliffs. Both he and my mother have supported my   
petition to be a SeeD from the start."  
  
"So why did you want to be a SeeD in the first place?" Quistis asked.  
  
Jessie took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. "Fact is, when you have   
four younger sisters, you want to get out of the house as fast as you can."  
  
The front door was opened shortly after, and a large man who looked like   
an older version of Jessie stepped out. His beaming smile was unmistakable as   
he hoisted his son off the ground in a fierce bear hug. "Good to have you back,   
Jessie!" he exclaimed through parental laughter.  
  
Jessie's mother came outside, wiping her hands clean on an apron. Since   
Jessie was currently getting the life squeezed out of him, Kei and Quistis were   
the first people she saw. "Ah, so our guests have arrived."  
  
Jessie's father grinned and playfully ribbed his son. "I see you've   
managed to snag a SeeD, no less. Impressive."  
  
Kei could barely contain the look of stunned disbelief on her face. Forget   
the fact that for once she wasn't mistaken as a guy--but to be considered   
Jessie's girlfriend!  
  
Jessie blanched and vehemently shook his head. "Um, Dad, she's not my   
girlfriend."  
  
Upon hearing that, Jessie's mother leaned forward and gave Quistis a quick   
appraisal. "You're choosing them rather young, aren't you?"  
  
It was Quistis' turn to look stunned.  
  
"Mom!" Jessie exclaimed, trying to keep his face from going from white to   
bright red. "That's Quistis! She's the one I've been writing to you guys   
about!"  
  
At that, his mother beamed at Quistis. She patted the cadet's blonde hair   
fondly. "So you're the little prodigy our Jessie admires? It's an honour to   
have you--both of you, to our home."  
  
Kei tried to remain more stoic, though maintaining her poker face around   
this crew would prove to be more difficult than she first expected.  
  
"No girlfriend this time?" Jessie's father sighed and shrugged his   
shoulders. "I suppose there's a first time for everything."  
  
"He's always brought a ladyfriend to our house during the break," his   
mother explained to Quistis and Kei, much to her son's embarrassed dismay.   
"You're the first two who've been just friends."  
  
One of Kei's eyebrows was raised; so that's what de Bono had been   
referring to. Not that she was thrilled with being considered a conquest of   
sorts.  
  
Jessie groaned, fighting the urge to go around back and kill himself (thus   
saving Kei the trouble later). At this rate, he'd be lucky to have either of   
them consider him a friend by the end of the day.  
  
  
  
Quistis met Jessie's sisters inside, and rambunctious didn't even begin to   
describe them. The eldest, Kara, was her age. Next came eleven year-old Cassy,   
followed by Ashelyn, who was nine. Naria was the youngest at five.  
  
"It's like an army of female Jessie's," Kei muttered as she was swamped   
with adoring girls who had never been this close to an actual SeeD before.  
  
Both of them were asked a lot of questions by the sisters, mainly about   
what life in Balamb Garden was like. Kei got a lot of the harder questions,   
such as 'Are you going to marry my brother?' She was beginning to wonder if   
Jessie didn't bring all his girlfriends here to have them break up with him;   
being subjected to this family gauntlet was an exhausting and embarrassing   
ordeal.  
  
Dinner didn't prove to be a welcomed relief either.  
  
After washing up from their travel, Kei walked into the dining room ready   
to eat.  
  
"Oh, you're seat is over there," Jessie's mother said, indicating the far   
end of the table. "That way you and Jessie can sit next to each other."  
  
Already in his own seat--but not having realized that this was the reason   
behind it--Jessie rolled his eyes. "Mom, I'm training to be a SeeD. You can't   
have high hopes that I'll settle down soon, because that's something SeeDs just   
don't do."  
  
Quistis couldn't stop giggling at Jessie's growing exasperation with his   
family. She had never thought it would be this fun! She had been seated next to   
Kara, and they both thoroughly enjoyed Jessie squirming in his chair.  
  
"Mom, give it a rest," Jessie pled as Kei grudgingly sat down next to him.   
"I bring a female friend to the house and you automatically assume I'm dating   
her."  
  
"In the past you always have been dating them," his mother plainly   
replied.  
  
Jessie groaned, his head dropping onto the table. "For the last time," he   
lamented. "Kei and I are not an item! We never will be! She's a lesbian!"  
  
He abruptly stifled a startled cry as Kei dug the heel of her boot into   
his toes. Ideally, his rather tactless remark would get his family to back   
down--but it was still a tactless remark that demanded retribution.  
  
Ashelyn and Naria, being the youngest and most precocious of the girls,   
also happened to be the most relentless. Ashelyn leaned forward, staring   
sternly at Kei. Kei had to lean back, slightly abashed at being scrutinized so   
thoroughly by someone so young.  
  
"No one this beautiful can be a lesbian," Ashelyn stated, nodding with   
approval to herself. "You're just trying to cover for her." With that she   
turned her head and called out into the living room, "Dad, I think they might   
be serious! Jessie could be proposing to her sometime this week!"  
  
Kei's head joined Jessie's on the table.  
  
  
  
Later on in the evening, once all the major questions had been asked and   
answered, the three youngest girls had all been put to bed. With his parents   
out for a night on the town (though Kei had dark suspicions as to their   
ulterior motives for conveniently "leaving" her and Jessie alone), the three   
travelers relaxed after their long journey.  
  
Jessie challenged Quistis to a video game. She shyly admitted she had   
never played one before, much to Jessie's horror.  
  
"Even Kara here has played all the games in my collection at least three   
times," he stated emphatically, gesturing to his sister.  
  
"Video games are for small boys who refuse to grow up," Kei huffed,   
reclining on the family room couch and leafing through a magazine that had been   
lying around.  
  
Jessie remained unfazed by her deliberate barb. "Come on, what pride are   
you going to lose? Afraid that while you can clobber me in real life, you can't   
clobber me in a virtual fight?"  
  
Kei slowly turned to him with a slow-burning glare.  
  
She had taken the bait.  
  
"Okay, if you're that bent on getting hammered," she said, tossing the   
magazine aside.  
  
Jessie chuckled and handed her a controller. He tossed in one of the game   
discs and started up the machine. The player directory came on, and Jessie   
immediately selected an old, short man with a long beard (who, when the fight   
began, swayed like he was quite thoroughly drunk). Kei opted for a cute girl   
with black pigtails and a sky blue cheongsam.  
  
An hour and several consecutive defeats later, Jessie ruefully handed his   
player over to Kara. She actually proved to be a challenge for Kei. In fact,   
Kei found herself strangely addicted to the fighting game. Maybe when she was   
back in Balamb, she'd use her spare gil to buy a system.  
  
Quistis never did play that night, but she certainly had fun watching the   
dismay on Jessie's face grow with each loss. It was also intriguing to watch   
all the fighting moves and combinations the various players used. She wondered   
how many of the SeeDs at the Garden could fight like this? She was certain   
that not many could with this level of skill.  
  
Around midnight they called it an evening and retired to their rooms.  
  
"Jessie certainly has... a colourful family," Quistis said as she and Kei   
bedded down for the night. The guest room was surprisingly large, and had two   
single beds in it.  
  
Kei nodded to herself, having been progressively disgruntled by their   
behaviour. She was still trying to figure out just how someone as little as   
Ashelyn knew what a lesbian was. Suddenly Jessie's personality made perfect   
sense--not to mention his desire to get into SeeD as soon as possible.  
  
  
  
The winter break passed by too quickly for Quistis, who was thoroughly   
enjoying the change of scenery. She had been around a lot of kids her own age   
when she was in the orphanage, but her advanced skills always left her with   
older peers at Balamb. It was nice to be able to talk to girls her own age...   
even if they were constantly drilling her about how close Jessie and Kei were.  
  
Whenever he could, Jessie would take them out hiking for the day and show   
them around the area. Kei ribbed him that he was doing it strictly to escape   
the family; Jessie said nothing in response. There was a special lift that   
could take the trio from the base to the top of the cliffs, and from there they   
had the freedom to wander about as they pleased. The heights of the plateaus   
were flat and sandy. Not much to look at unless you gazed out into the distance   
and saw the sprawling landscape at the base of the cliffs.  
  
The hikes also doubled as practice time: Jessie tried to find as many   
monsters for them to battle as he could. Geezards and Anacondaur (located on   
the flat top of the cliffs) were in large numbers. A lot of experience and   
drawn magic could easily be gained from them.  
  
He and Kei also used the vast open areas for Quistis' casting practice.   
She was improving, though not as fast as he knew she could. She was still   
playing primarily with low to mid-level magics; Jessie was sure she would have   
started mastering high-level casting by now. He shared this fact with Kei and   
after studying Quistis she had to agree.  
  
The time in Wilburn Hill wasn't that much a waste of a break, Kei silently   
reflected to herself. While Jessie and his family were certainly unique to be   
around, she had managed to draw a small horde of Float beads from the roving   
Thrustaevis.  
  
A few times Kei took Quistis out privately for some practice sessions with   
Ifrit. The GF was becoming quite adept at being there for Quistis' every beck   
and call. It had definitely been impressed with her performance in the Fire   
Cavern.  
  
It was on their final night with Jessie's family that Quistis admitted   
something to Kei.  
  
"I want to be an Instructor when I graduate," she said through the   
darkness of their room. She knew Kei was still awake.  
  
"You want to be just like Xu?" Kei inquired carefully. Imitation was the   
sincerest form of flattery, but it also had its dangers.  
  
Quistis shook her head, and then chided herself on the fact that in the   
dark Kei couldn't have seen the action. "Everyone's done so much for me to grow   
and become a SeeD. And now I'm finding myself doing that to more and more of my   
friends."  
  
Knowing full well that Quistis couldn't see her, Kei smiled. That had been   
the answer she wanted to hear from the young cadet. Kei had noticed how much   
time Quistis was starting to spend teaching her various study groups as opposed   
to working with them. They were becoming more tutorials than anything else--and   
the students involved were noticeably improving.  
  
  
  
After the winter break was over, Quistis found herself thrilled to be back   
studying in Balamb Garden. The vacation had been fun (at least for her), but   
Quistis attacked her classes with renewed vigor. LeVar was more than surprised   
at how much she wanted to work through her studies--even if she was   
accelerating past all her study groups.  
  
"You really are going all-out on this," LeVar drawled one day as he and   
Quistis were walking through the Training Room. It was getting harder for him   
to find the time to just hang around with her; his graduation was approaching   
in two months, and he was working to finish the last of his prerequisites.  
  
Quistis nodded happily to herself as she glanced around to watch the   
various cadets practicing their techniques. "When I was with Jessie, I realized   
how much I really missed Balamb Garden."  
  
It wasn't just her friends she missed.  
  
It was everything about the Garden.  
  
Learning was something that came naturally to her. But it was the growing   
interaction she had with her fellow cadets that she was really enjoying.   
Because of that she discovered that she wanted to be more than just a SeeD. She   
wanted to be an Instructor, and help growing cadets reach their full potential.   
Just like how everyone at Balamb was helping her in the same way.  
  
Quistis doubted that she could become a weapons instructor, but the   
written academics were definitely her forte.  
  
Suddenly the peace of the Training Room was shattered as a male cadet   
raced through the doors, leaping hell bent for anywhere but the path of   
destruction being carved by a Fire spell that followed him in. Chasing right   
after looked to be a doppelganger, trying to use the Fire spell to reduce him   
to a charred shadow on the wall.  
  
While Quistis gawked, LeVar calmly stepped back and made sure she did the   
same. It was like watching one of Jessie's video games all over again: an   
arcade fighter in versus mode. What dumbfounded her was the fact that despite   
the vicious battle the two cadets were waging, very little of the Training Room   
was being damaged. Almost all the spells were mid-level airborne castings, and   
the first cadet always managed to frantically dodge the attack.  
  
"Wh-What are they doing?" she stammered.  
  
LeVar shrugged as if it meant nothing to him. "Their evening routine from   
the looks of it: kill each other."  
  
Needless to say, Quistis was stunned at hearing that. "They're trying to   
kill each other in a Garden?!" she exclaimed.  
  
The latter cadet unleashed another Fire spell, the one in the lead   
bounding in between two startled cadets to take cover. The two bystanders   
panicked and immediately threw themselves aside as the Fire spell went off.  
  
"I suppose 'kill' is a rather inaccurate description," LeVar said with a   
mild shrug. "'Maim' sounds more like their ultimate goal." He motioned to the   
one in the front. "The guy spending most of his time on the run is named Myn.   
The one trying to permanently bond him to the wall is his twin sister, Nym."  
  
Upon rolling clear of the Fire blast, Myn retaliated with a Fire spell of   
his own--and then lunged for Nym as he brandished some kind of wicked-looking   
weapon Quistis had never seen before.   
  
"How can you tell them apart?" Quistis asked, watching in rapt fascination   
as Nym ducked back and tried to avoid getting cut apart by her brother.  
  
"I've had a few run-ins with them," LeVar answered. "They transferred here   
from Trabia over the break." He pointed to Nym. "If you look closely enough,   
you can see her chest."  
  
Quistis blushed a little, but realized LeVar was right. It was slightly   
embarrassing to use that as a reference point in telling the difference.  
  
The two continued to viciously duke it out in the middle of the practice   
area. Both were completely oblivious to the onlookers. Half of the cadets were   
shocked beyond belief. The others--evidently having seen this before--casually   
made a point of staying out of the twins' crosshairs.  
  
"They hate each other that much?" Quistis asked, still dumbfounded by   
their intense private war.  
  
"Actually," LeVar replied. "From what I hear, they're incredibly close.   
You pick a fight with one and the other will jump in to help pound on you."  
  
Quistis puzzled over that point, and then narrowed her eyes as another   
spell exploded over Myn's head. Myn then had to scramble out of the path of a   
volley of sharpened shuriken darts Nym had launched at him.  
  
"So why are they trying to destroy each other?" she pressed.  
  
LeVar looked back at the battling twins--who were now brandishing their   
respective weapons at a near blinding speed. Other cadets were scattering in a   
mad attempt to avoid the storm's path. "That? Oh, that's just sibling rivalry."  
  
"......"  
  
  
  
"Dammit, Jessie, give me back my tray!" LeVar snapped, racing between--and   
sometimes on--the tables. A few students hastily yanked their precious meals   
aside to avoid getting a footprint in their mashed potatoes.  
  
Floating just above LeVar's jumping reach, a laughing Jessie continued to   
hover through the Cafeteria. "Come on, you're going to be graduating soon. You   
should easily be able to jump this high!"  
  
"I hate his stupid Float beads," LeVar muttered as he tried to catch his   
breath.  
  
Fortunately, he was vindicated a moment later when Myn threw open the   
Cafeteria doors and managed to slam a rather stunned Jessie into the wall.  
  
LeVar shook his head as he returned to the Cafeteria counter to get a   
replacement meal for the one that Jessie was now wearing. After getting his   
meal he sat down across from Quistis and Skye. Both he and Skye were due to   
graduate within a week or so; the written and field tests were all that   
remained. Needless to say, LeVar was doing his best to cope with the tension.   
And in his own deranged way, Jessie was doing his best to help LeVar out.  
  
Clad in something a little more casual than the cadet uniform, Myn   
sauntered into the Cafeteria. He paused momentarily to look back at the dazed   
Jessie. With a shrug, he then headed for the Cafeteria line. Upon getting his   
meal Myn wandered the Cafeteria in search of a seat.  
  
Quistis couldn't help but watch him move around the tables. She still   
recalled how relentless he had been in fighting his sister--but right then he   
looked anything but an intense SeeD cadet.  
  
He paused and peered down at the young woman. "Ah, so you're Quistis," he   
remarked. "It's not every day I meet a cadet with her own fanclub. Mind if I   
join you?"  
  
Quistis shook her head and Myn took a seat next to LeVar.  
  
Myn's light brown hair had a generic cut that would have worked for both   
genders, the front bangs on one side of his face reaching down just beyond his   
eye. He was out of uniform, wearing a white tee shirt beneath a light blue jean   
jacket that was left open. The jean pants he wore were of a similar colour to   
his jacket. A strange necklace dangled low from around his neck.  
  
Curiously enough, he was wearing a pair of sunglasses indoors. This unto   
itself wasn't that strange--but when he turned his head, Quistis could see that   
the top of the frame was curved to shield his eyes even further from the light.  
  
"I hear you're going to be rooming with my sister once Skye here   
graduates." He motioned with his fork to Skye, who didn't even look up from her   
own meal. "Just a word of warning: Nym corrupted her last roomie thanks to all   
her boy-chasing."  
  
Myn's face was suddenly elbow-jabbed into his dinner tray, bits of mashed   
potatoes going everywhere. His hands twitched involuntarily for a few seconds.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" his twin sister inquire darkly, her elbow   
still pressed down on the back of his head.  
  
LeVar, who had leaned back in surprise at the unexpected flurry of potato,   
warily looked up to Nym. Nym was incredibly cute, with a vibrant girlish charm   
that radiated out from her. But the playful smile on her face seemed to   
indicate that she used said charms to get whatever she wanted from everyone   
else.  
  
Her hair was the same light brown tint as Myn's, and cut in the same   
style. They really could have passed for each other--had it not been for the   
fact that Nym wasn't in uniform either. In fact she was dressed in a very   
tight, black sleeveless dress that barely stretched halfway down her thighs,   
and followed the curves of her body with revealing accuracy.  
  
A cute beret with a SeeD badge was on Nym's head. Quistis wondered where   
the elder cadet had gotten that. Maybe it was something Nym had picked up at   
Trabia. Or else it was custom made. And just like her brother, Nym was also   
wearing a pair of sunglasses whose design matched Myn's.  
  
"You'll have to forgive my brother," Nym stated, moving around the table   
to sit on the other side of Quistis. "He only speaks to change the current foot   
stuck in his mouth."  
  
"I don't think he'll able to speak, period, with all that potato now   
shoved up his nose," Skye idly remarked. Everyone laughed at that, and even   
though she didn't join in Skye did have a broad grin on her face.  
  
Myn pushed his face out from his food and did his best to recover whatever   
shreds of dignity he had left. Those shreds proved to be an endangered species   
as a number of the other male cadets cheered on his sister.  
  
"Hey, Nym!" one upperclassman called out. "Kicking his ass again, are ya?"  
  
"What did he say this time?" the cadet's friend called out.  
  
Myn pouted as he cleaned his face off with a napkin--though he carefully   
made sure not to remove his sunglasses. And he definitely tried to ignore Nym   
giggling and waving to her adoring public.  
  
"Speaking of human doormats," LeVar quipped, casting a glance over his   
shoulder at Jessie.  
  
Jessie groaned as he flopped down next to LeVar, tenderly rubbing his   
head. "Ow! That really hurt, Myn. Why'd you have to go and ruin a good prank   
like that?"  
  
"Had I known you were going to be floating in front of the door like that,   
I would have come in through the window," Myn cleverly retorted, chowing down   
on the mashed potatoes he had managed to salvage.  
  
"Um... wouldn't going through the glass like that hurt?" Quistis had to   
ask.  
  
Myn froze in mid-chew, slowly turning to Quistis with a betrayed   
expression on his face. Even with the sunglasses on, he looked like a startled   
puppy dog.  
  
"That's my brother for ya," Nym sighed. "Two neurons short of a synapse."  
  
  
  
Later in the week, LeVar and Skye graduated.  
  
Jessie was lamenting the fact that his victim/roommate was now gone, and   
he'd have to start from scratch on some new cadet. As it turned out, he was   
assigned with Myn as opposed to a new 'sprout', more than likely due to the   
fact that Jessie himself was scheduled to graduate right before the spring   
break.  
  
On the other hand, Quistis now found herself with someone who was a far   
cry from Skye's indifferent disposition. Nym was anything but laidback; as it   
turned out she was one of the major links in Balamb Garden's rumour network.   
She was also an incredible flirt, and seemed to be exploiting a new male cadet   
every week. Not that said male cadets ever seemed to complain about being at   
her beck and call. Quistis had never seen so many people cajoled into doing   
favours for a single person before.  
  
Dorm life certainly picked up for Quistis with Nym around. Nym was   
frequently in their room, as was her twin brother. The two made a point of   
dressing differently whenever possible. Casual clothes were worn almost as much   
as their cadet uniforms.  
  
"A word of warning," Myn cautioned her as he helped Nym move in. "Nym   
snores loudly."  
  
He quickly tipped his head sideways as a shuriken dart buried itself into   
the bunk frame next to his face. Quistis, on the other hand, had jumped   
considerably high in her chair.  
  
"Spreading rumours about me again, are we?" Nym growled, walking into the   
dorm room with a handful of clothes.  
  
"Well, it's the truth!" Myn protested. "I had to grow up sleeping with the   
sound of a chainsaw ripping apart a sequoia!"  
  
Nym scowled at her brother. "That was Dad who snored loudly, you twit. Get   
your memories straightened out."  
  
Myn paused and searched his mind. "You know, I think you're right," he   
said, smiling as if he had just solved a difficult physics problem. The smile   
abruptly faded. "Geez, and Dad was that loud even when he was down the hall   
from us? No wonder Mom slept in the guest room whenever she could."  
  
He struck Quistis as being a little scatterbrained, but good-humoured   
nevertheless.  
  
As she adjusted to the new roommate, Quistis found herself becoming more a   
part of Balamb Garden's social activities than ever before. Nym would   
frequently throw open the door to their room, and tell Quistis that they were   
going out. At first it had thrown Quistis off, but after a few weeks of this   
she got used to it. In fact, Quistis enjoyed these spontaneous social flings.  
  
Sometimes they were impromptu Triple Triad tournaments (which she tended   
to rank in the top three), and other times they played games in the Quad. One   
time it was to sneak around the Garden near lights out in order to help a cadet   
find an (unauthorized) pet kitten that had escaped.  
  
Cid found the kitten.  
  
"I trust this is not yours," he said, cradling the kitten in his arms.  
  
Both Nym and Quistis, who had finally located the escaped feline and   
chased it down a corridor, came to a dead halt and meekly shook their heads.  
  
"I'm relieved," the Headmaster said, nodding to them. "Now then, before   
you two return to your room and hope the Faculty don't catch you past lights   
out, would you be so kind as to tell me whose kitten this is?"  
  
He scratched the purring animal on the back of its head, and the sight of   
the Headmaster doing this made Quistis wish she could have taken a picture for   
Xu.  
  
Nym told Cid who the feline's owner was, and then hastily dragged Quistis   
off to their dorm room. As he watched the two young ladies race down the hall   
as quietly as they could--which, much to their credit, was almost silent--Cid   
couldn't help but smile. Quistis was definitely a different cadet than the one   
he had seen a year ago.  
  
Myn and Nym were seen with Quistis a lot, and it seemed that they would be   
her new mentors when Jessie graduated. Everything was moving full circle, and   
he only had to pull a few strings to see it happen. This was better than having   
to orchestrate an entire social life for Quistis.  
  
As for the twins, he had been working on a proposal to have them graduate   
as a pair and take missions as a pair as well--yet he intended for them   
graduate just as skilled individually as any other SeeD.  
  
Cid chuckled as he lavished more pampering on the purring cat. "And as for   
you," he said. "What shall your fate be?"  
  
The kitten licked the back of his offered finger. "Is that so?" He lifted   
it between his hands so that he could look the kitten in the eye. "You wandered   
onto the Garden grounds and found your way into the hallway. I'll have to see   
what I can do about finding you a good home in Balamb."  
  
A purr answered Cid as the kitten was returned to the crook of his arm.   
He would have a word with the cadet who gave refuge to the small bundle, but he   
wasn't without mercy. A few weeks of dish duty would suffice to remind her of   
the Garden's policy concerning pets.  
  
  
  
"Why do you both wear those tinted glasses?" Quistis asked one evening as   
she tutored the twins. She had seen both Myn and Nym wear their shades   
everywhere they went--even to classes--and no one seemed to object, not even   
the Faculty. And that was impressive given the Shumi.  
  
"It's a hyper-sensitivity to light," Myn informed her. "Since we're twins,   
we both have the same condition. Only in dim settings can we remove our   
shades."  
  
He nodded to his sister, who then made sure it was dark enough outside.   
Nym then walked over and turned off the light. The room was plunged into   
darkness. Under this cover, Myn and Nym felt safe to remove their sunglasses.   
Without the shades, both their eyes shimmered like water. Quistis found it   
unnerving to have them watch her. She could only see their eyes, but she was   
certain they could see every detail in the darkened room. At least their eyes   
weren't slitted like a cat's. It would take some time to get used to the fact   
that Nym's eyes glowed in the dark.  
  
Quistis also learned about Myn's talisman that he wore even when in   
uniform--though it was always tucked beneath his jacket. When she asked about   
it, Myn had removed the necklace and let her see it.  
  
"It's made from Lapis Lazuli," he informed her. "It used to be our   
mother's, and was going to be given to her first borne child." He grinned at   
Nym, who had at the time been reclining on her bunk. "Boy were you a surprise,   
Sis!"  
  
Nym stuck out her tongue.  
  
"Since I was the first to come out, it was decided I should get the   
necklace," Myn finished. "I guess that technically makes me the older of us."  
  
"Strange how I'm always the one who bosses you around," Nym remarked   
aloud.  
  
Quistis smiled, too engrossed in studying the talisman to see Myn deflate   
at the accurate retort. Its polished surface was cool against her skin, and   
reminded her of Shiva's GF stone. "It's beautiful," she said quietly.  
  
"Most people think it's a figure-eight, but it's not," Myn explained.   
"This is the symbol for infinity: two loops with no end and no beginning. Tends   
to represent my Sis and me. Two different parts yet still one entity."  
  
"You can stop kissing up to her anytime," Nym dryly remarked.  
  
Myn stiffened, visibly insulted. "Hey, I'm just trying to be nice here!"  
  
"Ha!" his twin retorted. "If you were really being nice, you wouldn't   
leave your magazines around. It's a wonder that the Headmaster doesn't think   
you live here, since half the stuff that is scattered across the room is   
yours."  
  
Myn perked up. "May I?" he asked, a hopeful smile on his face.  
  
Nym bopped him on the head for that. "Idiot!"  
  
But at the very least, he had managed to evoke a laugh from Quistis.  
  
  
  
Quistis was moved to a more advanced weaponry class. While she still had   
her own private sessions in working with the rante ber gangedug, now she found   
herself in a larger class of SeeD cadets. Most of them seemed near twice her   
age, and at least a head taller.  
  
It was a little intimidating to stand in their ranks as the Shumi   
Instructor explained that each of them had advanced sufficiently enough in   
their own weapon to now be challenged by an opponent who used a different   
weapon.  
  
Myn was in the class along with her, and was also her first sparring   
opponent. Quistis could barely contain her surprise when he revealed his actual   
weapon. The first time she had seen him use it, he had been moving too fast for   
her to get a good look. Now that she could see it she wished she hadn't. Myn   
wielded a pair of scythe-like kusaragi, which were attached at their bases by a   
metal chain. It was a wonder he had never injured himself while using them!  
  
But Myn proved to be quite adept and twirling them around his body and   
alternating hands. Every now and again he'd shift his head or his hips to   
accommodate a change in the direction of the deadly blades. "Come on," he   
goaded her. "I may be your roommate's brother, but that doesn't mean I'll be   
gentle."  
  
It wasn't as vicious of a jab as it could have been, but it got Quistis   
moving. She began to twirl her rante and then stepped towards Myn for the   
attack. He in turn waited to defend himself; odds were he wanted to see how   
good her physical skills were. Her first swings were easily blocked.  
  
Myn abruptly pushed both kusaragi blades down to the mat as he deflected   
another attack, pinning Quistis' whip to the ground. Quistis stumbled forward,   
and then Myn charged forward to attack. She hastily twisted her body sideways   
as the tip of one kusaragi blade cut through the air next to her.  
  
Myn pivoted his stance, compensating with his brandishing. The next strike   
grazed the front of Quistis' training outfit, tearing the fabric apart. Myn   
immediately backed down and stopped swinging his chained kusaragi. "Are you   
okay?" he asked, quickly signaling to the Shumi.  
  
A quick inspection found that only the top layer had been cut. Quistis'   
undershirt and skin were intact--though that still didn't make Myn feel any   
better.  
  
"This is sparring," Quistis stated, picking up her rante and swinging it   
in preparation to resume their match. "Expect a few cuts and bruises."  
  
"That's just it," Myn replied, taking a deep breath and psyching himself   
up for a second round. "My weapon tends to cut deep enough to kill the first   
time around."  
  
Now that she was somewhat familiar with his strategies, Quistis made it a   
lot harder for him to attack. His added height and weight was her biggest   
disadvantage, and he could easily throw her off balance just by pinning her   
whip down. But Quistis threw in a variety of twirls and strikes that kept Myn   
dodging more than blocking, giving him less chance to pin the rante down.   
Attacking him below the waistline made for the best results.  
  
Myn's biggest disadvantage was that Quistis had the greater range with the   
rante. For the most part, the closer he got to her, the harder his defensive   
blocks had to be. However Quistis couldn't always swing the rante around fast   
enough to completely block Myn from advancing. He got some very good swings and   
jabs at her.  
  
That still didn't help him when she did a shoulder roll along the mats,   
and swung the rante in an upwards arc as she rolled right into a standing   
position. Myn got the spiked tip of the rante slashing the back of his hand. He   
flinched, and felt the blade of his still-swinging kusaragi cut him on the   
cheek. Myn swiftly caught both parts of his weapon to make sure he didn't get   
any bloodier than he already was.  
  
Quistis was breathing in deep gasps for air when they finished their   
classes for the afternoon. It was surprising how much she was watching and   
evaluating his moves based on the video game Jessie had played.  
  
"Good match," Myn said to her as they headed to their respective change   
rooms. "Where'd you learn to swing a rante like that?"  
  
Quistis smiled at the memory of Eugene. "A friend introduced me to the   
weapon."  
  
"Well, you're good--but still get all the practice you can with this crew.   
It doesn't get any easier."  
  
She tipped her head to one side, brushing aside some strands of blond hair   
that were clinging to her forehead from the sweat.  
  
"This is only the intermediate weapons class," Myn informed her. "Did you   
notice that all of us in there had weapons which had around a two meter range?   
There are a lot of weapons out there, and we're just learning how to deal with   
those that have about the same range ours does. The advanced class is an   
anything-goes melee."  
  
Upon recalling the class, Quistis realized he was right. The only types of   
weapons in there had been various polearms, whips and chains, or some weapon   
which made use of a chain. There had been no swords, or smaller weapons that   
required more intense hand to hand combat.  
  
"Take my sister," he said as an example. "She uses shuriken darts and can   
pin any hapless date to the wall in seconds. She has quite the throwing   
distance, and those little buggers are a pain to try and deflect--especially   
when there are five of them coming all at once. You and I won't be fighting her   
for another few years, or unless we're constantly at the top of the class for   
the next month."  
  
  
  
The June heat beat down on Quistis' brow, but she ignored both the heat   
and the sweat trickling down her skin. A spell bead in her hand, she painfully   
focused herself on releasing an Ice spell with the desired result: freezing the   
rock that stood about twenty paces from her.  
  
She seemed completely oblivious to Jessie (which was just as well, given   
her need for complete concentration), who stood behind her a fair distance to   
watch. They were just outside Balamb Garden. Even though it was her day off,   
Quistis insisted they come out and practice. Jessie could see that the   
frustration of not being able to cast as well as she expected to was getting to   
the young cadet.  
  
He had learned his Limit about two months ago, making him a candidate for   
graduation at the spring break. But even though learning his Limit seemed like   
a natural thing, it was aggravating to see Quistis still blocked. He wanted so   
much for her to excel at magic--but if she had this much trouble in mid-level   
casting, he wasn't sure how well she'd fare in discovering her own Limit Break.  
  
Jessie turned his head as he saw Myn saunter up behind him. He was dressed   
like he was heading into town, but got distracted by them.  
  
"How goes the magic show?" Myn inquired with a smile, adjusting the   
glasses over his eyes.  
  
Jessie shrugged. "It goes. That's about it."  
  
He sensed the weariness in his roommate's voice. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Quistis is still working on her magic, and her slow progress is   
frustrating both of us." Jessie gestured to the rock, which was only half   
encased in ice even after considerable effort on Quistis' part. "The first time   
she tried a spell bead, she blow half a boulder away. I've tried about   
everything I can think of to duplicate that same intense blast from Quistis,   
but nothing's really worked. I've tried concentration techniques, breathing   
techniques, and even tried to find a Puzzle Stone."  
  
"Puzzle Stone?"  
  
"Don't ask. I never could find the blasted thing. But I've tried different   
targets--including myself. But even if her life is in potential danger,   
Quistis' magic levels aren't what they should be. Quistis can see the object   
she wants to cast her spells on, but nothing happens."  
  
Jessie's lips curled into a scowl. "I don't want to push her even further,   
since that will only antagonize us both. But I want to see her get some kind of   
breakthrough before I graduate."  
  
Myn nodded in sympathy as he watched Quistis try another bead, this one a   
Thunder. "Mind if I have a go at it?" he asked.  
  
"Be my guest," Jessie replied, gesturing to Quistis. "The lady's all   
yours."  
  
Quistis was so focused on unleashing the power within the bead that she   
nearly shrieked in surprising when Myn tapped her on the shoulder. "Oh, hi   
Myn," she said, the dejection in her voice was unable to be hidden.  
  
"Is that it?" Myn pouted with false hurt. "I'd think you'd greet your new   
magic instructor with a little more enthusiasm than that."  
  
Quistis looked at him in surprise. "You?"  
  
"Not unless you have a problem with that."  
  
Admittedly, Quistis had no qualms at all. Anything to help her get past   
this block.  
"Are you sure Jessie's okay with this?" she asked, not wanting   
to hurt the feelings of the cadet who had done so much for her spell-casting   
abilities.  
  
Myn chuckled as he looked over to Jessie, and then waved at him. "Don't   
worry about him. You've got the best magic instructors the boys wing of the   
dorms has to offer!"  
  
There seemed to be only one constant in all the techniques Jessie was   
trying to make use of; they had Quistis focusing on a mental projection of her   
target. Perhaps it was time to try something completely different.  
  
"Stop trying to see your target in your mind," Myn instructed. "Don't even   
bother concentrating on that. Instead, I want you to tell me how you're   
feeling."  
  
The younger cadet's brow furrowed; evidently Quistis hadn't anticipated   
this sort of technique. "What?"  
  
"Take all the emotions you've ever known you had," Myn explained. "Try to   
find each one individually, and build them up as much as you can. Take all your   
anger, hurt, fear, joy and sadness. Don't express them; just find them."  
  
Not really sure how to do this, Quistis closed her eyes and tried to   
'sense' her emotions. Myn helped by closing his own eyes and projecting each   
different emotion at Quistis. It took a lot of effort and time but Quistis was   
able to use those echoes from Myn to find her own mirroring emotions.  
  
Myn was incredibly patient, and spent the rest of the session letting   
Quistis get the hang of how to do this. Just before it was time for dinner, Myn   
called an end to their lesson. "We'll do this each day for the next week, just   
you and me," he said. "If not outside, then in the training hall or the Quad."  
  
Feeling encouraged by the fact that she had made some form of   
progress--even though she hadn't the slightest idea what that progress meant in   
connection with her casting, Quistis managed a smile.  
  
"She's making good progress," Myn informed Jessie, letting Quistis walk a   
few steps in front of them as they returned to the Garden.  
  
He gave Myn a blank look.  
  
"Quistis is a fast learner. Give me a week to work with her."  
  
Jessie sighed and nodded. "I've done all I can with her. And I need to   
concentrate on my graduation exams. Give it your best shot."  
  
Myn made good on his word to help Quistis out every day. The fact that   
they had a mutual tie in Nym (and many of the same classes) meant that they   
could arrange meeting times easily. Myn tried to schedule in late evening   
sessions, when most of the other cadets were not around.  
  
It took three more days before either of them felt confidant that Quistis   
had isolated her emotions, and could get a feel for them at a moment's notice.  
  
"Next step," Myn said when he was satisfied Quistis knew how to properly   
do it. "Push every last bit of those emotions into the pit of your stomach.   
It'll make you feel incredibly uncomfortable, but that's how you know you're   
doing it right."  
  
After that session, Quistis felt like she was ready to vomit. The nausea   
continued through most of the night, but Myn assured her that it would pass   
once she got used to it. There wasn't a need to consult with Doctor Kadowaki.   
And he was right: within a few more days, Quistis felt the residual nausea from   
her casting sessions slowly wane.  
  
Myn was amazed by how fast Quistis was picking this up. It had taken him   
over two weeks of intense training just to figure out how to identify and   
amplify his emotions.  
  
When the end of the week came, Myn had Quistis practice outside the Garden   
on their off day. "Now comes the fun part," he said, handing Quistis a Thunder   
bead. "Take the spell bead, and cast it. But I want you to try and not picture   
what will happen beforehand. You need to learn how to keep those emotions   
pinned down, and cast at the same time."  
  
That didn't work so well.  
  
Quistis was growing frustrated. She wasn't used to *not* doing mental   
projections during a casting, and didn't know how to try any other way.  
  
"I'll need to intervene, I see," Myn said. He gave Quistis a reassuring   
smile. "Don't worry. The same thing happened to me." He went in behind Quistis   
and gently placed his hand over Quistis' palm. "Don't do anything; what you   
need to do is feel what happens."  
  
Myn was the one who used the Thunder bead, and much to Quistis' surprise   
it felt like he had psychically cracked the shell of the bead. The spell   
contained within roared to life and exploded.  
  
"It seems a little abstract at first," Myn reflected afterwards. "But it's   
best to try and work on 'cracking' the bead rather than envisioning an   
exploding target. Try to get the magic to erupt rather than the rock. Most   
students find it's easier to use the latter, but us mavericks prefer   
unconventional methods."  
  
Quistis giggled at being called a maverick.  
  
She liked the term.  
  
An hour of practicing with Scan beads, and some various offensive magics,   
proved that Quistis worked far better with this technique. It was a thrill to   
feel the magic break free and shoot through her fingers, almost like it was a   
liquid. Quistis knew that all she felt was the residual effect; whenever magic   
was unleashed, it was instantaneous. Summoning it was what required time.  
  
"Third and final step," Myn announced. "Cast the spell at your target.   
When you feel the magic being unleashed, launch all those emotions you have   
directly at your target. It'll feel like you're aiming and firing a cannon. And   
watch out for the recoil."  
  
Quistis psyched herself up as she looked at her two potential targets.   
There was a fair-sized rock on one side, and a small tree on the other. She   
decided on the rock, working with the Thunder bead Myn had given her.  
  
At the first tingling she sensed as the bead's magic broke loose, Quistis   
narrowed her eyes and worked on her emotions. She felt the pit of her stomach   
churn almost in synch with the bead. And then she shattered the bead, throwing   
her arm into the air with a loud shout. Both the spell and her pent-up emotions   
smashed into each other like two raging rivers meeting into one. The proverbial   
floodgate was opened, and the spell shot towards its target.  
  
The rock didn't get hit.  
  
The tree, however, did. It exploded when the Thunder spell veered off from   
its intended course and slammed into the tree. A gaping hole was left in the   
trunk, tiny flames licking the edges of the bark.  
  
"Wow," Myn remarked, whistling his awe at the power behind Quistis'   
casting.  
  
Quistis though was reeling from what had happened. It felt like she had   
nearly been catapulted along with the Thunder spell. Myn helped to steady her,   
but it still took Quistis a good three or four minutes to regain her sense of   
balance.  
  
She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to get over the throbbing in   
her head. Her vision was blurry and she wanted her reading glasses back.   
"W-What happened?" Quistis managed to stammer.  
  
"You just got slammed by a power you weren't expecting. But that's   
definitely a good sign for a first-timer. You've got some incredible power. Now   
we'll have to work on your control of it."  
  
Myn glanced back over at the tree. It was good thing they hadn't tried   
this in the Quad; he'd heard from Jessie about what happened the first time.  
  
Once Quistis felt herself again, she studied the result of her unique   
training. The young cadet's jaw dropped as she saw the battered tree. "I did   
that?"  
  
Myn nodded, grinning. "I'd say you're learning fast. Give yourself a month   
of this, and you'll be able to shove a lightening bolt up a T-Rexaur's ass."  
  
While Quistis wasn't so sure about that second part, she was feeling a   
great sense of pride and relief. Her block at casting spells was gone; she felt   
confident that she could duplicate that particular attack. With the way Myn had   
taught her, everything felt comfortably natural. Jessie's method had never felt   
right to her, though she didn't have the heart to tell him.  
  
"Where did you learn about that?" Quistis asked once she and Myn had   
returned to the Garden. They were lounging in the Quad, waiting for either his   
sister to show up or dinner to be served.  
  
Myn sighed as he leaned his back against the table. "In Trabia, my sister   
and I were damn near unstoppable--but only when we fought together, or fought   
each other. When we were apart, most cadets our age could pick us off pretty   
easily. It went on like this for about a year, and everyone was getting   
frustrated. The instructors went out of their way, not unlike Jessie, to help   
boost our fighting skills. Nym and I even took up extra training sessions.   
Nothing worked.  
  
"Then a new instructor came to the Garden, and seemed to recognized   
immediately what the problem was. We weren't virtual prodigies like everyone   
first thought; it's something to do with a heightened synchronicity because   
we're twins. So he had Nym and me change our exercises. We each had individual   
lessons with him, and he taught us that technique I had you use."  
  
It certainly worked, Quistis reflected.  
  
Not only for herself, but for the twins as well. Myn wasn't the best   
weapons fighter in the class, but he was certainly up there in the top five.   
She found it hard to imagine that someone with such a vicious-looking weapon   
could be disarmed and defeated.  
  
"About six months after that we each made a breakthrough, our Instructor   
recommended that we transfer to Balamb," Myn continued. "He said the Garden's   
academic focus would give us equal opportunity to use our magic and our   
weaponry. Headmistress Rebecca agreed, and so here we are."  
  
He gestured around the Quad.  
  
"A lot of times, even if I'm just fighting against Nym, I pin up and then   
release all my emotions as I attack. It's a great rush, and she usually never   
knows what hit her." He winked mischievously.  
  
"Hey, Myn!" his sister suddenly called out. The pair stood up to greet   
her, then went to the Cafeteria for a hard-earned meal.   
  
  
  
"What's with you?" Kei asked, watching Jessie anxiously pace across the   
breezeway. The last time she had seen him this fidgety was when he had roped   
her into buying Quistis a training bra. It was quite entertaining watching him   
act like a worried child--so long as he didn't have something he was trying to   
tell her.  
  
Jessie tried to jam his hands even deeper into his pockets, wondering just   
how he had gotten himself into this situation. "Myn said he could get Quistis   
past her magic block in a week," he informed Kei. "And he did. I know Nym,   
she's going to claim the favour I own Myn for helping out. He'll just shrug it   
off and let her do it. I can only fear what she's going to have me do for her."  
  
"I thought you all were doing this for Quistis' benefit."  
  
He nodded. "Naturally. But I personally wanted to see her get over the   
block before I graduated. Now I owe Nym a favour for that."  
  
Kei never said it aloud, but she sympathized with the hapless cadet in   
front of her. Nym was interesting to be around, but it was like watching a   
grown-up Ashelyn at work. And after being with Jessie's family for a few weeks,   
Kei felt that no one deserved such a punishment... even if it was Jessie.  
  
  
  
Later that night, Jessie met up with Nym at the overlook for the Training   
Centre. It was past curfew, and he had enough problems as it was without   
worrying about a Faculty member catching him.  
  
Nym giggled as she consulted the chronometer on her wrist. "Ah, right on   
time. I like that in a man."  
  
"Aha haaaa... cute," Jessie replied dryly, his hands in his pockets.  
  
Nym feigned hurt and took a small step closer to him. Her hands were   
behind her back, and she was leaning forward on her tiptoes as if she were two   
years younger than her actual age. "Most of my lackeys like to think so."  
  
"Ease down on the innocence factor, please," Jessie sighed. "I know when   
I'm caught. So what do I get to do? Is there a report I need to write for you?   
An alibi I need to provide? Or is there a new blouse you want me to buy   
from--?"  
  
He never managed to get out another word as Nym swiftly moved forward and   
pressed her lips against his. The surprise he wasn't able to vocalize was   
registered in his wide eyes. Nym finally broke away from the kiss and then   
laughed. It wasn't her patented girlish giggle either; this one was a little   
more adult, and a lot more sultry.  
  
Jessie just stared at her like a deer caught in headlights.  
  
"Come here," Nym instructed, starting to unzip her jacket. "We've got   
about fifteen minutes before the patrol comes around this way. And you owe me   
big."  
  
  
  
Quistis was startled from her reading as Nym slipped back into their dorm   
room. She looked at her older roommate, and saw something... different in Nym's   
pleasant facial expression.  
  
Nym sighed and stretched out her arms. "I think I'm in love," she sighed   
to herself.  
  
There was definitely something different about her roommate tonight,   
Quistis reasoned. Nym was moving around their room like she was light on her   
feet. And her uniform was in slight disarray too. Though Quistis really   
couldn't figure out why.  
  
"Could you turn out the lights for me?" Nym asked as she disrobed.  
  
With a sigh, Quistis set Myn's latest issue of Combat King aside, placed   
her glasses in its carrying case, and got out from between her sheets.  
  
When Quistis turned the lights out, Nym removed her sunglasses. Even her   
shimmering eyes were lit up with some kind of dreamy delight. "G'night,   
Quistis," Nym purred as she contentedly curled up in her covers and went to   
sleep.  
  
Quistis shook her head and returned to her bed. For all she had learned   
since coming to the Garden, there were a lot of things she still didn't   
understand.  
  
  
  
Myn didn't look up from his magazine as he heard the door open up. "You're   
lucky you didn't get your sorry ass found by one of the night patrols," he   
stated. When he got no response, Myn looked up from his magazine.  
  
Jessie was standing in the middle of the floor, his head tipped to one   
side as if he were trying to listen to a near inaudible noise. There was an   
awed smile was on his face. "Wow!" was all he could breathe.  
  
Myn groaned, and buried his head in his palm. "She collected her dues,   
didn't she?"  
  
A rogue smile played on Jessie's face. "Did she ever."  
  
"Oh, the sacrifice you two make on Quistis' behalf," Myn dryly commented   
before returning to his magazine.  
  
-----  
Please visit our website at http://www.centragarden.net  



	8. Part 08

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 8  
  
a fanfic by His lordship Chaos hislordshipchaos@hotmail.com  
with Greenbeans gbeans@tyrlen.org  
edited by Helen Fong iriachan@yahoo.com  
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. www.squaresoft.com  
  
  
- Quistis -  
  
Because of Quistis' breakthrough in casting, she swiftly  
advanced from working with mid-level to high-level spells. That  
didn't mean the work was any easier, but she was noticeably  
progressing nevertheless. The first reward for her efforts and  
Myn's teaching was that she was now allowed to attend a special  
class on GF handling.  
  
To Quistis' surprise, there was one other cadet there her age.  
Everyone else was at least two or three years older than either of  
the two girls. Age wasn't a requirement; only that one's level of  
magic met certain standards.  
  
The class itself was primarily a tutorial seminar that took  
place for all of one off-day. Afterwards the Faculty instructor  
teaching them would take them into the Training Centre for  
individual practice on GF summoning and attacking. For now the  
cadets just had to get acquainted with their first two Guardian  
Forces.  
  
There were six cadets in total who were receiving their GFs.  
A Faculty member met them in the Quad mid-morning. "Cadets must  
demonstrate care and respect for Guardian Forces," the Shumi  
teacher told them in no uncertain terms. "If you do not treat  
Guardian Force with respect, Guardian Force will not respect you.  
Will not want to come out when summoned. Might be very bad if cadet  
is in fierce battle."  
  
Quistis had learned a lot about GFs already from a variety of  
sources: Xu and Kei primarily, but there had also been books in the  
Library about GF historical research. And then there was all her  
practice with Ifrit. She hoped Ifrit wouldn't get jealous if she  
used Shiva and Quezelcoatl for a little while; she couldn't afford  
to let it slip about her own 'private' Fire Cavern test.  
  
After the Faculty member lectured them for a greater portion  
of the morning about GF types, learning abilities, castings and  
summonings, the cadets were given their Guardian Forces. Quistis  
studied the small leather box that was handed to her. She undid the  
bronze latch and flipped the lid up. The interior casing was made  
to cushion and fit two small stones. The icy-blue coloured one she  
recognized as Shiva's; the creamy yellow one belonged to  
Quezelcoatl.  
  
The brushing of her skin against the polished surface of each  
stone stirred the Guardian Forces to life. Shiva realized that it  
was Quistis handling her faster than Quezelcoatl did, and seemed to  
want to be petted again. The thought of a kitty-like Shiva getting  
its tummy rubbed made Quistis laugh out loud. She blushed and  
quickly apologized as the others turned their heads to her.  
  
They had a break over lunch, and then returned to try their  
hand at summoning a GF. Most of the cadets had never seen a GF  
being unleashed before, and stood in awe as the first one released  
their Shiva. A few of the older cadets milling around took the  
opportunity to watch the display, cheering to see who could get  
their GF to make the best appearance.  
  
When Quistis' turn came, Shiva and Quezelcoatl reacted faster  
and more spectacular than for anyone else. She got rave reviews  
from the spectators--a number of whom showed their Trepie  
inclinations by chanting, "Quistis! Quistis! Quistis!"  
  
A stern glare from the Faculty calmed them down.  
  
The Shumi gave her a quizzical look, and then complimented her  
on her technique. "Not often cadet can do that on first time," it  
told her. "But do not think you are excused. You have much else to  
learn about Guardian Forces."  
  
Quistis knew the Faculty was right.  
  
By the end of the day, the attending cadets were all quite  
friendly with each other. Quistis learned that the other young  
cadet her age, Reika, was an aspiring Triple Triad card shark too.  
She promised to have a game with Reika later that evening.  
  
After an even match against Reika, a number of foolish cadets  
'volunteered' to have Quistis pillage their card decks. Once she  
returned from her unexpected tournament, Quistis found Myn sitting  
at her desk reading a magazine.  
  
He looked up from whatever article had last caught his  
attention. "Oh, you're not Sis."  
  
"I should hope not," Quistis said, carefully placing her GF  
stones and their carry case on her bunk. "She'll pitch a fit if she  
sees your feet are up on her textbooks."  
  
Myn shrugged, his head turning to follow Quistis. "Who's going  
to know?"  
  
He suddenly became acutely aware of Nym's shadow looming over  
him. "How about me?" Nym replied in an ominous voice.  
  
Despite the subsequent thuds and shouts that were heard,  
Quistis calmly laid herself out on her bed and started browsing  
through yet another of Myn's magazines that he'd left lying around.  
A brief skim of one article struck Quistis in a funny way. Most  
people didn't write like this, so she consulted the title.  
  
"'Anarchist Monthly'?"  
  
"It doesn't hurt to be informed," Myn said as his sister  
pinned him to the floor with a headlock. "You should read it. At  
the very least it offers a new slant to the news of the world."  
  
Once she was satisfied that she had trounced her twin enough,  
Nym got back on her feet and dusted her legs off. She then went  
through some of her casual wardrobe, picking something a little  
nicer to wear for the evening.  
  
"Going out?" Quistis asked.  
  
Nym nodded, appraising herself in the mirror as she held a  
rather tight blue dress in front of her body. "We're trying to make  
it to dinner in Balamb before curfew tonight. His treat," she  
added.  
  
"You do realize he should be studying for his exams," Myn  
said, rolling his eyes.  
  
Nym smiled and winked at Quistis. "I have to enjoy my time  
with him while I can."  
  
Quistis wasn't exactly sure what either of them meant. Nym had  
been acting a little out of character lately, but the twins never  
seemed to let Quistis in on the reason. Neither did Jessie for that  
matter--though she saw even less of him nowadays for obvious  
reasons.  
  
Once Nym changed and left, Myn offered to wander around the  
grounds with Quistis--though only after a little hand-to-hand  
combat session. Feeling pleased with her work at the GF seminar,  
Quistis agreed. Their sparring was more casual, and they talked  
more than they actually threw punches.  
  
"I hear you got your GFs today," he remarked, dodging a punch  
aimed for his face. He danced back for a few steps, then charged  
with a fury of jabs at her chest.  
  
Quistis nodded, twisting herself sideways. She managed to  
deliver a good blow to Myn's side. He didn't seem too fazed, but  
backed away. They took to circling the ring for a little while.  
  
"From what I hear, Diablos is especially testy if you don't  
use him on a regular basis," Myn said. "His very nature sets him  
apart from most of the other GFs. Diablos only submits--"  
  
He hastily ducked a roundhouse kick from Quistis aimed at the  
side of his neck. The kid may not have been tall, but she was  
definitely limber and agile.  
  
"--when fought and defeated," he finished. "It's a matter of  
respect for your authority. Ifrit is very much the same way. A SeeD  
gets him right before they graduate. The Fire Cavern test is  
something--"  
  
It was his turn to attack; pulling a punch that caused Quistis  
to flinch. He then dropped low and spun his body around, a sweep  
knocking Quistis off her feet and onto the mats.  
  
"--all cadets must go through. You get to fight, defeat and if  
you win, receive Ifrit. Gain his GF stone and you're on your way to  
graduating."  
  
He walked over and offered a helping hand. As she let Myn pull  
her up, Quistis couldn't help but smile inwardly about the fact  
that she had already taken care of that pre-requisite. But then  
what would she do when the time came to officially take the Fire  
Cavern test?  
  
  
  
Quistis saw little of Jessie over the course of July--though  
whenever she did catch sight of him, Nym was usually cajoling him  
into something. However, now he wasn't as unwilling as he used to  
be. Quistis didn't ask, and usually didn't have the time. It was  
surprising how much work was to be done when a cadet was raised to  
the higher grades.  
  
When it came time for the spring break, Jessie joined the  
ranks of SeeD. Much to his delight, his old roommate was on hand at  
the party afterwards. SeeD LeVar was able to pay Quistis and the  
twins a brief visit while he bunked down at Balamb for the break;  
his keen mind and brilliant strategies were making him a popular  
tactician to have on hand in any situation. As a result, he moved  
around quite a bit.  
  
Myn and Nym also hung around the Garden during the break, and  
much to Nym's glee Jessie didn't have to leave on a mission until  
the break ended. At LeVar's recommendation, the two SeeDs were  
going to be working together for their next contracted operation...  
of which neither one was at liberty to discuss with the cadets.  
  
Quistis couldn't wait to finally be a part of all the secrets.  
  
  
  
Near the tail end of the break, the Headmaster found himself  
busy with receiving yet another new cadet who had arrived at Balamb  
Garden. Cid looked down at the stack of files and papers in front  
of him, and then up to the cadet seated across the desk. Now came  
time for the standard interrogation session.  
  
"So why did you wish to transfer from Trabia to Balamb?" he  
asked.  
  
"As you can see from my records, my weapons and combat skills  
are both diverse and impressive," the cadet replied, his voice even  
and betraying little if any pride in this fact. His baby blue eyes  
were focused on Cid with an almost intense, shark-like gaze.  
"However, there are other areas where I lack such proficiency."  
  
Cid nodded as he thumbed through some of the papers. "This is  
because of your upbringing in the Weapons Guild, am I correct?"  
  
The cadet nodded.  
  
"It's not often we receive Guild students into SeeD," Cid  
noted. "Though it is something perhaps we should do more often." He  
filed away an idea for a possible exchange program between the  
Gardens and the Guild. Something to consider at a later date. "I  
note that your magic usage severely lacks despite Trabia's best  
efforts."  
  
"Headmistress Rebecca felt that Balamb would be better suited  
to develop my magic usage without completely frustrating me." The  
cadet added, "She believes very strongly that I would make a good  
SeeD."   
  
He didn't seem fazed by all his faults being pointed out; if  
anything he seemed eager to overcome them. That unto itself was  
commendable in Cid's book. "Judging from her records, and your  
progress reports, I would be inclined to agree," Cid said with an  
absent nod of his head. "We tend to be a little more accepting of  
cadets using magic and Guardian Forces." He smirked as he added, "I  
can see a transfer to Galbadia would be out of the question for  
you."  
  
The cadet winced at hearing Galbadia mentioned. "Point taken,  
Sir."  
  
The Galbadian Garden was known and oft-lamented for its  
vehement discouragement of teaching magic to SeeD cadets--even to  
the point of banning GFs. This was just one of the reasons why a  
transfer to Galbadia was not ranked highly as something a SeeD  
cadet wanted in life.  
  
"Do you have any Guardian Forces?" Cid asked.  
  
The cadet shook his head. "Just one: Diablos."  
  
One of Cid's eyebrows went up. "Oh?"  
  
Without missing a beat the cadet answered, "I got him through  
a curious quirk of fate that best remains unsaid for now."  
  
A cryptic smile tugged at the edges of Cid's lips.  
"Intriguing. You'll have to tell me that story later on. But in the  
meantime, I would advise that you keep in mind the fact that you   
possess one of the more powerful GFs out there."  
  
"It's good to see we share the same sentiments then, Sir."  
  
"I should also state here and now," Cid added, leaning back in  
his chair, "that until your usage of magic reaches the Garden  
standards, you will not be issued any other Guardian Forces.  
Besides, Diablos isn't known for enjoying other playmates in his  
sandbox."  
  
The cadet smirked. "Interesting analogy. Is there anything  
else you require of me then?"  
  
Cid closed the top file, and smiled at the cadet. "Nothing   
comes to mind. If that matter is settled, then everything looks   
good to me. Welcome to Balamb Garden, cadet Enju."  
  
Enju stood up and bowed formally. "Thank you, Headmaster. I  
look forward to graduating from here as a SeeD."  
  
"Please, call me Cid," he said. "We are primarily on a  
first-name basis here--though the Shumi are obvious exceptions. I  
am sure you will do SeeD justice when you graduate."  
  
There was nothing else to be said as Enju bowed again--though   
not as formal and deeply as before--and moved towards the door.   
His hand reached for the doorknob.  
  
"Oh, one last thing, if I may," Cid called out, his tone of  
voice making it sound like a sudden afterthought. "Could you roll  
up your sleeves for me?"  
  
The cadet froze, abruptly on the defensive. It was subtle, but  
the tension was there regardless. "Sir?" he asked. The fact that he  
didn't say 'Cid' made his wariness known.  
  
"Could you roll up your sleeves?" Cid repeated. His voice was  
matter-of-fact, as if it shouldn't be any trouble.  
  
Still hesitating, Enju complied as he stepped away from the  
door and approached the Headmaster's desk. Enju removed his coat,  
revealing a pair of specialized armguards over his sleeves. Cid  
recognized them as the kote of the Weapons Guild: a leather  
gauntlet covered by small armour plates, meant to deflect the  
strike of a blade. While Enju's kote seemed fairly new, there were  
a number of nicks and marks on the armour.  
  
"I am trusting these are not against uniform regulations,"  
Enju asked cautiously.  
  
"I can sanction an exception for you, if needs be," Cid  
replied. "Take off the kote, please."  
  
Enju hesitated again, but not necessarily out of fear. His  
eyes were narrowed, gazing almost defiantly at the Headmaster.  
  
"Just one will do, cadet." Cid was meeting the gaze perfectly,  
and right then, it was a matter of whose will would bend to  
accommodate the other.  
  
Enju relented. Being a cadet meant following the Headmaster's  
instructions. And it definitely wouldn't have put him in Cid's good  
graces if they butted horns during their first meeting. Once the  
straps were undone, the kote was tossed onto the guest chair. Enju  
pushed back the sleeve of his uniform and raised his forearm for  
Cid to see.  
  
The skin was visibly paler and hairless. His smooth skin was  
almost painted white in the light of the office. But what really  
caught Cid's attention were the numerous angel feather tattoos,  
painted to look as if they were floating down Enju's arm. They were  
tinted purple, their edges fine and dark. But because of how pale  
Enju's skin was, the surface of the feathers still appeared white.  
Moments later, the snowy complexion started to fade to something  
more flesh-coloured.  
  
"Altered pigmentation?" Cid inquired.  
  
Enju nodded.  
  
"I take it that all your skin goes this white when exposed to  
darkness or moonlight?"  
  
Again Enju only nodded, and did not vocalize a response.  
  
Cid kept a poker face as he continued to examine and  
scrutinize the tattoos. Finally he rose from his chair, pacing both  
hands on his desktop. "Thank you," he said to the cadet. "I  
appreciate your co-operation. That will be all."  
  
"Is there any trouble, Headmaster?" Enju asked, very careful  
of how to respond to the developing situation.  
  
The Headmaster shook his head. "Not unless you're the one to  
make it, cadet Enju. You can put the kote back on; I'll make sure  
your instructors know that you're allowed to wear them."  
  
"All the time, preferably," Enju added.  
  
"Of course," Cid said with a nod. He strolled past Enju while  
crossing the office. Cid waited with his hand on the doorknob as  
Enju covered the tattoos up with the kote, and then opened the  
door. "You may come in now, cadet Myn."  
  
Myn strolled into the Headmaster's office, paying more  
attention first to Cid. After a semi-formal bow, Myn redirected his  
focus on Enju. The two stood about four or five steps apart,  
staring quietly and briefly summing up their first impressions of  
the other.  
  
Cid gestured to Enju. "Cadet Enju, meet cadet Myn. The two of  
you will be roommates here at Balamb." He shifted his gaze over to  
Myn. "Please show our new friend around the Garden. It's best he be  
acquainted with his surroundings before he gets lost on his way to  
his first classes. Incidentally, they start tomorrow for you,  
Enju."  
  
"Yes, Sir," Enju said politely. "The evening should give me  
ample time to learn the layout of Balamb. It's bigger than Trabia,  
but I don't think that should pose a problem."  
  
The two cadets began to walk out, with Myn taking the lead.  
Right beside the door laid Enju's two rather large, black duffel  
bags. On his way out, Enju quickly hoisted one duffel bag over his  
shoulder and took to carrying the other one with his left hand. He  
reached back and grasped the knob to pull the door closed behind  
himself.  
  
Abruptly Enju paused and turned his head, looking back at Cid.  
"There will be no trouble if it can be helped, Headmaster," he  
stated. "I assure you."  
  
Cid gave a knowing smile. "Very good."  
  
  
  
Yet again Myn gave an unsure glance over his shoulder at the  
new cadet. Enju was currently lagging about two steps behind Myn's  
pace, and appeared quite content in quietly turning his head left  
and right. Myn could only presume Enju was checking out Balamb's  
gear-like configuration of corridors, classrooms and dorms.  
  
Upon leaving the Headmaster's office, Enju had slipped a pair  
of sunglasses over his eyes. Even though it wasn't bright enough in  
the Garden corridors to warrant its use, Enju didn't mind wearing  
them.  
  
Nym tended to dislike people who always felt they had to wear  
shades to look 'cool'. He had to wear his out of necessity, or else  
he'd run the risk of burning his retinas from the sunlight. Being  
photo-sensitive was a lot better than being blind. Sometimes he  
felt jealous of the cadets who didn't have to wear any form of  
glasses, sunglasses or otherwise.   
  
The Grat always seemed greener on the other side, as the  
saying went. Or was it the grass?  
  
Adding to the discomfort was the fact that Enju hadn't spoken  
a word after leaving Headmaster Cid's office--which had been almost  
ten minutes ago. If he was indeed making mental notes of the  
Garden's layout, he was being very focused about performing that  
task.  
  
"So," Myn said, trying to start up a conversation. He adjusted  
his own pair of sunglasses. "Since we're going to be roommates, we  
should get to know each other. You came from Trabia too?"  
  
Enju nodded.  
  
"My sister and I came from Trabia," Myn continued, growling  
under his breath that Enju might actually decide to say something.  
Anything! "I don't recall seeing you around--but then again we were  
probably in different classes. What did you think of the Garden?"  
  
"It was very cold," Enju replied. His voice remained  
non-committal, and for the most part as unemotional as could be.  
  
Myn nodded. "Trabia tends to be."  
  
Silence.  
  
Enju wasn't going to say anything further on the subject, it  
appeared. Myn forced himself not to stop and stick his face right  
in front of Enju's. "AND?" he pressed.  
  
Enju gave an indifferent shrug as he glanced down an adjacent  
corridor. "Nice Chocobo forest," he added, pushing the sunglasses  
back up the bridge of his nose.  
  
Swiveling around, Myn walked backwards and made an exasperated  
gesture with his arms. "Anything else? I'd appreciate getting more  
than a few words from you, Enju. Care to drop the stoicism?"  
  
"Forgive my seeming rudeness, but we can get acquainted later  
tonight?" Enju stated. "Right now, I have other priorities to be  
mindful of. Namely, where are the training facilities?"  
  
Myn was taken aback by the cold shoulder he was being given;  
his restraint could only go so far before the last proverbial  
button was pushed. Myn came to a dead stop right in front of Enju.  
Showing what might have been a hint of surprise, Enju came to a  
halt about two paces from his new roommate.  
  
"If you're that anxious to get to the training room," Myn  
snapped. "I can escort you there myself--and then wipe you across  
the mats for being such an ass."  
  
A strange smile crept its way onto Enju's face. "Really? You'd  
do that for me?"  
  
Myn stiffened, finding the retort a little confusing. "You  
want me to kick your butt across the training room?"  
  
"Not exactly," Enju replied evenly. "But I've heard of the  
high-caliber SeeDs that Balamb produces. I'm rather anxious to see  
how I stack up against them."  
  
"So... you do want me to kick your butt across the training  
room, then?"  
  
"If you think you can."  
  
There was a playful tone in that, and Myn had to laugh. "Maybe  
you're not such a hardass after all, Enju."  
  
Enju shrugged, adjusting the weight of the duffel bag on his  
shoulders. "I mean it. I'd like to see you try, as you so  
colourfully put it, to kick my butt across the training room."  
  
"In good time," Myn said, slapping Enju on the arm. Enju  
merely looked down at where he had been hit, as if unsure how to  
react to it. "Come on, I'll show you where to dump the luggage, and  
then I'll let you check out the training room. Sound fair?"  
  
Enju shook his head. "No, but I don't exactly think you'll let  
me escape."  
  
The two continued towards their dorm room, and while Enju  
remained silent for most of the trek (save for the random  
one-worded reply), Myn wasn't so unnerved about it anymore. He made  
an effort of pointing out and describing whatever he could; at  
least it would make him feel like a useful guide. And Enju seemed  
to be paying attention to him, looking in whatever direction Myn  
was describing as they walked along.  
  
"...and over there we have our Infirmary with Doctor  
Kadowaki," Myn was in the middle of saying. "She has a cute nurse  
*and* the Doctor knows her medicine. If you need to get patched up,  
this is the place to limp your way over to."  
  
But Enju suddenly wasn't paying attention to Myn's discourse.  
His head slowly turning with Quistis as she walked past him. She  
was busy talking with one of the other female cadets, and failed to  
notice the blue eyes following her from behind the sunglasses.  
  
"Say, Myn... who's she?" Enju asked, interrupting Myn's praise  
about the Cafeteria hot dogs. His voice sounded relaxed, like he  
had suddenly taken personal interest in Balamb for the first time.  
  
"You don't know about Quistis?" Myn was rather surprised and  
didn't bother hiding it. "She's practically the poster child for  
Balamb. She's even got her own fan club; they call themselves the  
Trepies. That's quite the achievement for a thirteen year-old, I  
have to say. Then again, she will turn fourteen in a few months."  
  
But Enju wasn't even paying attention to Myn anymore. His eyes  
were still following an unsuspecting Quistis down the corridor.  
Enju's steel expression slowly lifted and was replaced with a  
wolfish grin. "Here," he said, blindly tossing one duffel bag at  
his new roommate.  
  
Myn was caught off guard and stumbled backwards as he caught  
the large--and surprisingly heavy--bag. The next surprise came when  
he saw Enju drop his second bag on the floor and head off in the  
opposite direction. "Hey, where are you going?" Myn called out  
after him.  
  
Enju spun around on the balls of his feet, and leaned forward.  
He slid the sunglasses down his nose momentarily, and gave Myn a  
playful wink. "I'm off to make some new friends."  
  
And with that, he turned and briskly walked away.  
  
"You don't even know where your room is!" Myn exclaimed.  
  
Enju casually waved that aside as he continued after Quistis.  
"I'm sure I'll find it eventually. And please be careful with my  
bags; most of what's in them doesn't take kindly to being  
rough-housed."  
  
Left alone with a heavy load to carry, Myn could only stare in  
disbelief at the fleeting form of his roommate. It was certainly  
apparent that Enju wasn't going to be coming back anytime in the  
near future. And that meant he was relegated to delivering Enju's  
bags to the room. Not that he liked the idea in the slightest.  
  
Myn growled to himself, "I'm going to kill that guy." His  
frown turned into a diabolical smirk as he hoisted Enju's one  
duffel bag onto his shoulders and grabbed the other duffel bag with  
both hands. "Even better, I'll have Sis help."  
  
  
  
"Ah, she arrives," Nym remarked, waving to Quistis as she  
briskly stepped into the Quad. "Back from another successful Triple  
Triad pirating session, are we?"  
  
Quistis parted ways with Reika and joined her roommate at a  
vacant table. A tree stretched over them, giving comfortable shade  
from the glow of the setting sun. It had been a successful Triple  
Triad match, she admitted to herself. A part of Quistis couldn't  
wait to challenge Xu when she returned. Quistis sorely wanted to  
test her mettle against the one who had introduced her into the  
game.  
  
"Hello, and who have we here?" Nym remarked with a sly grin,  
her gaze locking onto someone else.  
  
Quistis followed Nym's line of sight, and found that her  
roommate was eyeing a male cadet just wandering into the Quad.  
Quistis laughed. "Down, Nym. Don't sink your teeth into him yet."  
  
"I need every man I can get if I'm to build up a harem that  
rivals yours," Nym replied.  
  
That caused Quistis to shrink down a little from  
embarrassment. "It's a fan club, not a harem. And I didn't ask for  
it either."  
  
"Oh, admit it," Nym ribbed her. "You like the attention. And  
if you actually put some effort into it, you could nicely exploit  
your willing fans." She studied the roaming cadet further. "I don't  
think I've seen him around before. Transfer student, maybe?"  
  
It was the start of a new semester, so that would have easily  
made sense.  
  
Quistis took a good look at the newcomer herself. With the  
shades on, it was impossible to tell what colour his eyes were.  
Though from this distance it wouldn't have really mattered. On the  
other hand, he was surprisingly tall and looked quite mature for a  
cadet. He looked almost like a full-fledged SeeD.  
  
"Eighteen, maybe nineteen," Nym said, appraising her potential  
fanboy/galley slave. "Tall; nice, broad shoulders; toned chest is  
evident even underneath his shirt; and I like the ponytail too.  
Added bonus there. Why are you laughing like that, Quistis? You  
should be taking notes for when you want to get a boyfriend."  
  
Boyfriend?  
  
That was something that had yet to come into Quistis' mind.  
She was still thirteen--and besides, her desire to become a SeeD  
Instructor was ranked first on her priority list. Yet mild  
curiosity got the better of the young cadet, and she gave the  
newcomer a second appraisal. Quistis had to admit he looked  
charming at first glance, but odds were he was easily four or five  
years her elder.  
  
She returned her attention to Nym, only to see that Nym was  
cleaning her proverbial claws. "I'm going to flag him down," she  
told Quistis as she waved the cadet over to join them. "And  
remember: I called first dibs."  
  
Quistis sighed at the thought of yet another dress added to  
Nym's already growing collection of presents from the male cadets  
at her beck and call.  
  
Enju strolled over towards their table, hands in his pockets  
as he looked around the immense Quad. "Evening, ladies," he said.  
  
"You look a little lost," Nym remarked, flashing him a  
disarming smile.  
  
Enju nodded, though didn't seem to take the bait. "As a matter  
of fact, I am," he admitted, looking at the Quad. He reached up and  
slid the sunglasses off his nose, an overwhelmed look in his blue  
eyes. "I was supposed to have a guide to show me around, but he  
took off a while ago. Told me to check the place out on my own and  
then meet him in the Cafeteria for dinner."  
  
Both Nym and Quistis were surprised. That sort of behaviour  
was definitely not something Cid or Balamb endorsed. "Who was your  
guide?" Quistis asked.  
  
The cadet searched his memory, scratching his faded copper  
hair. "Oh, it was a foreign name. Kinda stands out. Myn, something?  
At least that's how I think he pronounced it."  
  
Nym abruptly stood up. "Excuse me," she said somewhat curtly  
as she stalked out from the Quad.  
  
"Where are you going?" Quistis called out after her.  
  
"To injure my brother," Nym glibly replied before turning a  
corner.  
  
Not understanding what had just happened, Enju shrugged and  
turned to Quistis. "So... care to give me the guided tour?" He held  
out his hand. "My name's Enju."  
  
"My name's--" Quistis began as she shook his hand.  
  
"Quistis," he answered for her. "Unless I've somehow mistaken  
Balamb's pride and joy for someone else."  
  
The surprise registering in Quistis' eyes was unmistakable.  
  
"Oh, you're quite the legend around the Gardens," Enju said,  
using the handshake to lightly pull Quistis off the bench and onto  
her feet. "Rumour has it Cid has you under lock and key to make  
sure he can take all the credit for when you become the best  
operative in SeeD history."  
  
Although she didn't want to in front of him, Quistis blushed  
quite profusely. All the Trepie adoration was one thing. But having  
other Gardens talking about her was too much! Did she have fan  
clubs in the other Gardens too? She forced herself not to laugh at  
the thought of how Nym would look upon hearing that.  
  
Enju smirked and let a few fingers brush against her flustered  
cheeks. "I know I'm cute, but you're embarrassing me, Quistis."  
  
That didn't help her skin return to its normal colour. But  
Enju took it in stride, laughing with a fondness in his voice that  
helped quell Quistis' feelings of being on display.  
  
"So then," he remarked, taking a step back and turning towards  
one of the exits. "How about that tour?"  
  
As she showed Enju around, Quistis fondly remembered how Xu  
had taken her on very much the same tour when she had first arrived  
at Balamb. Since this was after class hours, more students were  
milling about than usual. Many nodded or waved to her, and almost  
all of them took note of the 'friend' she was showing around.  
  
Quistis first took Enju to the main entrance area, and showed  
him the directory. If he ever got lost, he could fall back to here  
and consult the map. "The overall shape is like a gear," she  
explained. "The corridor we just walked down would be the circle  
base of the gear. The breezeways that lead off to the various areas  
of the complex are the teeth."  
  
Whistling at the sight, Enju slid down his shades to get a  
good look at everything. He pointed to the main elevator shaft. "I  
recognize that; the Headmaster's office is on the third floor."  
  
"Just remember that you can't go up there without permission,"  
Quistis made the point of saying. "The second floor is mostly  
comprised of classrooms, while the majority of the dorms are on the  
first floor. The Cafeteria is open from 0900 to 2100, and the  
Library is open from 0900 to lights out."  
  
Enju nodded as they took the elevator up to the second floor,  
and Quistis showed him some of the classrooms he'd be in.  
  
"So what brought you to Balamb?" Enju idly inquired, still  
admiring the view of the Training Centre from up above in the  
overpass. "Aside from a car, of course."  
  
A bittersweet smile appeared on Quistis' face. But being at  
Balamb, and most recently talking with Skye, had helped her face  
her tragic childhood. Very calmly she explained how she had been  
orphaned before being brought to Balamb.  
  
Enju's smile faded, and for a moment he looked like a  
different person. "I'm sorry," he said. He avoided her gaze by  
glancing down at the foliage of the Training Centre far below. "I  
didn't mean to kill the mood like that."  
  
She smiled as she looked at Enju. "It's okay. Balamb's become  
my family now. There have been so many friends who've acted like my  
big brothers and sisters. Many are still around... and some have  
passed on."  
  
Like Sean. Even though she had survived the worst parts of his  
horrific death, the terrors of reliving the memories were always  
there in the back of her mind. But she had slowly gotten over that.  
There were times when she doubted she would ever recover, but life  
at Balamb had changed significantly since then.  
  
And for the better too.  
  
"So... got a boyfriend?"  
  
Quistis nearly tripped over her feet as Enju casually asked  
that question.  
  
There was no one else on the overpass.  
  
It was just the two of them.  
  
"Well?" Enju asked again, still keeping his back to her. "Do  
you have a boyfriend, or are you available?"  
  
"Garden frowns on that sort of relationship." Quistis stumbled  
over that sentence. Her face felt hot and flustered; she couldn't  
even tell if he was serious or just teasing her.  
  
"At least I know where things stand," Enju muttered to  
himself. You can't get hurt if there was no one you cared about. It  
was a policy he knew all too well.  
  
Enju glanced back over his shoulder at Quistis. "You coming  
along, or are you just going to stand there? From what I gather,  
dinner should be starting soon."  
  
He wasn't saying anything more about her being single, and  
that gave Quistis the chance to breathe again. Maybe it had just  
been a simple question after all, probably asked on behalf of some  
Trepie. That was probably it. Quistis let the logic calm herself.  
She caught up with Enju and showed him to the Cafeteria.  
  
  
  
At dinner, Enju sat beside her yet acted perfectly calm, as if  
nothing had ever happened on the overpass. Quistis kept expecting  
him to do something, but he remained a social gentleman as he ate.  
There were random questions asked about Balamb Garden that were  
easy enough to answer, but he never inquired any further about her  
personal life.  
  
Abruptly the Cafeteria doors were thrown open and in limped  
Myn. The look on his face attested to the fact that he was rather  
irate with something--or someone. One of the cadets whistled and  
remarked about how agitated Myn looked; it wasn't every day someone  
managed to get the more patient of the twins that pissed off.   
  
Quistis found herself an uneasy spectator in what could become  
a brawl. Myn wasn't the type to back down once someone set him off.  
But just who or what could have gotten Myn that angry?  
  
"You!" he growled, singling out Enju.  
  
That answered that question.  
  
"Oh, you're back," Enju called out, waving him over as if  
nothing was wrong. "Look, Myn, I found the Cafeteria all by  
myself!"  
  
Myn stomped up to the table his eyes fit to kill. "Because of  
you, my sister almost killed me!" he snapped.  
  
Enju remained fairly nonchalant, leisurely gesturing to Myn  
with a forkful of food. "What are you complaining about? You're  
still in one piece, I see."  
  
"Barely," Myn retorted. "She never even gave me a chance to  
tell my side of the story before she used her shuriken on me. My  
favourite jacket is now full of holes, and my jaw hurts like hell."  
  
Quistis tried to step in and circumvent a possible fight. SeeD  
frowned on cadets fighting as a matter of principle, but Myn looked  
more than eager to throw a few punches. If anyone was needed to  
play peacekeeper, she was the only one who knew Myn well enough.  
  
"What happened?" she asked, trying to sound stern with Enju.  
He seemed to be regarding this as a game, while Myn was certainly  
taking this very seriously.  
  
Myn turned his gaze to Quistis, but pointed to Enju. "This  
guy, my new roommate--" He let that last word roll off his tongue  
like poison. "--is not even here for five minutes, when he ditches  
me to chase after you!"  
  
Quistis froze, her entire face going red.  
  
If the Cafeteria hadn't been quiet during the argument, it  
certainly was now.  
  
Enju sighed and shook his head. He sounded like an exasperated  
teacher when he did that. "I'm guessing subtlety isn't one of your  
strong points," he said to Myn. "We'll have to work on that."  
  
"You left me to carry your bags to our room, each of them  
weighing as much as me if not more," Myn stated. "Just so you could  
flirt with her!"  
  
"Yes, and my plan worked perfectly," Enju agreed. He slapped  
Myn on the arm. "Thank you for helping out. My life now has  
meaning."  
  
Before anyone could even respond to what had happened, Enju  
got up from the table, dropped off his tray and then sauntered out  
of the Cafeteria.  
  
Myn found himself unable to do anything except stare ahead  
vacantly, and blink. "What just happened?" he asked.  
  
Quistis said nothing, preferring to try and blend into the  
chair she was seated in. The fact that her entire face was bright  
red thanks to Myn's patented foot-in-the-mouth prevented such  
camouflage, however.  
  
  
  
"I don't believe this," Nym said after hearing the story. "You  
were stupid enough to embarrass poor Quistis like that in front of  
the entire Cafeteria?"  
  
Myn was still flustered at her berating. "I was angry," he  
said. "At least I didn't behave like you. If I had, Enju's head  
would be rolling across the training room floor by now."  
  
They were in Nym and Quistis' dorm room. As usual, Quistis was  
laid out on the bottom bunk, some of Myn's magazines scattered  
around the corners of the bed. Nym was sitting on one of the swivel  
chairs while her twin was sitting on the edge of the desk.  
  
Realizing he couldn't win against his sister, Myn decided the  
best tactic was to change subjects as quickly as he could. "But get  
this," Myn said. "I checked out his bags after he left me standing  
in the hall with them."  
  
He got a cuff upside the back of the head from his sister for  
having said that.  
  
"Ow! What was that for?" he snapped at Nym.  
  
"For going through another cadet's personal belongings," she  
retorted.  
  
Myn looked indignant. "Oh, and I suppose you wouldn't have  
indulged your curiosity?"  
  
Nym shifted uncomfortable in her chair. Both Myn and Quistis  
knew that if she had the chance, Nym would have had those duffel  
bags unzipped in a heartbeat. If anything to claim a pair of his  
boxers for herself, for use as blackmail material later on. It  
wouldn't have been the first time an unco-operative male cadet  
found his underwear stapled to the message board, all courtesy of  
Nym.   
  
"If he won't be in my harem," she had stated often enough.  
"Then he won't be in anyone else's either."  
  
Whereupon Myn usually turned Quistis and said, "You see what  
I've had to live with all my life."  
  
"So what was in it?" Quistis asked, admittedly curious herself  
about the guy responsible for causing her to blush so many times in  
one day.  
  
Myn shrugged. "Enju wasn't kidding when he said his stuff  
didn't take well to rough-housing. In the outer pouches, he had  
maybe two spare uniforms, and a really strange set of casual  
clothes. Everything else was weaponry."  
  
Quistis sat up when she heard that. "He brought his own  
weapons?"  
  
Most of the students in the Gardens could barely afford their  
own weapon, let alone many weapons. And then there was the cost and  
effort of upgrades. How could someone like Enju have acquired that  
many weapons?  
  
"The guy's got a stockpile for a small army," Myn said. "But  
he evidently takes his blades seriously: they're all individually  
wrapped and secured for travel purposes. Mostly close combat stuff;  
he's got a few polearms with detachable blade heads. And no pistols  
either."  
  
"I find guns are too uncivilized," came Enju's voice,  
startling the room's occupants. "Fights were meant to be  
face-to-face, if not hand-to-hand. The distance pistols give takes  
the personal meaning out from the battle; it cheapens the thrill of  
victory."  
  
The three cadets turned their heads and saw Enju in the open  
doorway, his back leaning against the frame. His hands were in his  
uniform pockets, his weight shifted onto one foot. By all  
indications he was in quite the lazy mood.  
  
"I didn't realize they meant that much to you," Myn said,  
surprisingly humble despite all that Enju had subjected him to  
within the span of a few hours. "I'm sorry about the weapons."  
  
"Actually, I was expecting you to do that after I left you  
hanging in the hallway," Enju said, waving Myn's apologies off.  
"Thought you might want to find some pair of Chocobo-patterned  
boxer shorts to hang on a message board in retaliation."  
  
"You have boxer shorts with Chocobos on them?" Nym asked,  
unable to conceal her laughter.  
  
Quistis inwardly groaned, knowing that now Nym would  
definitely rummage through his things to keep a pair for  
herself--blackmail purposes or otherwise.  
  
"Thankfully, no," Enju replied. He stepped out from beneath  
the doorframe and joined the trio, sitting on the corner of  
Quistis' desk. "I was raised in the Weapons Guild, so I've been  
fascinated with bladed weapons for a long time. I've also made a  
point in training with a wide variety. I have my favourites, but  
I'm not limited to them. What about you three?"  
  
"Don't try sparring with her," Myn said, thumbing over to his  
sister. "Nym loves her shuriken darts. She'll pin you down to the  
nearest wall and ravish you before you have a chance to know what  
hit--"  
  
And as it turned out Myn knew exactly what hit him. Enju  
lifted one of his legs up to accommodate Myn's unceremonious crash  
onto the floor, courtesy of swift kick to the ribs by Nym.  
  
"Are you two related, by any chance?" Enju inquired, turning  
to Nym as he pointed down at the twitching Myn. Moments later he  
decided to make use of his roommate as a convenient footrest.  
  
"They're fraternal twins," Quistis answered.  
  
Enju thought that over for a few seconds. "I'm surprised you  
haven't paralyzed him with a few throwing darts yet."  
  
"I still need him," Nym replied with a giggle. "No one else  
plays the punching bag like he does."  
  
"Hey!" Myn exclaimed.  
  
Everyone laughed at Myn's expense, even Quistis. The fact that  
Myn seemed to take his abuse in stride made it all the more  
amusing, and she was glad she didn't have to feel guilty about all  
the barbs he took.  
  
Enju gestured down to Myn. "So what toys does the carpet  
crawler like to play with?"  
  
"For your information," Myn retorted, pushing himself off the  
floor. "I'm working on the chained kusarigama."  
  
Enju's eyes widened, and he looked at Myn with newfound  
respect. "That's a pretty dangerous toy. Two scythe blades linked  
that closely together; you're liable to cut your own head off along  
with your opponent's."  
  
"I've got more than enough scars to testify to that," Myn  
agreed, dusting his pants off. "But it's worth seeing the look on  
your opponent's face when you pull out bladed nunchaku like that."  
  
That drew a chuckle from Enju. "Sometimes intimidation is the  
better part of valour." He turned to Quistis. "What about you?"  
  
For once Quistis wished Enju was wearing his shades. She was  
feeling incredibly self-conscious. His cool stare seemed to cut  
right into the core of her being.  
  
"You can show him, Quistis," Nym prodded her on. The older  
cadet decided to take the initiative, and carefully took out the  
rante from its drawer. She then handed it to Enju.  
  
"She designed the modifications herself," Myn added.  
  
Enju whistled as he felt the whipping chain's weight in his  
hands. "A rante ber gangedug. It's a difficult weapon to wield--not  
to mention a heavier version of it, too. Interesting modifications  
on the handle; makes for better grip and overall efficient use of  
the weapon. I am impressed, Miss Trepe. I am very impressed."  
  
She beamed at that, the colour of her cheeks returning to  
normal. Eugene would have been proud, had he not been away on  
assignment. For a brief moment Quistis wondered what he was doing.  
  
"You know," Enju added, looking directly at Quistis. She  
cringed. "We never did get a chance to finish off our tour. Care to  
squeeze in a few more wings before curfew?"  
  
Quistis looked to her friends for a way out. But Myn had done  
something to invoke his sister's wrath (yet again) and was getting  
his arm twisted. "Go on, Quistis," Nym said as she gave another  
solid yank on Myn's wrist. "Looks like you've roped in another  
Trepie, so you might as well live it up while you can."  
  
That wasn't the way out Quistis had been searching for.  
  
Hesitantly she directed her gaze back over to Enju, who was  
leaning against the top of her bunk and looking into her eyes.  
"I'll be good. I promise."  
  
  
  
With a sigh, Enju looked up at the night skies beyond the  
dome. "You're not as talkative as you were earlier this evening,"  
he remarked to Quistis. "Was it something I said?"  
  
Trying to keep a step or two ahead of him, Quistis nodded. She  
didn't even want to say what, certain he knew well enough, and was  
just trying to prod her into speaking.  
  
"Well if you're not going to talk, I suppose I should," Enju  
stated. "Level the playing field. After all, you don't know  
anything about me, do you?"  
  
Quistis paused. He knew exactly what buttons to push to get  
her attention, and she grudgingly had to admit defeat to her  
curiosity. She just hoped it wouldn't get her into any more  
trouble. Nym was trouble at times, but it was a fun kind of  
trouble, the kind you laughed about together afterwards. Enju  
seemed to be a completely new breed of trouble, and Quistis wasn't  
sure if she liked it. She wasn't sure if she really liked being  
around him.  
  
Enju closed the distance between them, and frowned as he saw  
her expression. "I'm not going to bite your head off. Anyone who  
would do that to someone as cute as you are deserves to die  
themselves."  
  
His phrasing caused her to flinch. How could he speak so   
easily of life and death? Though the day may come when she must  
take a life, that didn't mean she had to make light of it.   
  
Quistis abruptly noticed that even though he had volunteered  
to do the talking, Enju wasn't speaking a word. He was just  
standing there with his hands in his pockets, staring at the  
expanse of the Quad.  
  
"Aren't you going to say something?" she asked.  
  
Enju glanced back at her, visibly preoccupied with something  
else. "Not sure anymore. I look back at my life to find something  
worth mentioning, and all I find are bad memories."  
  
Quistis picked up on that but didn't say anything.  
  
"Ask me a question, and maybe I can answer it," he offered.  
  
After seeing him brood about his past, Quistis decided that  
asking a question about where or how he grew up wasn't the way to  
go. Instead she tried finding some middle ground they both shared.  
  
"What's Trabia Garden like?" she asked. Certainly she'd heard  
a lot of stories from the twins, but it felt as though the best and   
most tactful thing to do would be to play innocent.  
  
It was Enju's turn to look surprised for once. "You knew that?  
Oh, Myn told you, I bet." He considered his reply for a moment.  
"It's cold for most of the year."  
  
"Something about the curriculum?" she pressed.  
  
Enju nodded. "Trabia's a good Garden; it deserves a lot more  
credit than it's given. They push you hard in everything:  
academics, magic and combat."  
  
"What was your worst subject?"  
  
Most people began by asking what someone's best subject was,  
but Enju didn't seem the type to really care which one was asked  
first. Quistis' hunch was right. Enju didn't even blink when he  
replied, "Magic. It doesn't like me, and was the only thing holding  
me back. I excelled at everything else. They tried regular casting  
techniques and some unorthodox ones.   
  
"Hell, they tried having me work with Guardian Forces... but  
Shiva and Quezelcoatl didn't seem to even acknowledge I was ever  
there. With every option at Trabia exhausted, Headmistress Rebecca  
thought that Balamb might be able to help."  
  
Quistis found it strange to think that they shared a  
commonality: her weapons skills were above par, but not at the  
levels Enju seemed to be at. On the other hand she had experienced  
that frustrating block at casting spells. She could still recall  
how aggravated she got over her wasted efforts, more with herself  
than anyone else.  
  
"Did you get to meet with Myn and Nym's magic instructor?" she  
asked.  
  
Enju hesitated for a moment and then said, "Yes. No success."   
  
He scowled and Quistis presumed he was getting annoyed with  
his faults. She knew the feeling, sometimes berating herself for  
getting certain answers wrong on a test, or not getting high marks  
on an assignment. But now seemed the time to move onto a less  
aggravating topic for him.  
  
"What's your best subject?" she asked.  
  
Enju immediately replied, "Weapons training; it's my  
specialty. My father used to be in the Weapons Guild, and also  
designed weapons."  
  
"You inherit his skills then?"  
  
"I have a knack for using anything with a blade," he said.  
Somewhat cryptically he muttered to himself, "That's generally what  
keeps me alive."  
  
Enju reached over to the side of his uniform and detached  
something from the belt. Quistis didn't recall seeing it there  
before. It was a thick strip of metal, easily the length of Enju's  
forearm. It was a dull metallic gray, but with a precise design to  
it.  
  
"This is a variant of a weapon my father designed," Enju said,  
flicking his wrist. The single strip of metal suddenly became a  
multitude of hinged, thinner strips all stacked on top of each  
other and connected at the base. "From what I know, it's called it  
a kinzoku-sensu."  
  
A metal folding fan.  
  
The sensu itself was large enough to conceal someone's face,  
but Quistis wasn't sure just how this fan could act as a weapon  
outside of deflecting someone's attack. The slender metal flaps  
were laced together with incredibly small chains; they didn't  
actually fold over each other, but each one slid out from beneath  
the last.  
  
Abruptly Enju flicked his wrist again, and razor-thin,  
retractable blades extended out from the tip of each flap. Quistis  
jumped back in surprise, definitely not expecting that to happen.  
  
"Beautiful but deadly," Enju stated. He seemed captivated with  
his reflection on the metal, studying every edge and contour of the  
kinzoku-sensu.  
  
Quistis could gruesomely imagine the damage it can do if  
slashed either up or down someone's chest. If the fan was held  
horizontal, you got a rake effect that cut the chest to ribbons. If  
the fan was held vertical, you got the equivalent of being sliced  
open like a fish. She shivered, not enjoying the weapon at all. Why  
anyone would want to be an artist with such lethal objects was  
something she couldn't understand.  
  
Enju snapped his wrist, the sensu folding back to its original  
form. "This was my father's legacy," he said, his voice losing its  
usually playful edge. He attached the sensu to his belt via a loop  
at the fan's base. "Whenever I carry this with me, I feel like I'm  
carrying a part of him."  
  
His voice was subdued, but proud.  
  
He reminded Quistis of Sean in a number of ways. "Sean's  
father is a Weapons Smith too," she said. "Sean used to--"  
  
She abruptly stopped, her thoughts coming to a crashing halt   
as her heart was gripped a little tighter in her chest. This sensation   
was something she hadn't expected to happen. Maybe because this was   
the first time she had spoken of Sean so openly to someone after his  
death, outside of her sessions with Doctor Kadowaki.  
  
"Sean?" Enju asked. "Who's he?" Then he noticed the uneasiness  
in Quistis' expression, and decided not to press the matter.  
  
The subject had to be changed. Quistis took the initiative.  
"What about your father?" she asked. "I'm sure he's proud to have  
his son using his weapons as a SeeD cadet. Have you visited him  
recently?"  
  
"From time to time I pay my respects to my family," Enju  
answered, the roguish smile fading. "There is an unmarked grave  
somewhere on the outskirts of Tenmile; as far as I know, that's  
where my father--where all of them--are buried."  
  
Tenmile was a small town on the outskirts of Timber, if  
Quistis recalled her geography correctly. It was destroyed during  
the same Galbadian advance that captured her home village of  
Cottage Grove.  
  
Enju shifted uneasily under Quistis' gaze. He didn't like  
being watched with those sorts of eyes.  
  
Eyes that sympathized with him.  
  
"I... I'm sorry," Quistis said, bowing her head.  
  
Enju shook his head and motioned for her to continue walking.  
"Don't be. From all accounts, he died protecting us. The details  
are sketchy at best. What I do know is that the attackers didn't  
even spare women and children."  
  
It wasn't often she heard a firsthand account of any battle  
from one of the victims. Textbooks did their best at relaying  
facts, not the emotions. "How did you survive?" she asked.  
  
"Blind luck, or else fate wants something from me. I was left  
for dead amidst a field of ash and blood. Ever since I've been an  
orphan."  
  
They had more in common than perhaps either of them wanted to  
admit. She gently slid her hand on top his, giving it a reassuring  
squeeze. Enju gave a small smile and then slid his sunglasses back  
over his eyes.  
  
"What about the Weapons Guild?" Quistis asked as they started  
up the tour again.  
  
"It's a loose organization of skilled weapon users, kind of  
like a club. They gather together on a yearly basis to test  
themselves. If they've improved enough, they raise a rank or two.  
You can be a master, but there are ten levels in the mastery. I  
never did get to see if I could be a master. I was a journeyman  
when I signed on with Trabia."  
  
"What about your teacher?"  
  
"Oh, I had a teacher alright," Enju said, almost ruefully.  
"Nastiest woman I've ever come across. I still don't know whether  
or not the fact that she made me do an extra hour of practice every  
night was because she hated me or liked me."   
  
"What was her name?" Quistis asked.  
  
Enju exhaled as if he were trying to spit air like it was  
water. "Mistress Niethe, I think. I've regressed my memories of the  
years I was under her tutelage. But," he added, flicking his wrists  
and letting the metal fan unfold once more, "her training  
definitely paid off."  
  
Quistis didn't even catch when he had unfastened the weapon.  
He was definitely fast. She made a mental note of that in case she  
had to spar with him later on.  
  
"I was with the Weapons Guild until I was twelve or thirteen,"  
Enju was explaining. "Then I did some traveling and decided to  
enroll as a SeeD cadet in Trabia Garden. Just managed to slide in  
under the age limit too."  
  
"You don't like flaunting it, do you?" Quistis observed. When  
he looked at her curiously she said, "Your childhood in the Weapons  
Guild."  
  
Enju nodded. "The Guild was my life after I was orphaned. I  
had nowhere else to go. That's why I'm so good with my weapons; I  
was raised with them as my play toys."  
  
Quistis knew her play toys growing up: books. But in time she  
had replaced them with real friends like Xu, Sean, the twins, her  
trio of 'brothers', and Kei. She suddenly wondered if Enju had any  
human friends.  
  
He didn't strike her as being the type to have many.  
  
  
  
As he got integrated into Balamb Garden, Enju became a  
familiar sight around Quistis. He started hanging around her as  
much as the twins did. Quistis didn't mind his presence--but he  
definitely had a way of getting under her skin when he wanted to.  
The guy was such a complex mystery. He had Jessie's playful sense  
of humour, but there was something else about him that made her  
shiver.  
  
She found herself puzzling over him more and more. She had the  
time to do it, given how far ahead she was in her studies. The only  
real challenges to her these days were keeping up with her magic  
and weapons training.  
  
One evening she visited Myn to return a magazine he had left  
on her desk. Myn was around, but apparently Enju had disappeared.  
"Where'd he go?" she asked. Her first guess would have been the  
training room; if Enju had anything to be called a regular haunt,  
it was the training facilities.  
  
"Oh, he's here," Myn said, lifting a finger to his lips. He  
then nodded with his head to the upper bunk.  
  
Quistis stood on the edge of the lower bunk and peered at  
Enju, who was lying facedown in his pillow and sleeping soundly. He  
was usually a night owl, the most vibrant either early in the  
morning or late at night. But in the afternoon he seemed to spend  
most of his time in a hibernation state. For Enju to be this tired  
in the evening was a first.  
  
"Sleeping beauty took some kind of medical test today," Myn  
explained. "Whatever it was really wiped him. I got a call from  
Doctor Kadowaki an hour ago asking me to drag him back to our  
room."  
  
"Is he sick?"  
  
Myn shook his head. "He wasn't when I saw him earlier this  
morning. Odds are he'll bounce back. In the meantime, try not to  
let Sis hear about this; I don't want my room to become a crime  
scene. And I'm sure Enju would like to keep most of his clothes  
on."  
  
Enju had recovered by the next day.  
  
At lunch in the Cafeteria, Quistis turned her head as someone  
tapped her shoulder. No one was on her left, so she instantly  
turned right. Enju sat down, winking at her.  
  
"Miss me?"  
  
"If you go away again, maybe I'll know for certain."  
  
Enju chuckled as he sifted through the various items of food  
on his tray. "Attitude! I like that." He took one bite of his hot  
dog, and then abruptly stopped chewing. "Now what's this supposed  
to be?" he managed to sputter despite his mouthful.  
  
"Hot dogs," Myn replied as he walked in behind Enju. He  
reached over and promptly stole the remainder of the hot dog from  
Enju's hand. "The pride and joy of Balamb's Cafeteria. Trust me:  
they're an acquired taste."  
  
Enju winced a second time as he forced himself to swallow. "I  
see. I pride myself on being omnivorous, but that could drive me to  
become a vegetarian."  
  
"Suit yourself," Myn retorted, savouring a bite from the  
reclaimed hot dog.  
  
"Xu's a vegetarian," Quistis spoke up. It didn't seem all that  
necessary a thing to say. Enju wasn't making a personal attack, but  
it felt somewhat personal to Quistis.  
  
Enju paused, looking at Quistis in confusion. "Xu?"  
  
"Her old roommate," Nym replied between chews of her rice.  
"She's currently in Galbadia, training to become an Instructor."  
  
That drew a grimace from Enju. "She has my deepest sympathy,  
then."  
  
The twins nodded their own regrets.  
  
"What's wrong with Galbadia?" Quistis asked, confused by their  
sudden dark reactions.  
  
"Aside from almost everything?" Nym replied sourly. "You've  
read the history books, Quistis. You've even taught half of what's  
in them. Galbadia Garden is practically ruled by the military. They  
ban virtually all use of magic, and they hate anyone who's not like  
them. You don't fit the cookie cutter, and they'll haze you until  
you're dead... or you kill them."  
  
Quistis felt a sinking in her stomach as she thought about Xu.  
Did Galbadia hate the Anshin? If that was the case, then she hoped  
no one knew about Xu's heritage. Quistis feared of the hassling Xu  
would get. She had gone through the same thing herself over her  
intelligence, and that had been anything but pretty.  
  
"I've heard a few stories about Headmaster Martine," Enju  
added, trying to steal some of Myn's vegetables. "Most of them  
would put the guy on my personal shit list, to be honest."  
  
Myn defensively slammed his fork down on Enju's. "Mine too."  
  
Quistis paled considerably.  
  
She hoped Xu was doing all right at Galbadia.  
  
  
  
Enju joined her weapons class at the end of the week, albeit  
briefly. Because of his evident skill, he was raised to a more  
advanced level--but only in weapons handling. He was denied rising  
higher in hand-to-hand combat.  
  
On the day in question, he had shown up for class with one of  
his personal glaives slung over his shoulder. The blade on the  
glaive was decorated with some sort of black symbol. As far as  
Quistis could tell it was some sort of dragon. Even though it must  
have been hot for him, he kept in uniform--though let the jacket  
stay open to give himself some air.  
  
The Shumi Instructor paired everyone off for their first  
sparring match. As it happened, Quistis and Enju were paired off as  
opponents.  
  
"You know what they say," Enju quipped as he spun the glaive  
over his head before bringing it into a ready stance. "All's fair  
in love and war. Especially war."  
  
He raised both his eyebrows a few times to shine Quistis on.  
She wasn't exactly impressed, and attacked with her rante. Enju  
whirled, hastily dodging the tip as it nearly cut through his  
cheek.  
  
He leapt back and out of the rante's reach, a predatory grin on  
his face. He gripped the shaft of the glaive, both hands right at  
the middle. Abruptly he turned his wrists in opposite directions,  
a metallic click resulting from the action.  
  
Quistis froze as she heard the sound.  
  
With a rapid motion, Enju jerked what turned out to be two  
halves of the pole away from each other. The shaft itself proved to  
be hollow, links of a slender metal chain pouring out from the  
space.  
  
That thing doubled as a hidden whip!  
  
And now its reach was even farther than Quistis' rante.  
  
The hand that gripped the bladed half went over Enju's head  
and mercilessly whipped the glaive around. He released the blade,  
throwing all his muscle and weight into the blow as the glaive  
went spinning towards Quistis. She threw herself sideways to avoid  
the frighteningly large blade as it nearly sliced open her chest.  
But she also felt the end of the blade snag her rante and tear it  
from her grip.  
  
Both hands now on the lower half of the glaive, Enju gave a  
solid yank and sent the weapon twisting back towards himself. He  
ducked as the chain flew over his head, and with a rapid motion  
managed to snag the upper section in his grip.  
  
Sweat dripped down his face, and his breathing was heavy from  
the assault. "Never take your opponent's weapon at face value," he  
stated.  
  
He now stood between Quistis and her weapon. There was no  
chance she could recover it--not with the reach his glaive had, and  
the ferocity with which he wielded it. Enju wasn't kidding when he  
said he was good with weapons.  
  
"What is that?" she asked him as they retired to the sidelines  
once the exercise was over.  
  
"Something I picked up from the Weapons Guild," Enju said as  
he tried to catch his breath. "Nothing that impressive. I've seen  
polearms that can be divided into three or four sections by hidden  
chains. When you get hit by those, the shaft stings even worse than  
the blade. Other variants include hidden blades inside the pole.  
I've heard of one with a hollowed shaft: it was filled with  
gunpowder and used as a miniature cannon. The blade was blown out  
from the end of the pole and..."  
  
He cut his story short.  
  
"Well, as you can imagine, the end result wasn't very pretty."  
  
  
  
Later the following night, Enju found Quistis in the Library.  
She had gone there to find out what she could of the Weapons Guild;  
his descriptions of the Guild did little justice to the skills its  
members displayed. If he was just a journeyman she wondered what it  
would be like to be a seventh or eighth level master.  
  
Quistis gave a brief glance over to the chess board on the  
other side of the table. For a long time the board had never been  
used, until very recently when she decided to play around and slide  
a pawn forward. The next time she had visited the Library, she  
discovered that another cadet had countered by moving an opponent's  
pawn.  
  
And so the ghost chess match had begun. Each day she'd come  
back and find a different piece moved, and then counter it with one  
of her own. She was dying to know who her opponent was. Had he not  
been on assignment with Jessie, she would have guessed LeVar.  
  
"Ah, so this is where my cute little bookworm has burrowed  
herself," Enju's voice remarked as he sauntered up behind her and  
tapped the bridge of her reading glasses. He picked one of the  
volumes off the top of the stack.  
  
Quistis glowered, though Enju was too far behind her to see  
it. These were the sorts of little things he'd do to her: they were  
annoying and endearing at the same time. Of all the would-be  
brothers she'd had at Balamb, he acted the most like a real older  
brother. Namely one who could get on your nerves at will.  
  
"How can you read these things?" Enju sighed, letting the  
volumes of pages run through his fingers. "There are no pictures  
whatsoever."  
  
Quistis stared at him in disbelief.  
  
"It's a joke, Quistis," he added hastily. "You've got to stop  
taking life so seriously."  
  
"You don't strike me as the type who seems to take anything  
seriously, including becoming a SeeD," Quistis retorted. "The only  
things you really like are your weapons."  
  
Enju grinned and set her textbook back down on the table.  
Finding a nearby bookshelf, he placed his back to the books and  
leaned against it. "It's the journey that counts, not the  
destination."  
  
"But how can you learn anything if you don't have a  
destination to walk towards?"  
  
"Touchy, my dear. Touchy. So what is your destination?  
Becoming a SeeD?"  
  
She nodded, removing her glasses. "An Instructor, actually."  
  
One of Enju's eyebrows went up. "Really? Such a lofty goal for  
one so young. Who are you trying to prove yourself to?"  
  
Quistis looked at him in confusion. As far as she was aware,  
she had stated her intentions honestly.  
  
"Everyone's out to prove something, Quistis," he said.  
"Whether it's to themselves or to someone else. What about you?  
What are you trying to prove here at Balamb?"  
  
Quistis was silent for a long time. Finally she answered him:  
"That everyone's faith in me is not misplaced."  
  
The last thing she wanted was for Sean's death to be in vain.  
He had given the ultimate sacrifice for her benefit, him more than  
anything else. It was hard for Quistis to tell Enju about Sean, and  
what he meant to her. Instead of the usual jokes he'd crack, Enju  
listened silently and with a solemn expression on his face.  
  
"You're doing this on their behalf?" he mused. "A noble if not  
misdirected effort."  
  
Quistis immediately went on the offensive. How dare he tell  
her that everyone's efforts were misdirected! "What's that supposed  
to mean?"  
  
"You have a life of your own to live, Quistis, one outside of  
what everyone else would have you live." Enju's composure was cool  
as he watched her with his piercing blue eyes. "And believe me, a  
life is a precious thing to have. Don't waste it by being someone  
who is born out of another's ideals. Prove yourself to yourself  
first, and see if Balamb is really your place to call home."  
  
He was talking about her, not everyone else.  
  
Enju readjusted his position against the bookshelf, his arms  
crossed over his chest. "If you want to be a SeeD and happen to  
fulfill everyone else's goals, then more power to you. But until  
then, you're powerless to your insecurities. Decide for yourself:  
is Balamb the place you want to be? Not where everyone else wants  
you, but where you want yourself to be?"  
  
Quistis was left without an answer, one that she knew she'd  
have to find for herself. Enju gave a final wave and then headed  
for the door. He paused for a moment, as if considering an  
afterthought.  
  
"Oh," he added, leaning over to the chess board and sliding  
the rook piece forward two squares. "Checkmate in five."  
  
Quistis momentarily appraised the board, and then moved her   
queen diagonally. "Checkmate in three," she retorted evenly.  
She could almost see Enju's brain seize up from the shock, and she  
had to giggle.  
  
Her laughter was short-lived though. After Enju left, she  
became very quiet. Once more she found herself questioning  
everything about her life. Quistis didn't get any sleep that night.  
She didn't have an answer when the time came for her to get ready  
for classes.  
  
This time it didn't surprise her.  
  
Nor did it make her feel any better.  
  
  
  
When Quistis' fourteenth birthday rolled around a celebration  
was held. There was a large surprise party in the Cafeteria,  
orchestrated by the ever-growing number of Trepies on campus. Later  
that evening a smaller, private one was held in her and Nym's dorm  
room.  
  
The twins attended, as did Enju.  
  
The surprise guest was Kei.  
  
"I didn't expect you to show," Myn remarked, opening the door  
and gesturing for her to come in. "Heard you were on assignment."  
  
Kei nodded, undoing a part of her jacket. "Finished early and  
thought I'd have enough time to catch you here."  
  
She had gotten along with the twins a lot better than she had  
with Jessie and LeVar. Nym was playful, but had a delicious mean  
streak Kei admired. And Myn was so used to being pounded by women  
that he didn't really fear Kei... not that it stopped him from  
making the usual tactless remarks in front of her. Kei usually just  
held back and grinned as she let Nym perform the smackdowns.  
  
Kei's eyes locked onto a new face she hadn't seen before. Enju  
was leaning against the bunks, chatting with Quistis. The younger  
blushed at something he said, and he laughed at the reaction.  
  
"I don't think you've met Enju before, have you?" Nym said,  
pulling him away from Quistis. "Cadet Enju meet SeeD Kei. She's a  
good friend of Quistis."  
  
"She's been around here longer than we have," Myn added with  
a nod. "So that would make her how old, then?"  
  
His eyes widened and he frantically ducked a pair of shuriken  
darts that got impaled into the door.  
  
"Never ask a woman how old she is," Nym stated, glaring at her  
brother.  
  
Myn vehemently nodded in compliance.  
  
Kei had to admit she loved the way Nym worked--and she was  
cute too. It was a shame that Nym had to spend her time chasing  
after the guys.  
  
"Do I know you from somewhere?" Enju inquired, causing Kei to  
look away from a potential date.  
  
"I've been around," she replied.  
  
Enju shook his head. "No... something else, SeeD Kei. Forgive  
me for saying this, but I can't help thinking we've met before,  
someplace outside of Balamb." He shrugged the nagging sense of deja  
vu aside. "Pleasure meeting you, I'm sure." He held out his hand,  
an odd smile tugging at his lips.  
  
Something about him set Kei on edge. With sudden caution, she  
shook hands and felt something against her palm.  
  
Kote.  
  
He was wearing kote.  
  
'What kind of a cadet wears armguards even when dressed  
casually?' Kei thought to herself. She took an immediate disliking  
to Enju. There was something about his face, about his eyes, that  
she found unnerving. And she was a good judge of character. The  
rogue charm he was using on her wouldn't work; Enju seemed to  
notice this.  
  
"Well then, I'm sure our next encounters will be ones to  
remember," he said, nodding as he withdrew his hand.  
  
The message was meant just for Kei.  
  
She wanted to reply with a hard punch to the face, but didn't  
want to do it in front of Quistis and the twins. Not when she  
lacked any proof about Enju. He was definitely hiding something,  
and she wanted to find out what.  
  
And Kei didn't want him anywhere near Quistis.  
  
She knew a wolf in the fold when she saw one.  
  
  
  
Myn and Enju had taken to practicing their weapons sparring  
late in the evenings when no one else was around in the training  
room. It surprised Myn to know that Enju had never studied the  
chained kusarigama, and Enju enjoyed the challenge of fighting  
against a new weapon. Every time they sparred Enju would bring a  
different weapon to test out against Myn. Some worked, and others  
barely protected Enju.  
  
That was one thing Myn found odd about his roommate: Enju  
rarely seemed to flinch, even when he got nicked. Death was  
something Enju didn't seem worried about. At the very least it made  
Enju the ideal partner to practice with--so long as you were a  
challenge to him.  
  
"Ready whenever you are," Enju announced, raising a katana to  
shoulder level. The tip of its blade pointed at Myn's face.  
  
Myn grinned and started to twirl his chained kusarigama. "Fine  
by me. The faster I throttle you, the sooner I call it a night."  
  
Their engagement was fast and furious, Enju proving to be  
highly adept at using the katana to block Myn's lethal strikes. The  
usual ring each pair of cadets fought within was quickly discarded,  
the two chasing each other across the entire training room. For a  
while it looked like an even match.  
  
However, Enju proved to have another trick up his sleeves. He  
started nudging the fight towards the walls, and drove towards that  
direction whenever he and Myn broke into a run. Myn was caught off  
guard as Enju leapt off the floor and took two or three steps along  
the wall, gaining height as he moved.  
  
Enju vaulted into the air, spinning his katana around and  
managing to knock the kusarigama from Myn's hands. There was little  
else Myn could do aside from admit his own defeat. Yet Enju still  
charged even after that fact. Myn's eyes widened as he saw Enju  
pounce, the cadet bringing the vicious point of the blade to a halt  
a literal hair's breadth from Myn's face.  
  
Enju's own eyes were wide, but from something altogether  
different. They were nearly glazed over, as if the sparring match  
had become second in his priorities. Abruptly Enju let out a deep  
breath and relaxed, pulling his katana away from Myn's face.  
  
"Good match," he said.  
  
Myn nodded. "Yeah. I thought you were going to kill me back  
there."  
  
"I was almost going to," he agreed.  
  
Myn swallowed hard, a cold chill going through his body  
despite how hot and sweaty he was. "Okay, I'm just going to go to  
a corner and wet myself."  
  
Enju sighed as he tossed Myn a towel. "You really don't know  
how to take a joke."  
  
"It comes from fearing my sister," Myn glibly replied. "You  
going to shower?"  
  
"No. I've got something to take care of first. Keep the water  
warmed for me."  
  
Before Myn could say anything else, Enju was out the door. The  
sheathed katana held in one hand, he made his way to the elevator  
and pressed the button that would take him to the third floor. He  
had an appointment with the Headmaster, and was already running a  
little late. Myn was proving to be more tenacious with the  
kusarigama than Enju had first thought.  
  
That was making it fun.  
  
  
  
Despite the late hour of the night, light crept out from  
beneath Cid's office door, indicating that the Headmaster was in.  
Enju knocked once before entering. Cid was seated behind his desk,  
reclining in his large chair. The desk itself was cleared off save  
for a single filing folder.  
  
"Doctor Kadowaki's tests are completed," Cid said, motioning  
to the report. "Do you know what she found?"  
  
Enju opted to stand instead of sit. He placed his hands in  
front of him, as was customary for cadets at attention. "I hold  
suspicions."  
  
"I'll summarize," Cid said. "Because of the eugenics done to  
you, you are for the most part unable to use magic. Beads and  
energy quanta have a limited range and effect primarily because of  
the magic used in... modifying your body. Your skin in essence  
nullifies almost anything you can cast."  
  
Enju lowered his eyes and studied the floor, carefully taking  
this into consideration. He sighed deeply, not liking the fact that  
he would never cast anything above a mid-level spell in his life.  
This sort of procedure was irreversible. A price to pay for his  
past, he supposed.  
  
"You're taking it rather well," Cid observed.  
  
He looked up at the Headmaster. "Wishful thinking can't undo  
something like this, Sir," he answered. "I might as well get over  
it and move on with my life."  
  
That gave Cid reason to smile. "Spoken like a SeeD, though I  
wouldn't mind a little more emotion in your voice when you say  
that. I'd like to know you're still human."  
  
Enju nodded. "Thank you for all your assistance in these  
matters, Headmaster Cid. And let me express my thanks to Kadowaki  
too." He paused a moment before saying, "I have to ask: how did you  
know about me?"  
  
"Something seemed off with your credentials, Enju," Cid  
replied, leaning back in his chair. "Call it a Headmaster's hunch.  
Although I must compliment you on forging such clever visual  
communiques. You had Rebecca's image physically perfect--but there  
were a few mannerisms unlike her which I picked up on."  
  
Enju's gaze seemed to zero in on Cid's face, reading the  
expression. "There's something else."  
  
"I'm also quite familiar with the Weapons Guild, even though  
I'm not a member," the Headmaster said. "Some of the Masters are  
good friends of mine. Perhaps that's what drew my attention to your  
file: most Guild members who are raised in it from childhood stay  
for life. You are a notable exception."  
  
"It's not exactly like I can hide my skills," Enju replied. "I  
can feign being on par with everyone else, but I despise being  
unable to use my true potential. It was a risk either way, and I  
chose the option that would bring me the least amount of  
questions."  
  
Cid nodded diplomatically. "A good strategy, which I commend.  
As for the rest of your... illustrious history, it was a matter of  
piecing a few things together. You've hidden yourself quite well  
here at Balamb. I only found you out because I have contacts with  
the Guild and knew what to look for." He leaned forward in his  
chair, his gaze causing Enju to shift stances in discomfort. "Now  
perhaps you can do me a favour, cadet Enju. Tell me, how is Quistis  
doing in her studies?"  
  
  
  
Hand-to-hand combat classes had Enju always popping up to  
meddle with Quistis' life yet again. He flashed her a grin and  
waved as he hopped onto the mats to spar with his latest opponent.  
Quistis could only roll her eyes in exasperation. She had her own  
sparring partner to worry about, and tried to avoid him as much as  
possible.  
  
But Enju proved a greater distraction than she had expected.  
Quistis backed down from her own match as she watched Enju fight.  
He was moving with a strange gliding speed, always dodging or side-  
stepping his partner's attacks. He looked as if he was deliberately  
holding back.  
  
A jab to the ribs knocked Quistis back into her own match, and  
she made quick work of defeating her opponent. She'd had time  
earlier to study the techniques of most of the other people in the  
class, and was exploiting whatever weaknesses she could find to  
their fullest. The Faculty instructor noted how much this strategy  
was paying off for Quistis.  
  
"Good match," she said, helping the larger cadet back onto his  
feet as best she could.   
  
Moments later Quistis winced as Enju flipped his opponent over  
his shoulder, slamming the guy's back onto the mats. The final blow  
had come so swiftly there was nothing the other cadet could have  
done. Defeat had been painfully easy. Enju backed away and helped  
the cadet back up.  
  
Quistis focused on her next sparring match, trying to make it  
not look so obvious that she was watching him.  
  
Towards the end of the class, Kei decided to check in on  
Quistis. She scowled the instant she saw Enju there. Just how had  
that guy managed to muscle into almost all of Quistis' classes any  
ways? She became so focused on watching Enju that she had forgotten  
her initial reason for coming to the training room. Only when  
Quistis took a break and joined Kei at her side did Kei take her  
attention off of Enju.  
  
But Quistis was now watching Enju.  
  
And her expression was one Kei wasn't sure she liked.  
Something was up between those two, and it--like everything else  
about Enju--was rubbing her the wrong way.  
  
"So what do you think of him?" Kei asked.  
  
Quistis patted the sweat off her face with a towel. "I'm not  
sure. There's a trick to fighting Enju. He's a literal storm when  
it comes to weaponry or hand-to-hand. But he doesn't handle magic  
very well--both casting and receiving. I don't even think GFs like   
him.  
  
"The best strategy is to ensure he doesn't get the chance to  
strike first. When he attacks, he's relentless. Even you would have  
trouble holding him back, Kei. Casting magic against him puts him  
at the disadvantage."  
  
It was good to see a cadet having already picked apart the  
strengths and weaknesses of her opponent. But that hadn't been the  
sort of answer Kei was looking for. She watched Enju get taken down  
again after holding his own for a few minutes longer than before.  
  
How could someone be that good with weapons, but be so  
horrible with magic when he came from Trabia? That Garden was  
famous for its heavy emphasis on magic, especially in the energy  
quanta technique.  
  
Come to think of it... Kei had visited Trabia on a few  
occasions when Enju would have been a cadet there. Yet she had  
heard no mention about him, nor had she caught even a glimpse of  
him. Something was contradictory here. Kei made a mental note to  
take the matter up with Cid later on.  
  
  
  
"Nym, can't you find someone else to cling to?" Enju asked  
politely as he tried to pry the female cadet off his arm. He warily  
glanced round the Quad, and to his relief found very few witnesses  
around. "People will start thinking we're an item if you keep this  
up."  
  
Nym smiled and giggled, tightening her grip on Enju. "Now  
won't that be a shame. I guess Quistis will have to fend for  
herself. Though it's not like she doesn't have an adoring legion of  
Trepies to choose from."  
  
"Okay, what do you want?"  
  
"For you to defect over to my side would make a great start."  
Nym playfully stuck out her tongue.  
  
They passed in behind a group of obvious Trepies (given their  
conversation topic) who had clustered at one of the benches. Out of  
mild interest, Enju slowed his pace to hear what they were saying.  
Nym pouted at no longer being the centre of his attention, but kept  
quiet nonetheless. For as much as she tried to raid Quistis'  
'harem', she still considered Quistis a close friend.  
  
What the two heard didn't exactly thrill them.  
  
"I'm telling you, in a year or two, Quistis is going to be  
pure make-out material," one of the cadets said. "I would love to  
get her alone up in the alcove over the Training Centre one night."  
  
They continued laughing and sharing fantasy ideas about  
Quistis.  
  
Enju scowled. He could feel himself seething at the cadet.  
  
Nym placed a restraining hand on Enju's shoulder. "Leave it  
alone," she said. Her tone definitely indicated that this was  
something to stay away from. As much as she was tempted to kick  
their asses herself, she'd seen that look in Enju's eyes enough  
times in sparring to know the inevitable outcome. Enju would take  
it one step further to the extreme.  
  
"That doesn't sound very SeeD-like," he said.  
  
"They outnumber us six to two," Nym added.  
  
Enju cracked a vicious smile, his lips curling back to reveal  
his canines. "Hardly a fair fight for them."  
  
"I'll report them to Cid." While she would have loved to  
unleash her shuriken herself, Nym knew her protocol. Retaliating  
personally could mean even more trouble in the end for them.  
  
Enju slowly turned to Nym, and removed his sunglasses. "Save  
yourself the effort. I'll handle this."  
  
Before Nym could say anything else to stop him, Enju broke  
free and stalked towards the group of Trepies. Noting his presence,  
the guys abruptly stopped talking and turned to face Enju. His own  
gaze never left the one who had talked about getting Quistis alone  
in the overpass.  
  
"Do yourself a favour," Enju stated in a solemn tone. "Show a  
little respect for Quistis, aside from a wet dream in your sheets."  
  
His warning went unheeded.  
  
"Oooh, is someone jealous?" the cadet retorted, not exactly  
taking Enju very seriously. "You just want her all for yourself,  
don't you? I've seen you hanging out with her a lot, cadet. Admit  
it: you just want a piece of action like the rest of us."  
  
One of Enju's hands balled into a fist, cracking his knuckles.  
"I'd appreciate it if you shut your mouth," he said, his tone  
deceptively even.  
  
The cadet gave a leering grin, daring Enju to react. "Or what?  
You'll break my jaw?"  
  
Enju's arm shot out, his fingers tightly wrapping around the  
cadet's throat. "Among other bones in your body, yes," Enju  
snarled, giving the cadet's windpipe a squeeze to further drive  
across the point.  
  
The other cadets inched away. Enju released the guy's throat  
a few moments later, having delivered his message in no uncertain  
terms. "You're a SeeD cadet," he stated coldly as he turned away.  
The sunglasses went back over his eyes. "The next time we so  
much as brush shoulders in the hallway, you'd damn well better be  
acting like one."  
  
He left the Trepie group and rejoined Nym. The cadets didn't  
speak for a long time afterwards--though one of them spent a fair  
time gasping for breath.  
  
"That was intense," Nym remarked. She tried to sound calm, but  
her voice was shaky. "You... didn't mean what you said back there,  
did you? About breaking his face?"  
  
Enju smirked. "I meant every word."  
  
They rounded a corner and walked down one of the halls.  
  
"I suppose congratulations are in order," Nym sighed. "You've  
managed to isolate almost every Trepie in Balamb. Word of your  
little stunt will be news by tomorrow morning."  
  
"Good," Enju said. "Maybe then they'll back down and give  
Quistis the room she needs."  
  
Nym had to give an incredulous laugh at that. "Don't you think  
you're being just a little territorial? You know that you could  
avoid all this if you just pledged your allegiance to me."  
  
"It's more than that, Nym." Quistis was becoming a young  
woman, and now more than ever her life would be going through  
dramatic shifts. Enju added, "She lost her childhood before its  
time. I don't want that to see that happen with her adolescence."  
  
"I take it you lost yours?"  
  
Enju nodded. "Innocence is more fleeting than childhood. I'd  
prefer not to see history repeat itself with someone like Quistis."  
  
Later that evening, Enju was called to the Headmaster's  
office. It didn't surprise him. In fact, Enju had been expecting  
it. He remained standing as he found himself before Cid once again,  
the hardened expression on his face masking any true feelings he  
had at that moment.  
  
"I hear you came within a hair's breadth of threatening the  
life of another cadet, Enju," Cid said, leaning back in his chair.  
His voice wasn't loud and harsh, but very collected--if not  
disappointed with Enju. "I won't condemn you without hearing your  
side of the story--but remember our agreement when you first  
arrived here. You may be a special case in Balamb, but that doesn't  
entitle you to exclusive rights. I can see your potential, but  
there are shadows you must control if you wish to become a SeeD."  
  
"Permission to speak freely," Enju requested.  
  
"Granted."  
  
Enju didn't hesitate in vocalizing what he said next. "He was  
being an asshole, Sir, so I straightened him out."  
  
One of Cid's eyebrows went up.  
  
"Being a Trepie doesn't mean they are entitled to exclusive  
rights either--especially where Quistis is concerned," Enju said.  
"You may deal with me as you see fit, and I will abide by it. But  
I will not sit idly by when someone I both admire and respect is  
being spoken of in such derogatory terms.   
  
"Besides," he added. "It's not like I actually broke his  
face."  
  
"Among other bones in his body," Cid finished dryly. "I am  
well aware that when she first began, Quistis was met some heavy  
opposition because of her gifts. It was not an easy or fun task of  
putting that opposition to rest, and ensure that a few jealous  
cadets would not shake Quistis' self-confidence. Yet now it appears  
the pendulum has begun to swing in the alternate direction."  
  
Enju adjusted his stance, the tense expression on his face  
easing up. "She isn't seen as the child prodigy anymore,  
Headmaster. Quistis is becoming a young woman--a very beautiful  
young woman. Now while I won't guarantee to being there for her for  
every step of the way, I can readily assure you that I will protect  
her from whatever wolves happen to be out there."  
  
Himself included, Cid thought.  
  
He wondered how well Enju and Kei were getting along. Rumour  
among the SeeDs had it that Kei didn't think too highly of Enju,  
but both players were very good at keeping it just a rumour. If  
they'd had any clashes already, they made sure there were no  
witnesses.  
  
"Then please do me the favour of being a little more subtle in  
your tactics," Cid answered.  
  
A smile tugged at the corners of Enju's mouth. "Subtlety is my  
specialty."  
  
Cid kept his poker face, appraising the cadet before him once  
again. Something was slowly changing about Enju, but it still  
needed time. And this change was meeting with a lot of resistance.  
"The Trepies were, in fact, created by someone who had the very  
same goal of protecting Quistis. He went so far as to die to ensure  
Quistis could realize her full potential."  
  
"You're talking about Sean," Enju said. He straightened,  
resting his hands behind his back. The SeeD cadet looked every bit  
as respectful as he should have been before the Garden's  
Headmaster. "May I speak freely again, Sir?"  
  
Cid nodded.  
  
"I am not Sean," Enju stated. "I understand the sacrifices he  
made for Quistis, and I respect him for willing to go so far as to  
die for her. This is the same position I am taking with regards to  
her. But that still does not mean neither you nor anyone else  
should assume I am here as his alleged reincarnation. Our pasts  
were different, as are our lives now. I think and act and perform  
as Enju, and not as Sean. If you have a problem with my methods, I  
would appreciate you taking the matter up with me personally, and  
not talk to me as if you expect me to be Sean."  
  
"Does Quistis know that?" Cid responded.  
  
Enju's brow creased in confusion.  
  
"This is all simple for you, because you are working from a  
different paradigm," Cid explained. "You have come to grips with  
who and what you are, Enju. I would go so far as to say you are   
comforted in knowing how dark you can be. But Quistis is still a   
child in many ways, and is only now starting to grow up. She still   
feels partially responsible for Sean's death, and it haunts her. You   
lack that sort of remorse, Enju."  
  
"We can debate ethics in a classroom setting," Enju said.  
  
"I've heard your philosophy," Cid responded. "You have no  
loyalties save for yourself--and a slight patriotism for Timber."  
  
Enju looked away momentarily, his focus lost in other  
thoughts. "Timber just happened to pay me well for my services.  
They paid on time, and never tried to renegotiate. Clients like  
that become favourites for a reason. You said it yourself: I hold  
no loyalties, save for myself."  
  
"Be that as it may," Cid countered. "You are known in some  
underground links as a Timber sympathizer. I can understand it  
better than most others, knowing your past. But it still reflects  
your solitary nature. You cannot change the Garden, Enju; it is  
meant to change you, and ideally for the better. That means  
becoming a part of a family of cadets and Instructors. More than  
anything, that is what challenges you the most here.  
  
"For all she's gone through, Quistis is more innocent than you  
could ever hope to be. For as much strength as she has, she is  
still a delicate soul. Be aware, cadet Enju, that the actions you  
do for her 'protection' may in fact hurt her. SeeDs are both a team  
and a family. There is more to be served here than just your own  
interests."  
  
Enju said nothing in response, but the silence attested to him  
having understood what Cid was telling him. He didn't have to like  
it--but he owed the Headmaster a lot more than any other person in  
his life.  
  
"There will, admittedly, need to be some form of disciplinary  
action," Cid said at last, returning to the incident itself.  
  
Enju merely stood his ground, his expression remaining  
unchanged. "I am prepared for whatever punishment give me, Sir. In   
my mind, my actions are justified. But since Garden rules state   
otherwise, I will abide by them."  
  
  
  
Myn was waiting for him just outside the Headmaster's office,  
even though it was getting perilously close to curfew. He'd  
expected to hear Cid's raised voice--even though he had yet to ever  
hear Cid shout in anger--but the near silence that had come from  
inside the office was just plain unnerving. Enju slipped between  
the double doors of the Headmaster's office with a sour look.  
  
"How harsh was it?" Myn asked.  
  
Enju shoved his hands into his pockets and began heading for  
the elevator. He finally said something as they reached the end of  
the walkway and pressed the call button. "It could have been worse.  
A lot worse." Enju scowled again and slid on his sunglasses. "I'm  
still not thrilled with the knowledge that those Trepie characters  
are acting like this."  
  
"Come on," Myn sighed. "I wish I could do something as much as  
you, but not every Trepie's a bad one. Don't condemn them all  
because of one guy--and might I remind you, technically you fall  
under the Trepie title too. Besides, it's hard to figure out where  
to draw the line."  
  
"A line should be drawn," Enju stated.  
  
"Come on, Enju, what can you do after that stunt you pulled?  
It's not exactly like you can run for President of the Trepies."  
  
Enju froze.  
  
The elevator doors opened up for them, but he didn't go in.  
The doors closed and the elevator descended back down to the main  
lobby without the two cadets inside it.   
  
Enju slowly turned to Myn, a diabolical smile on his face.  
"Really?" he remarked with wolfish interest.  
  
Myn's eyes widened upon realizing just what epiphany he had  
helped unleash. "Oh no! No no no! Enju, don't even think about it!"  
  
"But don't you see? It's perfect," Enju said. "The Trepies  
have always been loosely associated. Making them at the very least  
an unofficial club can easily weed out any cadet who'd--"  
  
"You're still not listening to me!" Myn protested. "Enju, you  
would never be able to pull off becoming the Trepie President!"  
  
Enju sighed as he conceded to that point, and pushed the  
elevator call button again. "You're right, Myn. You're absolutely  
right." Before a look of relief could appear on Myn's face, Enju  
added, "That's why you're going to be the Trepie President."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"Come on," Enju prodded his roommate. "You're starting a small  
fan club, not a rebellion!"  
  
Myn remained skeptical.  
  
  
  
An official reprimand was placed in Enju's file for  
threatening his fellow classmates. In addition, he got two months  
of dish duty. He didn't protest his punishment, it was more lenient  
than some he'd been subjected to in the past. Not to mention that  
the time spend washing dishes was also spent thinking. Myn was  
still resisting his plans to make him the Trepie President, but  
that would soon change.  
  
It was on a pleasant summer evening that Quistis waited for  
Enju outside the Cafeteria for his dish detail to be finished. He  
worked two hours a night after the dinner rush. There was no way  
he could keep his punishment a secret from her, nor why he was in  
trouble. At first, he feared that she would begin avoiding him, but  
that hadn't happened.  
  
"Nice night for a walk," she commented idly from her leaning  
position against the wall.  
  
"That it is," he readily agreed. "Would you like to go  
somewhere?"  
  
She fell into step beside him. He once again lamented in  
silence that their walks would probably be the closest he'd ever  
get to her. Even so, he still enjoyed the time they spent together  
like this.  
  
"Aren't you in the Headmaster's advanced tactics class  
tonight?" he asked.  
  
Cid began offering small, advanced classes for those students  
who excelled beyond the regular curriculum. Quistis took additional  
schooling three evenings a week on top of her regular school work.  
Such a classload would bury him in a week's time, but she seemed to  
thrive in it.  
  
She shook her head. "It was moved to Wednesdays."  
  
"Ah..."  
  
They veered out from under the covered hallway to one of the  
outdoor courtyards that was a popular place to eat lunch. She sat  
on the bench of a nearby picnic table while he took up a perch on  
the table itself. Low-hanging branches from a shade tree messed  
with his hair before he batted them away in annoyance.  
  
He watched her as she studied the flowers that lined the  
pathway leading to this table. He quickly picked up on the idea  
that Quistis craved companionship in the sense of being around  
other people. Solitude didn't suit her well and she went to great  
lengths to avoid such a condition. Even when thinking, she longed  
to be around somebody. Her beauty only increased when she was so  
deeply in thought. It was a shame to break her concentration to ask  
why they were out here.  
  
"Why did you do it?"  
  
"Do what?" he asked innocently. He hadn't done anything  
recently that warranted the young woman's scorn.  
  
"Threaten the other cadets? It was because of me, wasn't it?"  
  
He sighed inwardly. The question was bound to come up sooner  
or later. She was too smart not to notice something like that, and  
her roommate was too well-ingrained with the information network  
for it to slip by.  
  
"It was because of you," he admitted, but continued before she  
could stop him. "You were the female in particular that he  
insulted. His behavior was inappropriate towards *any* cadet, not  
just you."  
  
She didn't respond immediately as she considered his answer.   
"You would have done it on behalf of anyone?"  
  
Ouch, she was on the ball tonight. Enju laughed ruefully.  
"Doubtful. Usually I don't trouble myself with correcting my peers.  
That's what the Faculty are for, after all. But I won't let an  
insult to my friend go unchallenged, would you?"  
  
Again, she paused. "I don't know, to be honest."  
  
Ah, that would give her something to think about for a while.  
He could slip off the hook while she considered it. "More often  
than not, we are what we do. And here, we not only represent our  
own honor, but the honor of Balamb Garden. One should act  
appropriately, yes?"  
  
She agreed with that. Before he could leave unscathed, she  
asked him one last question. "Will it happen again?"  
  
He turned around and gave her one of his roguish grins. "I  
should hope not; these dishpan hands are murder. But if it does,  
I'll be there for you."  
  
"Not to break his face?"  
  
Enju paused. "We'll see." It was meant to be a joke, but  
Quistis thought that he was still being half-serious.  
  
  
  
Cid was hosting an after hours class on the ethics of SeeD.  
More students than he anticipated showed up for this open session.  
Even Enju asked to be released from his dish duty so that he could  
attend tonight's class. Then again, the topic they would be  
discussing was one that every cadet would have to decide for  
themselves.  
  
During the lecture, he was holding back until the end--waiting  
for the post-discussion period to wrap-up with his own comments.  
The class he was presented with tonight was very vocal and  
refreshingly fervent in their discussion. Even he wasn't sure  
where the debate would go in the end. So he leaned back against the  
edge of the desk and listened very carefully.  
  
"We're mercenaries," a cadet stated. "And mercenaries are, by  
definition, in it for the money. Technically there are no  
loyalties, save for ourselves."  
  
"But SeeD is an organization, not a faction," Quistis  
countered. "Ideally, SeeD isn't bound to any outside loyalties, but  
the world is forged by loyalties and relations. There are certain  
ethical standards to adhere to, and no amount of money should be  
allowed to dictate how we view that."  
  
"SeeD can't be held responsible," the cadet retorted. "We're  
not paid to empathize, we're paid to act. Now I understand the need  
to think for ourselves, but if we hold ourselves accountable to  
everyone, then we just tie our hands behind our backs. What we do  
when the Shumi hires us may be something that Dollet hates us for.  
But they know going into any deal with SeeD that we have no  
underlying loyalty. Therefore, while we may help them one day, the  
next day--provided the price is right--we may overthrow them."  
  
From where she sat in the row furthest from the door, Nym  
nodded in agreement. "I hate to admit it, but he's got a point,"  
she spoke up. "We're all trained killers in this room. The life of  
a mercenary isn't one to be romanticized. When you cut to the  
chase, we're all seen as being in it for the prestige and the  
money. However, the issue that should be debated is this: is there  
a point where SeeD should draw the line on any ethical issue, lest  
we come under fire from the public majority?"  
  
"Murder is murder," another cadet insisted. "But is there  
justification for killing someone to prevent a war or save someone  
else's life? Are we justified in killing a mob boss for the sake of  
stopping a gang war?"  
  
"It's a classic case of needing a watcher," Quistis finished  
emphatically. "The world doesn't have a watcher, so SeeD acts as a  
surrogate one. But this only works to a very limited extent."  
  
"Exactly," another cadet near the back agreed, nodding to her.  
"Is there a price that exceeds the value of any life--human or  
otherwise? We're now asking who watches the watcher, to make sure  
they stay within some sort of ethical framework."  
  
Quistis turned to Enju, who was currently staring straight  
ahead, most of his face hidden behind his clasped hands. "What do  
you think, Enju?"  
  
She had called him out.  
  
He wasn't sure if he should take it as testing to see if he  
was awake, or challenging his viewpoint, or something else entirely  
different. Enju lifted his head and addressed the class.  
  
"Loyalties complicate the issue," he stated. "SeeD's largest  
problem lies in its size. An individual or a small group of people  
can act as they are paid to, without a significant fear of  
consequence. They live as they please, and others accept without  
question the fact that such people live by different ethical  
standards. SeeD is an organization that reaches into all the five  
continents. Therefore, any conflict of interest--especially  
political--holds great potential of ripping it apart."  
  
His eyes shifted directly to Quistis.  
  
"Fortunately for SeeD, such a conflict has yet to arise. I  
would agree with the opinion that mercenaries should hold no  
loyalties, nor should they try to rationalize their ethics to other  
people save for themselves. Such things will only destroy you in  
the end. If they are in it for the money, let them live by the  
money. Ethics hold a distant second to that."  
  
"Y'all are complicating the issue," a cadet that had remained  
silent up to this point broke in. "It ain't up to us to decide  
right or wrong. Orders aren't meant to be questioned. We're in this  
one way or the other. What it really boils down to is if we trust  
the people in charge of us to conduct themselves honorably."  
  
All eyes in the room moved to where the Headmaster was leaning  
against the desk. "You've put the topic into stark relief," he  
complimented. "It is an issue of trust. Psychologically, any  
'crimes' committed by SeeDs can be justified as being the sins of  
its commanders. Do you trust those commanders to make decisions  
that won't leave you in a position of needing to find  
justification?  
  
"You must never hide behind your uniform. Don't let *it*  
justify the decisions you make. You are all intelligent people  
capable of great acts of compassion, but you can also fall into the  
trap of inhumanity. While orders are orders, you are not a machine.  
You may be a tool of the person who is giving you orders, but  
realize that when it comes down to it you are still human."  
  
He paused to give them an appraising look, his mouth quirked  
into a half-smile. "Don't misunderstand me. I'm not condoning  
insubordination. You are expected to act as professionals, but that  
doesn't mean you get to shut off your brain and your heart to do  
so. Understood?"  
  
The class sat in stunned silence. Cid had done it again with  
his penchant for speech making. It would take them days to sort out  
and assimilate the deeper meaning of the topics discussed here  
tonight. He reminded them of when the next session would be  
meeting, then dismissed them for the evening.  
  
  
  
Few took notice when an unsigned post was made to the message  
board announcing the first official election for the Trepie's  
President. Those who did notice thought that it was just another  
piece of spam and quickly scrolled past it to get to the next entry  
declaring who had dumped or dated who.  
  
Enju saw it as declaration of war.  
  
"Let the race begin," he said, slapping Myn on the back.  
  
Myn could only groan. "I can't believe I let you talk me into  
this."  
  
  
  
Quistis was searching for Nym, who was proving to be more  
elusive than ever. Every cadet she asked said Nym had been there  
just five or ten minutes ago. The trail led all over the Garden,  
but without a sign of Nym's presence. Quistis was a little anxious;  
it was close the start of her afternoon training class, and she  
didn't want to be late. The Faculty tended to scold tardy  
cadets--especially when they had come this far in their training to  
know better.  
  
Nym was going to be her sparring partner for the class, and  
they had agreed to meet a half hour earlier in the training room to  
practice. In true form, Nym was late. Quistis could only guess what  
had grabbed the twin's attention this time.  
  
In desperation she checked in on Myn and Enju's room. With any  
luck, Nym was there giving her brother a hard time. But her knock  
on the door went unanswered. Quistis knocked a second time and then  
ventured to open the door a little.  
  
The curtains were drawn, blocking most of the sunlight.  
However, the majority of the room was still quite visible in the  
noontime sunshine. Myn was nowhere in sight and Enju was sleeping.  
Quistis paused as she saw him; Enju had a strange habit of sleeping  
curled up in a corner, a sheathed katana nestled at the base of his  
neck. His hands wrapped around the sheath like it was some kind of  
teddy bear.  
  
Myn didn't mind Enju's eccentric sleep pattern. After all,  
Enju had spent his childhood in the Weapons Guild so it was  
probably a part of his training. And Myn preferred Enju to sleep  
that way--as opposed to having him uncomfortably toss and turn all  
night long in the bunks. Both roommates agreed that Enju sleeping  
in the corner was better for the both of them.  
  
He looked so peaceful, even if the position seemed  
uncomfortable. Quistis doubted she could sleep like that for even  
a night. She'd heard Nym once joke about how her and Myn's parents  
would say, "Those two are angels--but only when they're sleeping."  
  
Enju looked that way.  
  
Whatever defenses he always had on while awake were gone now,  
and he appeared surprisingly vulnerable. Quistis' heart started to  
beat a little faster as she quietly watched him sleep. He really  
was cute, she admitted.  
  
So what did that mean?  
  
Her feelings for Enju were so... different. Quistis wasn't  
quite sure how to describe it. She loved Xu, much like she loved  
Matron. But the pangs of what she felt for Enju were something  
altogether new, and Quistis wasn't sure what that meant. Half the  
time she enjoyed laughing with him. The other half of the time she  
wanted to either punch him or just hide from him.  
  
But his intentions always seemed to be two-fold. Every time he  
did something to stir her, it felt like he had a hidden agenda of  
his own to work with.  
  
Hesitantly Quistis stepped forward.  
  
She had never been kissed before, not in the way Nym always  
happily described. What did a kiss feel like? If she could at least  
try while he was sleeping, they'd be okay. She could satisfy her  
curiosity and Enju would be none the wiser.  
  
Quistis paused a second time, her face hovering close to his.  
Was she really ready to go through with something like this? She  
suddenly doubted how much she knew about Enju, and where they  
stood.  
  
"Are you going to just stand there admiring the view, or are  
you actually going to kiss me?" Enju abruptly asked her in a quiet,  
amused voice. His eyes didn't open, and if he hadn't spoken Quistis  
would have thought him to still be asleep.  
  
Before Quistis could speak, he leaned forward and pushed his  
lips against hers. She could feel the warmth of his breath as he  
kissed her for a little longer, then pulled back. It didn't even  
look like he had opened his eyes the entire time.  
  
Quistis' eyes were wide at what had happened. Her surprise and  
fear were quickly replaced with a look of indignity. Quistis turned  
and stormed out from his dorm room. The door was pulled shut behind  
her.  
  
Enju chuckled to himself, his eyes still closed. "So, I have  
a chance with you after all."  
  
  
  
  
Quistis went out of her way to avoid Enju, which was a harder   
thing to do than it first sounded. But somehow she managed to go   
for the rest of the day without running into him. A part of her   
wondered if Enju was deliberately keeping his distance.  
  
As much as she wanted not to see him at all the next day, she  
was denied the wish. "Aren't you even going to look at me?" Enju  
asked as he sat down next to her at breakfast. Quistis shifted her  
chair so she could look in the opposite direction and didn't reply.  
  
Enju sighed as he went at his meal. "For the record, you were  
the one who leaned closer to me. I merely finished what you  
started."   
  
That garnered only a cold shoulder in response.  
  
He laughed, shaking his head. "What are you so worked up  
about, Quistis? I rather enjoyed what we shared, and don't tell me  
you didn't enjoy--"  
  
"We didn't share anything," she stated, cutting him off.  
Quistis turned and glared at him, trying to ignore how flushed her  
cheeks were when confronted by his playful smile. "And I'd  
appreciate it if you just dropped it."  
  
Enju raised his hands in mock defense.  
  
Quistis gave him one more baleful look before picking up her  
tray and leaving. Dark thoughts continued to cloud her mind when   
other topics should have been at the forefront.  
  
After examining the situation objectively for the better part   
of the morning, she came to the conclusion that her anger was  
misdirected. It wasn't Enju's fault that she'd given him the  
opportunity to kiss her. She shouldn't have gone into his room while  
he was sleeping, and especially when she had no business there.  
  
But that didn't mean she wasn't angry at him for taking   
advantage of an offer she wasn't certain she was ready to make. She  
pondered that during lunch and by the afternoon she still didn't   
feel any more charitable towards him.  
  
It didn't help matters when the Faculty Instructor paired her  
and Enju together for their sparring exercises. Enju seemed to   
have taken the hint from this morning and was keeping his proverbial  
distance. They each practiced their punches and blocks in turn   
before Enju made his first attempt at conversation.  
  
"They say fighting is a lot like dancing," he remarked. "Do  
you like dancing, Quistis?"  
  
"I've never danced before."  
  
"Would you like me to teach you?"  
  
She glared at him from under hooded eyebrows, "No."  
  
"That's a shame. I'm sure it's something you would be good at.  
You've got the lithe form that many a journeywoman would die for.  
Not everyone can make it as a dancer, you know."  
  
Quistis was left unsure as to if he was hitting on her or not.  
The type of dancing he seemed to be referring to was a fighting art,  
not the dancing in the traditional sense.  
  
Stupid Enju! Always thinking about fighting or weapons. Didn't  
anything else register with him? Her displeasure with him renewed.  
  
"Last sparring match before the class ends," the Shumi stated.  
"Cadets are to practice for two more minutes, then shower."  
  
Quistis narrowed her eyes as she let her body shift its  
stances on the mats. Enju waved her to step forward and try her  
luck against him. "Shall we?" he inquired. With a wolfish smile he  
added, "A kiss goes to the victor."  
  
Enju was suddenly picked up like a rag doll and placed in  
Quistis' mercy--which wasn't much. Evidently, he hadn't been  
expecting that much fight from someone smaller than he was. Quistis  
went after every weakness she knew he had. Enju never had a chance  
to get in a first hit as she delivered a swift chop with the side  
of her hand to his neck, followed by a number of rapid punches just  
beneath his ribcage. Enju stumbled back, and Quistis used that  
leverage to slide her foot behind his and trip him.  
  
Looking stunned and rather worse for wear, Enju crashed onto  
his back, and barely had time to prevent Quistis' elbow from  
ramming itself right into his stomach. His entire body twitched, a  
hoarse gasp escaping his lips.  
  
Now having vented most of her steam, she didn't seem  
hard-pressed on staying in the training room. Her blonde hair  
trailing behind her, Quistis turned away and left the other  
students to clean up after themselves.  
  
"Well," Myn dryly remarked, strolling up to the mat. He had  
seen the entire match--all five seconds of it. "Dare I ask what you  
did to piss her off like that?"  
  
Enju coughed weakly. "I think I'm in love," he sighed with a  
grin, staring distantly up at the ceiling.  
  
Myn pushed his sunglasses back up the bridge of his nose. "I  
think you're an idiot, personally. Can you actually get up?"  
  
Enju's laugh tapered off into a groan. "I don't think so. I  
can't feel my legs anymore." He raised his arms to his roommate.  
"Carry me."  
  
That only served to exasperate Myn even further. "Twit," he  
said, abandoning Enju on the mats.  
  
"I had no idea she could be that forceful when she wants to  
be," Enju said in the Cafeteria later that night. "I think I might  
still be limping tomorrow."  
  
Myn sighed, rolling his eyes. "You did ask for it, so don't  
cry on me. At least you dropped that silly Trepie President idea."  
  
"No, I haven't," he announced cheerfully. "You've already been  
added to the ballot and the flyers I ordered should be ready the  
day after tomorrow. You'll be handing them out at meals like a good  
little cadet, won't you?"  
  
Myn glowered, "Sis will kill me if I become the Trepie  
President. She won't take having her twin heading up an opposing  
and larger fan club."  
  
Enju ignored that as he looked out the dorm window. The Garden  
seemed a little brighter than usual tonight. "You'll thank me for  
this someday. No longer will you claim that you haven't done  
something to deserve Nym's wrath."  
  
Myn gave his roommate a stern expression. "Why are you so  
adamant about dragging me into your warped little mind games? It's  
bad enough that I have my sister to contend with, now I have you."  
  
Enju wasn't listening.  
  
By the next morning, Enju has somehow managed to slip a flyer  
under the door of every known Trepie proclaiming Myn's better  
traits. The race for President heated up when a strong challenger  
presented himself as opposition. Enju would need to play his ace to  
get Myn the slot.  
  
"We need to get Quistis to publicly endorse you as her choice  
candidate," Enju said later that evening, as he paced around their  
dorm room.  
  
Myn didn't even look up from his reading, "Who is this 'we'?  
If it means so much, why not just *ask* her. It's not like she  
still wants to lodge her boot where the sun don't shine."  
  
"Just... ask her?" He stopped pacing to look at Myn.  
  
"Yeah, why not?" His roommate flipped a page and kept reading.  
  
Enju was out the door in a heartbeat. "I would have never  
thought of that," he called back behind him.  
  
Myn shook his head. "Never the easy way with you, is it?"  
  
  
  
The quiet still of the midnight hours was broken by activity  
in the training room. Alone, Kei kept up a relentless rail on a  
punching bag like it had become the greatest evil imaginable. Her  
mind was focused on something other than the punching bag, and the  
more she thought about it--about him--the harder her strikes  
became.  
  
She'd managed to get Myn alone and ask him about Enju. The  
twin's words were still haunting her, and Kei felt the only way to  
purge herself was to take it out on the hapless bag.  
  
"Oh, there's something he's not telling us," Myn had said.  
"Quistis told me about his family being killed, and I respect him  
if he wants to not talk about it a lot. But there's something  
else."  
  
Kei's eyes narrowed as she started drilling what would have  
been Enju's chest region with a series of vicious jabs and solid  
punches.  
  
"You can see it in the way he behaves. He usually looks like  
another candidate for becoming a SeeD. However... every now and  
again, he slips up."  
  
Kei's attacks on the bag increased.  
  
"Watch his face, especially his eyes. I think that might be  
why he hides his eyes so much: he doesn't want us to know."  
  
She finished by spinning around on the ball of one foot,  
slamming the inside of her other foot into the bag. Despite the  
abuse it was taking, the bag remained intact.  
  
By now she could feel the pull of exhaustion taking its toll  
on her body, but she was feeling a lot better having vented. As she  
left the training room, Kei resolved to take care of this matter  
herself. Quickly and quietly if possible--though she doubted that  
Enju would let it end that way.  
  
  
  
Quistis' public approval of Myn as a liaison for the Trepies  
locked his election as the President. He wasn't sure if he should  
thank Quistis for going along with Enju's plan or not. When he  
asked why she co-operated, she in turn asked why she would hide the  
fact that she liked him? Either she didn't understand what was at  
stake or was playing dumb.  
  
Nym was, of course, furious and pounded him accordingly.  
  
With Myn in a position of influence within the Trepies, he  
secretly took Enju's cue on how to shape the loosely organized  
group into a more perfect union. The sort of behavior that began  
this crusade in the first place wouldn't fly with Myn in charge.  
  
Quistis seemed to be mildly amused, but for the most part  
remained disinterested in the existence of the Trepies. She had  
more important things to focus on.  
  
And that was how things should be.  
  
  
  
November passed into December, and Quistis was starting to get  
anxious about Xu's impending return from Galbadia. The more anxious  
she got, the more anxious Enju became.  
  
"I'm losing her to someone I've never even met," he lamented.  
  
But it was still good to see Quistis so excited. Someone like  
her needed to smile and laugh as much as she could in life. The  
anticipation also helped Quistis mask a personal struggle she was  
starting to face: learning her Limit Break. She knew that this  
could be a problem, based on her difficulties with casting. Initial  
frustration was something she'd been expecting. Yet so far she had  
made little in the way of progress.  
  
Even if it was half-hearted, Quistis quietly reasoned that she  
would stumble into it eventually. Ideally before Xu returned. What  
a surprise that would be, to show her friend her true power with a  
surprise Limit!  
  
  
  
Doctor Kadowaki's medical files were private, and only meant  
for authorized eyes. Currently, Kei's wasn't one of them. But that  
still didn't stop her from finding the medical examination file on  
Enju. Her SeeD authority permitted her to get into places like this  
without having to go through the proper channels. It wasn't exactly  
ethical, but it wasn't restricted either. There were times where  
being in the gray had its benefits.  
  
Kei simply shrugged it off as a black bag operation. No one  
had to know outside of herself, and Quistis' well-being was at  
stake. The more she watched Enju interact with Quistis, the harder  
she had to restrain herself from knocking him flat on his ass.  
Whatever he was hiding was the answer to what made him so  
dangerous.  
  
It had taken her about two weeks of seemingly random  
visitations, and careful observations of Kadowaki typing in the  
entry code for the Infirmary's computer terminal. And that was  
probably going to be the easiest part. Kei watched the screen flash  
to life, a hazy blue light casting shadows across the darkened  
Infirmary.  
  
Kei worked her way through the cadet files until she found  
Enju. Oddly enough he had never given a surname... or a first name  
if Enju was his surname. This sort of thing wasn't uncommon--the  
Anshin did that. Thoughts of the two sorts of people she disliked  
caused Kei to scowl.  
  
The Anshin were forgotten.  
  
Her target was Enju.  
  
The personnel files stated a brief history, which left a lot  
of convenient blanks. According to his record, he was orphaned at  
a young age and then taken into the Weapons Guild until he was  
twelve. A two-year gap marked the time between entries, when he  
suddenly became enrolled as a cadet at Trabia.  
  
'Bullshit,' Kei thought to herself. If he had been to Trabia,  
it wasn't for as long as the documents stated. On her last mission  
she had paid Trabia a brief visit and used her SeeD status to  
ransack the cadet files. Enju's name had shown up with all the  
forged credentials she was looking at now.  
  
She had to grudgingly give Enju credit for covering his tracks  
well enough--but not perfectly. A random mention of his name to  
some Faculty members and Headmistress Rebecca had provoked some  
confusion. That only proved that if he had spent time in Trabia, it  
had been skulking around in the shadows.  
  
The screen changed, scrolling through a list of the Trabia  
classes he'd attended and moved up from. As expected from a member  
of the Guild, his weapon handling was unsurpassed, his hand-to-hand   
skills were above average, but his casting abilities were painfully   
lacking.  
  
When Kei saw this was a dead end, she tried working with  
Doctor Kadowaki's medical files. All transfer cadets had a physical  
exam performed, the results being documented into the files. That  
required a second pass code different from the first, but Kei was  
prepared for that. When she located Enju's medical report, it was  
about as ordinary as the rest of his documents. A few scars from  
Guild exercises, but nothing to be alarmed about.  
  
"Damn dummy files," Kei muttered to herself.  
  
Now came the fun part: hacking. Kei would never have known  
where to start looking if she didn't already suspect Enju. An  
hour's worth of frustration and painstaking effort rewarded Kei  
with the grail she'd been seeking.  
  
A hidden sub-directory inside some medical reference pages led  
her straight to the truth about Enju. The fact that he constantly  
wore the kote, and some form of dark jacket over his back, tipped  
her off to some kind of marking or scar he was discreetly hiding.  
The odd shimmering of his skin was a second point to start  
investigating.  
  
It was Enju's skin condition that led Kei to his real medical  
file. The reference page had been dealing with physical alterations  
of the skin made by magic, causing someone to have an unnatural  
shine in the darkness. There were fifteen other variants apart from  
the one Enju had. Kei found it hard to believe that anyone would  
want to violate their body like this. Especially when one of the  
side-affects was a nullifying of the person's ability to cast  
spells.  
  
Kei rubbed her sore eyes.  
  
Her back was starting to ache from leaning forward in the  
chair for so long, but she was close to the end. A third and final  
pass code was requested. It took Kei another hour to finally  
decipher what Kadowaki was using. If she'd spent more time  
listening to what Xu told her regarding Triple Triad, she would  
have had it in minutes:  
  
C A R D K I N G  
  
The screen went black momentarily as the entry code was  
accepted. Enju's medical data came blinking to life in a series of  
scrolling reports and rotating diagrams. Kei felt her entire chest  
tighten and constrict as she saw the charts.  
  
On each arm Enju had the tattoos of falling feathers. Kadowaki  
presumed the feathers to belong to either a dove or an angel. The  
intricate detail on those feathers paled in comparison, though, to  
the design of a pair of angel's wings that stretched down Enju's  
entire back. The wings were folded, running from his shoulder  
blades down past his waistline. They became a brilliant indigo when  
exposed to darkness, while his skin paled to a silvery white.  
  
Suddenly she knew exactly who Enju was.  
  
Kei slowly closed the file, and then covered up her own  
tracks. Any records of her entering the system were wiped clean  
before she turned off the terminal.  
  
She swore under her breath.  
  
Everything had just fallen into place--and the picture it  
formed was one Kei would rather have not seen. After closing down  
the computer terminal, she reached for her katana and quietly left  
the Infirmary.  
  
It was too late tonight to confront him.  
  
Tomorrow night would do just as well.  
  
  
  
With a tired yawn, Myn rubbed his sore calf muscles and got  
ready to retire to the dorm room for the night. He'd been doing  
some extra weapons practice by himself in the training room;  
tomorrow was the test to see if he could rise into the advanced  
classes. The Faculty would be picking three random opponents in his  
current class, and see how Myn stacked up in an endurance battle  
with one right after the other.  
  
The guys' locker rooms were quiet, though he had left a few  
other students out in the training room. Most were due to graduate  
soon like he was. Then again... most of those cadets weren't going  
to be graduating as a pair.  
  
A quick shower washed the sweat and grime from his skin. Myn  
toweled himself off and headed for his dorm room. He found a bit  
of a surprise in discovering that Enju wasn't inside. "Now where'd  
he go?" he sighed.  
  
  
  
While there was an open textbook sitting beside him, Enju  
didn't have the resolve to continue studying. Despite the overall  
dim light in the Quad at this hour of the evening, he had hoped to  
get some research done for an upcoming assignment. But every time  
he tried to focus on the words on the page, he found his heart not  
in it. The page might as well have been blank.  
  
Enju leaned forward on the wooden bench, resting his elbows on  
his knees. Absently he glanced down at his reflection in the metal  
plates of his kote. He'd been lucky at concealing his tattoos thus  
far, especially the one on his back. Making sure to shower when no  
one was around was tricky enough, but he had to remain in uniform  
almost all the time to keep the markings hidden.   
  
Fortunately, the weather around Balamb was on his side: it was  
late November, and the air was cooler. Staying in uniform kept him  
comfortably warm as opposed to baking him in a summer's heat.  
  
So why go through all the trouble?  
  
He'd been asking himself that numerous times in the past few  
months. And he always forgot the question every time he looked at  
Quistis or even thought about her. What both irritated him and made  
him uneasy all at once was how he had never thought of anyone like  
this before.  
  
He sighed, rubbing a palm against the armour.   
  
It was actually very strange to think that, after all the  
threats to his life he'd faced before, something as seemingly  
insignificant as asking a girl out on a date would spook him so  
much.  
  
"I must be losing my edge," he muttered to himself.  
  
But the question lingered: what would she say if she learned  
the truth in every last dark and bloody detail? Headmaster Cid had  
said she was a delicate soul. Was getting close to her the best  
thing for Quistis?  
  
The agitation of staying still finally got to him.  
  
Enju grabbed his book and began walking towards his room.  
About halfway there he realized he was actually walking in the  
direction of Quistis and Nym's room, not his own. He'd probably look  
like an idiot when he showed up at their door for no apparent  
reason. But he had to see her face one more time, to know for  
certain whether asking her a simple question was the right thing to  
do.  
  
He never did get to find an answer that night.  
  
About halfway to Quistis' dorm, Enju abruptly paused. He  
glanced over his shoulder, looking down one of the breezeways. "Out  
of curiosity, how long do you intend to follow me from the  
shadows?"  
  
Kei stepped out from an alcove in the wall. To say she didn't  
look pleased to see him was an understatement. Her grip around her  
sheathed katana was firm, and she never took her eyes of the cadet.  
"We need to talk," she told him.  
  
"I'm sure it could wait until tomorrow," Enju replied.  
  
She shook her head. "We talk about it now."  
  
The SeeD was no mood to be argued with.  
  
Enju scowled at the interruption, and followed Kei as she led  
him into a more private setting for their discussion. Around this  
time of night, the overpass for the Training Centre would be  
deserted. Faculty patrols would have recently caught any cadets  
trying to hide there for a make-out session.  
  
"So why have you brought me here?" Enju inquired, gesturing to  
the expanse around them. The textbook was dropped onto the floor,  
and he smirked. "I've recently heard of your preferences, so I can  
only assume you're not here to get fresh with me."  
  
Kei scowled. Was this idiot trying to provoke her even  
further? "I'm here about Quistis," she stated. There was no need to  
use her trump card just yet; her knowledge about him was the best  
thing she held to force him to back down. "I think you're taking an  
unhealthy interest in her."  
  
Enju's cool demeanor abruptly vanished. It was like watching  
the expression on his face just wash away like an evening tide.  
"That's a hell of a thing to say."  
  
"Ever since she came here, Quistis has been taught and looked  
after by a number of us," Kei said, taking a step towards him. "At  
first it was Xu and Sean. Then after his death, Sean's friends and  
I went out of our way to help ensure she graduates a SeeD."  
  
Enju shook his head, his eyes watching her the entire time.  
Their usually vibrant look seemed to be glazing over with one of  
cold steel. "I don't see what this has to do with me, save us  
sharing a common goal."  
  
"It has taken a small army to help build Quistis up after Sean  
was killed. She's becoming the SeeD she will be with our combined  
help and efforts. What you're doing with her could undermine  
everything we've worked at!"  
  
He regarded her with mild amusement.  
  
Kei continued, "There's no 'I' in 'team', cadet Enju."  
  
The fact that she used his subordinate title went disregarded  
by Enju. "There's also no 'O', 'U' and a number of consonants in  
that word either," he replied coldly. "Everyone has different  
means, but the motive is still the same for us all. I don't see why  
you're getting all worked up about it, Anshin."  
  
Kei stiffened upon hearing her clan name.  
  
How in the hell did he know about that?  
  
"Oh, did I forget to mention that?" Enju remarked. "I know  
quite a bit about you, Kei of the Anshin clan. All the time you've  
spent watching me hasn't gone unnoticed. You showed quite the  
interest in me, so I decided to repay the favour."  
  
"The SeeD personnel files are classified."  
  
"So are the cadet medical files."  
  
He knew.  
  
Kei instinctively reached for the hilt of her katana. At least  
this would make confronting him somewhat easier.  
  
"Oh, come now, Kei," he said, detecting her movements. "I'm  
unarmed. It would hardly do a highly-rated SeeD credit in taking  
down a cadet like me."  
  
Her eyes narrowed and she stepped toward him again. But her  
hands let go of the katana, the weapon slung at her side. "You are  
nothing that you claim to be," she stated. "You are no cadet, and  
you will never become a SeeD."  
  
"Cid would appear to think otherwise." He practically daring  
her. "Is there something you wish to teach me yourself?"  
  
Kei responded by leveling a hard punch into Enju's face. It  
was something that could have serious repercussions for a SeeD,  
striking a student like this. But right then she didn't give a damn  
about the rules. Enju took the full brunt of the hit, pitching  
sideways but not collapsing onto the floor.  
  
He paused as he regained his balance, and then straightened  
up. Gingerly he ran the tip of his index finger along the inside of  
his lower lip. When he brought it back out in front of his face, he  
saw skin stained with crimson. And he could feel the warm metallic  
taste of blood in his mouth.  
  
"I'm impressed," he remarked, briefly sucking the blood off  
his fingertip. "You know enough for when to risk a punch."  
  
Kei was beyond these little games. He'd sparked enough of her  
wrath to get her to use her best weapon: his past. And forget him  
just leaving Quistis alone. Kei wanted him out of the Garden,  
period. "I know all about you," she said. "I've had to pull a  
number of strings to do it."  
  
"I've told Quistis nothing but the truth about me," Enju  
replied, dismissing Kei's accusations. He turned to leave, but Kei  
refused to let him escape that easily.  
  
"And conveniently left out the rest," she shot back, grabbing  
him by the shoulder and forcing him to turn and face her. The fact  
that he was about a head taller than her held no bearing on the  
SeeD's current disposition. "Your skill with so many weapons means  
you had to be under a Weapons Master's tutelage for a number of  
years. That much I'm certain of."  
  
Enju snorted. "Please. I've made it no secret of the fact that  
I grew up in the Guild. Not many people know because they don't  
ask, and I'm not about to rant about my past. Mistress Niethe was  
my instructor until I was twelve."  
  
"It's afterwards that I'm here about."  
  
"And?"  
  
Kei drew her katana, poised to bring the slender and lethal  
blade down upon him in a heartbeat. "Death's Angel."  
  
He was one of the most feared assassins for hire that ever  
lived. To think that such a ruthless predator could have gotten  
into Balamb...  
  
Enju stared at her in surprise, and then laughed as if she had  
told a joke. "That's your revelation?" he chuckled, sighing in  
amusement. "If you've read the underground links, SeeD Kei, you'd  
discover that Death's Angel died in a bomb explosion over six  
months ago."  
  
"Then let me see your arms."  
  
Enju's smile was shattered by Kei's challenge. He never  
obliged her, but simply bowed his head in defeat. To Kei it was a  
shallow victory compared to what she was bracing herself for next.  
  
"Ah, yes. You raided Doctor Kadowaki's files on me, after  
all," Enju said. The feather tattoos on his arms and the wing  
tattoos upon his back had given him his title in the underworld:  
the angel of death. There was no other way she could have known  
about him. Everyone else who'd seen his face as that killer died  
moments later.  
  
Enju crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the  
balustrade. "So you've found my dirty little secret," he drawled.  
"Tell me, do you feel vindicated now? And yet how does that make us  
different? We're both seasoned killers, SeeD Kei. We've both shed  
blood. I just happened to make more money than you while I was  
employed."  
  
That did it.  
  
Kei snapped into action as Enju choicely went after her  
profession as a SeeD. "I am nothing like you!" she exclaimed,  
swinging the katana at his chest.  
  
Evidently Enju had been expecting this to happen, and pushed  
off the balustrade into a low roll. He narrowly avoided the katana,  
its tip grazing the back of his jacket. Enju rolled back onto his  
feet, yet had to instantly face Kei's second attack. Instead of  
raking the blade down, she tried to impale him on it.  
  
One of Enju's kinzoku-sensu was suddenly in his hands, the fan  
opened up and its hidden blades deployed. Enju spun sideways,  
narrowing avoiding Kei's thrust with her katana. His arm lashed out  
as he darted past the SeeD, drawing a thin spray of blood after  
him.  
  
Kei winced as she felt her right arm get cut open by the  
blades of the metal fan. At least he hadn't been given the chance  
to do that to her dominant hand, otherwise she might have lost her  
katana. Kei looked back, her eyes narrowing as she saw her blood  
drop off the sharpened edges of Enju's sensu.  
  
"I thought you said you were unarmed," she growled, chiding  
herself for ever believing the words of an assassin.  
  
"I lied," Enju replied, panting for breath.  
  
He scowled as he considered his chances. Kei was more than  
adept at using the katana. And her sword had a far greater range  
than the sliver-like blades of his kinzoku-sensu. Enju doubted he  
could move fast enough to injure her and back away unscathed. At  
least Kei wasn't using a pistol; for as much as his sensu was  
designed as a shield, it could not deflect a bullet.  
  
Things were so much easier when his opponents only saw him  
coming a split second before their lives ended.  
  
Meanwhile Kei was briefly examining her arm. The wound was  
superficial. A Cure bead within the next few minutes would heal it  
nicely. More than enough time for her to kick Enju's ass. Her right  
arm hanging limply at her side, Kei brandished her katana and  
prepared to attack again. This time Enju held his ground, waiting  
for an opening.  
  
Enju dodged her first slash to the head, then blocked with his  
sensu as she tried to stab at his arm. The metal flaps of the fan  
neatly pushed the katana away from him, allowing the chance for  
Enju to deliver a solid punch to Kei's cheek.  
  
Instead of falling, Kei absorbed the blow and then retaliated  
with her wounded arm. Enju stumbled back as she rammed her clenched  
fist into his stomach, driving the air out of him. His eyes widened  
and he hastily ducked a swing that would have taken off his head.  
  
"You're a threat to everything the Garden stands for," Kei  
spat at him, smashing her katana down. He sidestepped and lunged at  
her, trying the rake his kinzoku-sensu down her front side. Kei  
jerked back, but not fast enough; the jacket of her SeeD uniform  
was torn open. He was definitely good with weapons, even when his  
own had a limited range.  
  
"And what makes you think the Headmaster doesn't know about  
me?" Enju snapped. "Your loyalty to Cid blinds you from it."  
  
They engaged again, and wound up with their weapons clashing  
against each other. Random sparks flew as Kei tried to force down  
his sensu with her blade. She pushed with her katana. He pushed  
back with his fan.  
  
"I must confess," Enju hissed, their faces so close together  
despite the proximity of their lethal weapons. "You're one of the  
first people I've met who's managed to piss me off like this."  
  
"Get used to it," Kei retorted, pushing him away. "I probably  
won't be the last."  
  
Enju growled, forcing back the temptation to use one extra,  
lethal feature of his fan that even Quistis didn't know about. But  
it would be near impossible to explain this, even if he managed to  
hide Kei's body.  
  
With them engaged in such close combat, Enju lost track of   
what Kei's injured arm was up to. It came as a nasty surprise when  
she brought her hand forward and a Fire spell exploded from her   
palm. He was blinded by the blast of magic as the flames licked   
at him. That provided Kei the opportunity to follow her first   
spell up with a second, more powerful Fira.  
  
Enju pin wheeled across the floor like a rag doll. He rolled  
out of control before colliding with the balustrade, his head  
connecting with the railing. With a groan, he pushed away from the  
balustrade--and then froze as the tip of Kei's sword was nudged  
beneath his chin.  
  
He had lost.  
  
"No one ever knew Death's Angel had a weakness to magic," he  
said between gasps for air. "Otherwise our positions would be   
reversed. You've been talking to Quistis, haven't you?"  
  
Kei didn't feel like answering his question. "Why did you come  
here?" she demanded evenly.  
  
Enju stared straight at her. He was one of the few who, when  
confronted like this, didn't avoid eye contact. She lifted the  
blade, using it to raise Enju's chin. He got the point: Kei wasn't  
going to ask twice.  
  
"Not for a job, as you seem to be implying," he answered. "I  
signed on with SeeD just after I retired."  
  
"An assassin never retires," she countered. The katana made  
itself more acutely known against his skin. "They just get killed."  
  
Very slowly and very deliberately, Enju lifted one of his  
hands and gripped the side of her katana blade between his index  
finger and thumb. Kei let him carefully move the weapon out from  
immediate thrusting range of his throat.  
  
"Why do you think I've become Enju?" he said. "He was born  
from the ashes of the warehouse explosion which claimed the life of  
Death's Angel."  
  
It was all too easy to let some of his known enemies tail him  
to that warehouse. They thought they had the chance to become the  
top assassin, or take revenge for someone he'd previously killed.  
None of them dreamed that he had been planning this for weeks. It  
gave him the perfect set of witnesses to watch him walk into the  
deserted warehouse--and then see the warehouse detonate a moment  
later.  
  
No one even noticed his shadowy form leaping off the rooftop  
of the warehouse, blown onto the safety of an adjacent rooftop by  
the explosion's shockwave. Admittedly he had almost died in the  
process, but timing was everything to ensure the ruse worked.  
  
"Care to enlighten me as to why you decided to conveniently  
end your previous life?" Kei inquired sharply.  
  
Enju hesitated. "Personal politics clouded the job. I decided  
to make a change of lifestyle instead of completing my last  
contract."  
  
"So you created a new past for yourself and came here."  
  
"I hung around the Trabia Garden for a few months, and then  
decided Balamb would make a good place to start my life," Enju said  
leisurely. "It's impressive what one can do when they learn how to  
fashion a past and credentials. All one needs is time, cunning and  
a few extra uniforms, SeeD Kei. I was able to pass for a  
transferring student with little difficulties."  
  
Kei glared at him, tempted to let her katana slide beneath his  
neck again. "And so you brought your killer instinct to us? Forgive  
me for not being flattered."  
  
Enju chuckled, slowly getting back onto his feet. "Well, who  
would think to look for me here?" he said, tenderly rubbing the  
back of his head. He'd have to use his own tonics when he got  
back to his room to ensure that the swelling would go down. "SeeD   
is a respectable mercenary organization, hardly the place for the  
Death's Angel to be a pupil of.  
  
"Cid knew who I really was the moment I stepped into his  
office as a transferring cadet. So long as I don't make unnecessary  
waves, he's allowed Balamb to be my home. Doctor Kadowaki knew  
also. Those medical files on my tattoos and skin were from her  
tests, to ensure my alternations wouldn't affect my training. If  
you've read the files, you know why I can't cast magic very well."  
  
Kei found herself lowering her weapon as she stared at Enju in  
disbelief. Cid and Kadowaki were a part of this? Why had they let  
a creature like Enju into Balamb?! Kei couldn't see any use for the  
former assassin, save for T-Rexaur fodder. But if that was the  
case, then Enju was protected by a higher power. Namely the  
Headmaster.   
  
The last thing she wanted to do was ruin her relationship with  
Cid. Killing Enju would definitely drive a wedge between them.  
Grudgingly she backed away, allowing Enju to leave.  
  
"A conspiracy lurks in every shadow, SeeD Kei," Enju stated,  
sensing her stung pride. "More often than not, you just have to  
stare into the darkness at the right angle. And then you can see  
all the hidden strings that everyone's dancing to."  
  
He walked calmly past her and picked up his fallen  
kinzoku-sensu, tucking it into his belt. "I think we've both had  
enough for one evening."  
  
The pleasantness in his face had returned.  
  
Kei scowled at the eeriness of how he could turn the charm on  
and off like a light switch. How many other cadets, or even  
teachers, suspected that beneath his smile lurked a remorseless and  
lethal killer? The trick of the assassin was to blend in with any  
surroundings, something Enju excelled at.  
  
"So are you going to try and kill me in my sleep?" Kei  
inquired. It was a valid concern, but she was still fuming so much  
at him that the real threat was lost to her.  
  
He abruptly paused at the entrance to the overpass and glanced  
back at Kei. "If this becomes very personal between us, then yes,  
I will. But you'll have to make the first move. And we both know  
you're smart enough to know when to keep a secret."  
  
If word got out Death's Angel was hiding at the Garden, a lot  
of would-be assassins and angry relatives of past victims would  
show up. Balamb would be turned into one giant war zone, and  
everything Cid and the SeeDs had tried to establish would be  
destroyed.  
  
"Keep as close an eye on me as you wish," he said on his way   
out. "I'm not the threat to Quistis that you perceive me to be."  
  
He felt another jolt of pain rack his shoulder, and then  
ruefully though to himself that it would be much more pleasant to  
fight a Snow Lion bare-handed than go for a rematch against Kei.  
There was something about Kei that made him wary.  
  
No normal person should have been able to defeat him that  
easily, magic or otherwise.  
  
-----  
Please visit our website at http://www.centragarden.net  



	9. Part 09

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 9  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans gbeans@tyrlen.org  
with His lordship Chaos hislordshipchaos@hotmail.com  
edited by Helen Fong iriachan@yahoo.com  
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. www.squaresoft.com  
  
  
  
Quistis slowly paced circles around the Garden directory as she waited.   
Kei leaned against the directory, watching Quistis go around without comment.   
After several students passed them with questioning looks on their faces, Kei   
spoke up.  
  
"What are you so nervous for? She's as excited to be back as you are to   
see her."  
  
Quistis stopped her pacing and sighed. "What if she doesn't want to see   
me?"  
  
Kei favored her with a level look. "That was a stupid question."  
  
Quistis resumed her circling. "When will Xu be here?"  
  
"A car has already been sent to Balamb. The train she's on should have   
arrived," Kei paused to look at her watch, "20 minutes ago. Which leaves me to   
wonder why you're waiting for her here. If she's arriving in a car, she'll   
enter the grounds through the Parking Garage."  
  
Quistis stopped her pacing with a look of mild panic. Kei was right! She   
darted down the corridor to the Parking Garage.  
  
"Wait! It's not like she's not... staying," Kei shook her head before   
following the cadet to the Garage at a more sedate pace.  
  
A lot's changed in the two years Xu's been gone. The Garden looked the   
same; that would be a small comfort. Indeed, a majority of the changes   
involved the young woman so anxious to greet Xu. Quistis had grown   
significantly, both physically and emotionally. With her maturing appearance   
coming closer to matching her superior intellect, Kei often had to remind   
herself that Quistis was only fourteen. She didn't look fourteen and she shot   
past acting fourteen months ago.  
  
'Xu will be pleased with the results,' Kei assured herself smugly. She   
didn't have as much to do with Quistis' growth as she would have liked -- her   
duty often called her away on missions -- but she did play her part in guiding   
the young cadet. It took a Garden to raise a SeeD and they'd done a damn fine   
job up to this point in her biased opinion.  
  
Further down the corridor, Quistis ran into the Parking Garage. She saw   
that they were still unloading the car that brought a handful of SeeDs from   
Balamb station to the Garden. Where was Xu? Ah, there she was, leaning into   
the cargo compartment. Quistis found an out of the way spot to wait while her   
friend finished retrieving her things.  
  
When Xu looked up to see her former roommate waiting for her, the time   
that passed since their last meeting melted away. She couldn't believe the   
sight of a quickly maturing Quistis. Was the adolescent standing before her   
really the girl she first met four years ago? Several centimeters were added   
to her height during Xu's time away. Xu now looked up to Quistis instead of   
vise versa. Quistis' body was rounding out as Sean predicted it would.   
Perhaps the belt wasn't as outrageous of an idea as she originally thought now   
that she could see what he'd envisioned. When Quistis was finished growing she   
would be a lithe, full-figured woman.  
  
Quistis' facial features were also boldly defining themselves. Her sharp   
nose and high cheekbones gave way to a pair of slender eyes. Those eyes shone   
brightly with joy at seeing her friend. Thin lips painted lightly with   
lipstick stretched into a smile before she brought Xu into a warm hug.  
  
'She's started weight training,' Xu noted as her exuberant friend squeezed   
the air out of her. She winced with discomfort as Quistis pounded on her back.  
  
"It's so good to see you again!" Quistis continued to hold her tight.  
  
"You too, though I fear for my life if you get much stronger," she   
quipped, returning the embrace firmly.  
  
"Let me get a better look at you," Xu said as she pulled back. "Now these   
don't surprise me one bit," she lightly tapped the bridge of the glasses   
resting on Quistis' nose.  
  
"They don't?"  
  
"Nope. You think I didn't notice all the times you buried yourself under   
your covers to read with a penlight once the lights were turned off."  
  
Quistis flushed. "You've got me there."  
  
"They do make you look older, more mature," she smiled with approval.  
  
"Sure, hug Quistis and neglect me," Kei drawled dryly from her position   
leaned up against a wall. "I see how it is with you."  
  
Xu marched over to Kei and stood squarely in front of her before   
responding. "And since when does the self-reliant SeeD Kei need a hug?" She   
challenged.  
  
Kei pouted. "Remember that time I got into trouble for throwing rocks at   
a Jelleye's nest after the elders performed all those ceremonies to discover   
why the monsters were restless?"  
  
Xu pulled her cousin into a strong embrace. "Yes, I remember that. And   
the harsh scolding you took because of it."  
  
"There are more painful things in this world. I'm sure you can think of a   
few?"   
  
"I'm sure I could," Xu released her hold on Kei. "We'll discuss it   
later."  
  
Kei frowned slightly at that, but nodded her agreement. They didn't need   
to switch languages to convey a message that someone listening to them wouldn't   
get. Kei made a mental note to stop by Xu's quarters tonight after she was   
settled in.  
  
Xu hefted one of her duffels up onto her shoulder. Quistis already   
claimed the other one.  
  
"If you'll follow me I'll take you to your quarters. Then you have to   
report to the Headmaster," the cadet said. "He's anxious to see you."  
  
"'Anxious' isn't quite the word," Kei amended as they walked. "He's been   
'Xu this' and 'Xu that' since last week. He'll have you running around here   
like a person who's been hit with Confuse before too long."  
  
"Even if he does, it's good to be home," Xu said with fervor.  
  
Cid insisted on keeping their meeting informal and short (since there were   
plenty of others who wanted to greet her). There would be time later for her   
to give him a full report. They also needed to discuss her new duties at   
Balamb, but that could wait until the morning. His 'orders' for today were to   
reacquaint herself with the Faculty and students.  
  
Quistis was more than happy to go around with her to introduce the new   
faces that she didn't recognize -- of which their were plenty. Kei left them   
before long citing that she had some other things to do. Many of the older   
students who remembered Xu from when she was a cadet warmly welcomed her home.  
  
"Our Triple Triad decks are in danger of being ravaged by a returning card   
shark," one student lamented.  
  
"I wouldn't worry too much. I haven't played in two years," Xu explained   
with a woeful expression.  
  
"I'll play you," Quistis offered.  
  
"Don't do it, Xu. She's the biggest shark of them all!" He warned.   
Quistis crossed her arms and acted innocent.  
  
That was how most of the day went. It would take her at least a week to   
catch up on the Garden gossip from the sounds of it. Though she suspected that   
she would be the topic of discussion for a while. A new Instructor always   
primed the pump of the rumor mill. Many students had scraps of information   
about her time in Galbadia. Most just wanted to know more, especially the full   
story behind the rumor that she met Vinzer Deling and lived to tell about it.  
  
Quistis parted ways with Xu after dinner and slowly meandered back to the   
room she shared with Nym. Her current roommate was seated at her desk with her   
twin seated in Quistis' chair. Both of them were on schedule to graduate at   
the end of this term, so she wasn't expecting to see either of them for much   
longer.  
  
"Yo, Quistis, how'd it go?" Myn gave her a jaunty wave as Nym continued to   
muddle through the problem they were working on.  
  
Quistis hadn't even tried to hide the joy she felt because of Xu's return.   
For the past week she was practically walking on air with anticipation. The   
week seemed to drag along while at the same time race by. Anticipation was   
funny that way.  
  
"It went well. Xu's unpacking now," she walked up behind Nym to look over   
her shoulder at the problem. "Hum... You didn't move the decimal point here,"   
she stabbed a fingertip at one of the rough calculations on a scratch sheet.  
  
Nym stared at the sheet, then pinned Myn with an evil look. "Idiot," she   
growled before scribbling furiously to correct the mistake.  
  
"Hey! This isn't my subject," he defended.  
  
"It's not mine either," Nym retorted. "But one of us has to do it."  
  
"Flip a coin?"  
  
"No way, you always win," she pounded on the keys of her calculator to   
come up with a new solution.  
  
"Didn't the Faculty say it'd be fifty/fifty? 'Cause there's a one in two   
chance it'd land on either side. How can I always win with odds like that?" He   
reasoned.  
  
"Don't confuse the issue with the facts!" She snapped.  
  
Quistis couldn't resist the urge to laugh any longer. She rocked back on   
her heels with laughter as startled expressions spread across both of their   
faces. They didn't even realize how funny their bickering was!  
  
"I'm glad someone is amused," Nym muttered.  
  
Quistis waved an apology. "I'm sorry, but you're too much sometimes.   
'Don't confuse the issue with the facts'? Honestly, Nym," she flopped herself   
down on her bed after picking up a magazine to glance through. Myn was fond of   
leaving the things lying around their room and she was beginning to follow some   
articles regularly.  
  
"She's got a point," Myn admitted.  
  
"Shut up, I'm not talking to you," Nym sniffed.  
  
Quistis hid her grin behind the magazine. They could go on like this for   
hours and in the end are still the best of friends.  
  
Myn kicked himself around on the swivel chair briefly before becoming   
bored with it and turned to speak with Quistis. "So, your friend Xu is an   
Instructor, huh?"  
  
It was a subject they had discussed several times already. He knew the   
answer, but she indulged him. "Yep, that's why she was in Galbadia. I heard   
that she picked up her Master qualifications while she was there."  
  
"Meaning that you shouldn't hit on her unless you want to get your butt   
kicked, Myn," Nym commented off-handedly while she worked.  
  
"Xu wouldn't do that," Quistis defended. "Not unless you provoked her,   
that is. Don't worry, she's one of the fairest people I know."  
  
"Do you know what she's going to be teaching?" Myn pressed, ignoring both   
his sister's jab and Quistis' reassurance.  
  
Quistis shook her head. "Not even she knows yet."  
  
"Why do you care so much?" Nym eyed her brother suspiciously.  
  
"I'm just curious. I heard the guys at dinner saying how hot she was. A   
real spirited personality too. I wouldn't mind having her as my Instructor, if   
you know what I mean?" He rocked in the chair as the females gave him dirty   
looks.  
  
"I hope she punts you into next week," Nym muttered darkly before going   
back to their assignment.  
  
"I'm telling you, she wouldn't do that," Quistis gave herself a mental   
shake and went back to the magazine. Myn did have a point; Xu was looking   
better than ever. She was in excellent condition. No SeeD uniform -- was that   
a Galbadian one she was wearing? -- could completely hide the athletic body   
contained within. It was a build Quistis could only strive for.  
  
She didn't look up when another person entered the room. Nym was an   
integral part of the dorms gossip network and as so there was a constant flow   
of people in and out of their room. It didn't take Quistis long to become   
accustomed to the additional traffic. It was a welcome change from the near   
lethargic approach on life Skye presented. Quistis finally looked up from the   
magazine when the newcomer blocked the overhead light with his shadow.  
  
"Hey, babe, wanna go for a walk?" Enju's hands were shoved into his   
pockets with a rakish grin on his face. The man who took it upon himself to be   
a thorn in her side had a roguish look that many of her classmates found   
appealing. He brushed them aside, continuing to focus his efforts on winning   
her over -- never mind that she was young enough to be his kid sister. "You   
can bring the magazine with you if you don't think I'll be amusing enough," he   
added.  
  
Quistis stood up, leaving the magazine on the bed. "You'll pester me   
until I say 'yes', so let's go," she quipped with only a touch of malice in her   
tone.  
  
Enju favored her with a pained look. "Quistis, that hurts. Really it   
does." Then he went back to grinning, completely unfazed by her words. Enju   
had a way for getting under her skin. It was hard to explain. She could sense   
that he was a good person, but at the same time that she should be wary of him.  
  
She knew that at some point Enju and Kei butted heads, but not what it was   
regarding. As it was, they generally avoided each other by tacit agreement.   
She realized that not everyone could get along, even if both people were very   
nice.  
  
Quistis gave a mental sigh of relief. It was nice to have Xu back. She'd   
have someone to *talk* to again. Enju tried sometimes. He would ask how her   
day went and try to get her to open up to him, but she wasn't comfortable. She   
couldn't put a finger on it. He just *felt* different.  
  
The thought that she really didn't know anything about him had crossed her   
mind a few times. She knew that he transferred from Trabia, but the twins   
don't remember seeing him at the Garden. He'd been orphaned and raised in the   
Guild. Beyond that, she couldn't tell.  
  
Then again, she hadn't volunteered much information about herself either.   
Communication was a two way street; one they hadn't learned to freely travel   
yet. Maybe, someday, when she felt closer to him -- and him to her -- their   
friendship would begin. But until that day, they would remain comrades in   
arms, fellow SeeD cadets.  
  
*****  
  
There was a light tapping on the door to Xu's quarters. She stood and   
tightened the belt to her night robe before answering it. Kei was in the   
hallway with her hands neatly folded in front of her.  
  
"I was wondering when you'd come around," Xu stepped aside to allow her   
cousin to enter.  
  
"Everyone was so excited to have you back. I didn't want to bother you   
with this until things were settled down for the evening." The room was sparse   
of personal effects. Kei wouldn't have expected anything else from Xu. The   
majority of her unpacking probably involved putting uniforms away after ironing   
them.  
  
"That's considerate of you. I'm as curious to know as you are," Xu led   
them into the bedroom. Kei respectfully turned her back as Xu began to   
undress.  
  
"So they did *it*, huh?"  
  
"See for yourself," Xu invited. Kei turned around to have her cousin's   
bare back towards her. The fact that Xu was completely naked except for a pair   
of panties didn't faze Kei. Her eyes were intent upon the elaborate tattoo   
that went down the center of Xu's back and spread across her ribs and shoulder   
blades. Kei lightly traced a finger along it, noticing that Xu squirmed at her   
touch due to its newness.  
  
"You always put yourself through more pain than necessary," Kei complained   
while pulling a Cure spell from her pouch. She cast it with enough force to   
bring relief to the tender skin. The tattoo was a 'wound' that was inflicted   
long enough ago that no curative spell could reverse the 'damage', only   
complete the natural healing process. "Sometimes I think you enjoy suffering.   
You don't do anything to prevent it."  
  
Xu purposefully ignored that last comment by answering the earlier one.   
"I didn't want to risk the spell removing it," she explained. With her back to   
her cousin, Xu couldn't see the glare and obvious difference of opinion that   
Kei felt. There was no chance of it healing completely after a day passed. Xu   
didn't heal herself because she was following 'tradition' and that irked Kei.   
It was stupid to suffer when one didn't have to.  
  
Kei sighed heavily then returned to examining the markings on Xu's back.   
"Damn, this must have taken them hours and hurt like hell," she leaned closer   
to take in the finer details.  
  
"You're right on both points. Can you read it?"  
  
"I'm trying," Kei muttered as she concentrated. Xu was much better at   
reading their language than she was. She'd switched over to the standard   
language as soon as she could and rarely looked back. It was only because of   
Xu's insistence that they speak in their native language when they were alone   
like this that Kei retained any fluency at all. "This is so elaborate. Not   
even my father's tattoo can match it for detail."  
  
Kei sighed again and looked around her. "Where's a piece of paper? I'll   
draw it for you and you can try to read it. I don't recognize more than your   
name."  
  
Xu remained still as Kei carefully copied the design onto the paper. For   
as long as it was taking Kei, she was either being careful with her drawing or   
it was very detailed.  
  
"Why did you let them do this to you? It wasn't bad enough that your name   
is blazon across your back, but you'll never be able to wear something that   
doesn't fully cover your upper body again," Kei scolded as she worked.  
  
"It- I can't explain it, Kei. It felt like the thing to do."  
  
"It's called an 'impulse'. You generally ignore those because they prompt   
you to do foolish things. If I listened to my impulses, there would be fewer   
cadets running around the Garden. I'm going to touch you for a moment," she   
warned before angling Xu's skin differently. The center of the back was an   
inconvenient place for such nonsense.  
  
"But it feels significant," Xu insisted quietly. She let that feeling   
fade before speaking again. "They were anxious to see you as well."  
  
"I'm not going near them if they're going to try to do *this* to me," Kei   
growled. "Blast it all, but this is some piece of work. I don't think I'm   
doing it justice. It might be better to wait until your physical. Doctor   
Kadowaki will take an image of it and you can look then."  
  
"You know I can't let her take an image," she protested.  
  
"This coming from Miss Let's-Keep-A-Journal? Don't be hypocritical," Kei   
gave her a solid poke in the back for that.  
  
Xu winced, but didn't reply to the comment. Kei was right, it was   
hypocritical, but her *feelings*... She didn't understand them, never mind   
being able to explain.   
  
"I'm finished," Kei announced, handing the sheet to Xu over her shoulder.   
She then turn away again to allow her cousin the chance to belt her robe back   
on without her watching. Such courtesies really weren't necessary between them   
considering their familiarity with each other, but Kei was funny that way.  
  
Xu let out a low whistle as she looked over the sheet. "This is really on   
my back?"  
  
"I didn't get all the details, but that's what it generally looks like,"   
Kei pointed out the areas she fudged on. "Can you read it?"  
  
Xu sat on the corner of her bed as she studied the picture. There were a   
pair of upward turned four pronged designs across her shoulder blades with a   
character at the tip of each. This pattern with a different set of characters   
mirrored across her lower back. In the center was an elaborate design that had   
some characters (or so Xu assumed) that she didn't have a chance of   
understanding. Surrounding this center design were various other characters   
that almost looked familiar, but not enough for recognition. "I'm as boggled   
as you," she admitted. "'Something of something' here in the center? I don't   
know..."  
  
"And I doubt my father would be helpful if we asked him," Kei added   
sourly. Stupid traditions about having to figure it out on your own if you   
couldn't read it already. It wasn't like there was a dictionary here that they   
could go look the characters up in. The Anshin were pretty stingy when it came   
to letting such materials out into the world.  
  
"It's fine. I'm sure we'll figure it out someday," Xu rolled onto her   
stomach as she lay stretched out on the bed studying the drawing. "It's almost   
pretty..."  
  
Kei leaned over to look at it again. "Not to my tastes, but I can see   
it," she allowed. "Honestly, what did you do there?"  
  
"I'm not sure I should tell you," Xu drawled slowly. "It should be a   
surprise for when they catch you."  
  
Kei wasn't amused by her cousin's stab at humor. "C'mon already."  
  
"The elders pounced me as soon as I got off the transport. I saw my   
parents standing off to the side, but the elders pulled me away. I was looking   
forward to seeing my father too," she frowned slightly.  
  
"I hadn't been in the building they led me to before. I don't know if you   
have either. It's the one behind the old granary, with all the tall shrubs in   
front of it?" Kei indicated that she knew which one Xu was describing.   
  
"I thought it was closed off, but it wasn't. It was dark and the air was   
thick with the smell of incense," she wiggled her nose as she recalled the   
scent. "They had me change into traditional robes -- you know the ones. Then   
we sat and they asked me all sorts of questions for who knows for how long."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Anything... Everything! They asked about Garden, SeeD, Galbadia, Sean,"   
his name was said at the tail end of a sigh. "They did say it was my   
punishment that he died, as I knew they would."  
  
"Insensitive bastards," Kei squeezed her hand sympathetically.  
  
"We spoke at length about Sean, in fact. They wanted to know everything   
about him. Especially how I felt. I missed him so much, Kei. I can't help   
it. I'm lonely without him.  
  
"When I was too tired to keep talking they wouldn't let me return to my   
parent's house to sleep. I curled up and slept where I was sitting. They all   
left at that point. Probably to go to bed in their own homes," she added   
bitterly.  
  
"The next day -- or so I assume, there was no way to tell the passage of   
time in that room -- your father led me to another room in the building. This   
room had a large hot spring. Your mother was there. They wanted me to   
thoroughly cleanse myself. Your mother insisted on helping me wash though I'm   
more than capable of doing it on my own."  
  
"How odd," Kei mused, "she wouldn't help me tie my shoes after I learned   
it once. I wonder what got into her?"  
  
"I don't know. After that, I was led into a third room with a table and,   
well, you can figure out what happened *there*."  
  
"You could have fought back. You could have told them to go to hell and   
left," Kei frowned as she regarded her cousin.  
  
Xu bobbed her head in agreement. "True. None of them could stop me if I   
was that intent on leaving, but I wasn't. Like I said earlier, it just felt   
right -- being there, I mean. It was as if I was finally doing something I was   
supposed to and it felt good."  
  
Kei scoffed. "Being a SeeD, an Instructor, and a Weapons Mistress aren't   
enough for you? You have shoes large enough for ten people to fill. Don't let   
them add any more responsibilities to your already heavy load."  
  
"That's what was so odd about it all," Xu reflected. "They didn't ask me   
to stay, or to make any commitments. I went to my parent's house after that   
and didn't see another elder except for your father during the rest of my   
visit. That reminds me..."  
  
Xu got off the bed and went to her desk. She pulled out a drawer to   
retrieve a small bundle from it. "Your siblings asked me to deliver their   
letters to you. Catch," she tossed the bundle over. A data chip followed the   
bundle as Kei's quick reflexes snapped it out of the air.  
  
"I took a lot of images while I was there. Mikel's gotten big, but he's   
as adorable as ever."  
  
"Thanks," Kei replied only half-paying attention. She was intently   
studying the envelope of the top letter. It was from her father according to   
addressing. She undid the twine holding the letters together so the she could   
read his now. He always wrote so formally. She usually needed Xu's help to   
understand him whenever he did send correspondence.  
  
"Hum? What is it, Kei?" Xu was too polite to look over her shoulder, but   
was curious as to what caught Kei's attention.  
  
"It's a request that I return as soon as possible. 'It is of the utmost   
importance that you come home. While I cannot order you to do so, I can beg   
you. Please return, Kei.' What's gotten into them?" She hit her fist on the   
bed. Such puzzles frustrated her and the fact that she and Xu were apparently   
the keys didn't make her any happier.  
  
"Maybe he wants to bury the hatchet?" Xu offered.  
  
"..."  
  
Kei handed the letter over to Xu for her to read. "I wonder if they'll   
call the Headmaster and ask him to release you as they did with me. I can't   
see him being pleased about that without some answers being given. But it   
might be the only way we'll find out what they're up to. Besides," her serious   
expression softened as she smiled, "you're better at telling them off than I   
am. It would give you a chance to vent."  
  
"Tch, what nonsense!"  
  
*****  
  
Xu tried to maintain a stoic expression as she stood at ease before the   
Headmaster's desk, but it was hard to not return his warm smile. Cid looked   
well and all his familiar fidgeting was the most appropriate 'welcome back'   
that Xu could think of.  
  
She was wearing one of her Galbadia uniforms. Unfortunately, she was   
unable to get any of her Balamb ones altered before this meeting. She had   
considered borrowing a uniform from Kei, but then she would be dressed as a   
male, which was almost as bad as wearing the wrong uniform in the first place.   
To Cid, it didn't matter what she was wearing, he was just glad to have her   
back.  
  
"I've read through your report. You've certainly outdone yourself," Cid   
complimented while flipping through a folder of papers on his desk. "Are you   
ready for your next assignment?"  
  
"Yes, Headmaster," she replied promptly.  
  
He regarded her over the rims of his glasses before glancing down once   
more. "Your next assignment is the complete the first one I gave you. Make   
sure Quistis Trepe graduates as a SeeD," his eyes moved up to meet hers.  
  
'But... you told me that when I was a still cadet!' Her mind protested.   
"Yes, sir," she acknowledged without hesitation. Wondering about his   
long-lived memory could be left for later.  
  
He closed the file he was reading from. Then stood up and walked around   
the desk so that he could lean against it while speaking with her. He folded   
his arms across his chest in a relaxed manner. This was the Cid Kramer she saw   
on a few occasions as a cadet. His 'candid stance' is what it could be called   
when he was at ease like this. Xu prepared herself mentally for the cards Cid   
was about to put onto the table. It was rare when he played his hand; one   
mustn't miss it.  
  
"The upcoming year will tell the tale. I expect great things from   
Quistis, just as I expect great things from you. Every garden needs nurturing   
and I believe that you will make an excellent gardener, if you'll forgive the   
pun.  
  
"Not that I expect you to pour all your efforts into a single student. I   
want you to establish a weapon training program here that is similar to the one   
Galbadia has. Teaching weapons was never one of my strong suits and you seem   
to have a knack for it," his eyes crinkled closed with a smile. "The Faculty   
can ease the burden on you by continuing to teach the introductory level   
classes. But by the end of the term I want all of the upper division classes   
under your watchful eye."  
  
'Okay, maybe comparing it to dropping a bomb was more appropriate than a   
game of cards,' Xu thought dryly. Her mind raced to figure out a way to fit in   
both instructing and weapons classes. She managed it for a week in Galbadia,   
but she couldn't do it on a long-term basis. There were enough students at   
Balamb to justify having a full time Master.  
  
"Sir, in my opinion, contracting a Master would be for the best if you   
want to implement that system," she advised. Cid was always open to   
suggestions, so she didn't feel uncomfortable pointing out the possible   
shortcomings of his plan.  
  
"And what's wrong with the Master I have standing before me?" He   
challenged.  
  
She flushed before answering. "I'm concerned that I won't be able to   
maintain quality instruction while also teaching weapons work. It'd become too   
much before long."  
  
His eyes narrowed. "Whatever gave you the impression that I would waste   
your time with instruction? It's all too rare when I have a SeeD who is also a   
member of the Guild. It's an opportunity I won't waste. Let the Faculty deal   
with the instruction end of things. I want you spearheading the physical   
training programs. And don't forget Quistis, understand?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Good," he nodded his head sharply. "I want you to feel comfortable   
coming to me for anything you need. If you want to talk -- professionally or   
otherwise -- don't hesitate. We'll be working together closely in the upcoming   
years. We need to become familiar with where one another is coming from."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Cid."  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Xu! At ease," he favored her with an exasperated look while shaking his   
head. "You're not in Galbadia any more. Military precision has its place, but   
my office is not one of them. You will kindly leave your 'sirs' at the door   
when you enter. Call me Cid."  
  
"Yes, s- Cid," she corrected herself hastily.  
  
"Well, that's a start." He drew a ring with many keys on it from his   
trouser pocket. "Here are the keys to the training facilities. If you need   
access to an area that you don't have a key for let me know."  
  
There had to be at least twenty keys on the ring he handed her. Each one   
with a little sticker attached that indicated what it opened. She tucked the   
ring away in a secure pouch until she found a way to fasten it to her belt.  
  
"The training facilities are your domain now. Take an inventory and   
requisition any items you need, then organize them as you see fit."  
  
"I'll get right on it," she assured.  
  
Cid's lips quirked, "Business as usual, Xu? I would encourage you to not   
squander your youth in favor of duty if I didn't need you so desperately."  
  
Xu's expressionless mask broke into a soft smile. "I gave myself   
willingly to duty when I came here. It's a decision I don't regret. I'll give   
the tasks you assign me everything I've got until I succeed."  
  
"I know you will," he placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a tight   
squeeze. "That's why I chose you."  
  
*****  
  
Only a few lights were on when Xu entered the training room. She turned   
to a panel on her right and upped the brightness so that the room wasn't cast   
in shadows. Calling it a 'room' was a misnomer. The 'Training Center' applied   
to the area that contained live monsters for combat purposes. The 'Training   
Room' was the training facilities, which consisted of a weight room, shooting   
range, weapons locker (another misnomer for the small room that contained   
various practice weapons), an office, locker rooms, and a large practice area   
with several mats to spar on and a punching bag in each corner. Xu didn't   
doubt that there were more rooms here that she'd never been in. There had to   
be for all the keys that dangled from her belt.  
  
The first place she decided to explore was the office. It was a smallish   
room off of the main practice area. A large window was in the shared wall with   
draw down blinds offering the office privacy. The key that was labeled   
'office' slid into the lock with it tumbling easily when twisted.  
  
A sparse room with a desk terminal greeted her. She could look through   
the files stored on the terminal later. For now, she moved into the room and   
began familiarizing herself with it. Shelves filled with books ranging in   
topic from weapons to first aid to monster anatomy hung from the wall above a   
storage cabinet. The cabinet contained many small bins that could be pulled   
out. Doing so, she discovered that the bins contained various spell beads.   
She made a mental note to make labels for the bins while pulling them out to   
get a rough idea of how much of each spell was present.  
  
'The supply of curative spells at every strength is low,' she noticed. It   
was good to have a healthy supply of the bead form of spells on hand so that   
anyone could cast them in an emergency. Using potions for mass curative   
purposes quickly became expensive whereas spells could be harvested from   
monsters time and time again at no cost.  
  
She crouched down to reach the lower bins. "What the-?" She asked aloud   
at discovering a softly glowing, emerald colored stone. It had to be a   
Guardian Force of some type, but why was it orphaned in a locked office? It   
*should* be with its owner being properly cared for.  
  
"Hey there," she greeted the stone as she picked it up. "Let's take you   
into the other room and see what you look like."  
  
She could feel the Guardian Force within awaken. It stirred sleepily at   
first -- its time tucked away must have span into the years -- then snapped   
awake. Xu stumbled on the edge of a mat due to a wave of disorientation that   
washed over her. The GF's bond to her was like an iron grip. None of her   
other GFs aligned themselves with her as quickly or as firmly as this one.   
Especially considering that she had yet to summon it even once. A trickle of   
fear crept into her mind as she wondered again why this GF was so long   
forgotten in a bin.  
  
Standing in the middle of the main mat, she focused her will into   
summoning the Guardian Force. The world around her shimmered then a small hole   
opened up a few meters from where she stood. An emerald colored creature with   
long, pointed ears to match an equally long tuff of fur off the top of its head   
poked up. After looking around, it leapt into the air with a spin. The ruby   
red jewel on its forehead exploded into light. Xu nodded appreciatively as she   
felt the Reflect spell being cast on her before the creature disappeared back   
into its hole.  
  
"Nice to meet you too, Carbuncle," she caressed the stone in her right   
hand. The Guardian Force bonded even tighter to her, if that were possible.   
She twitched her head physically in response.  
  
"What are you doing?" She mumbled softly. "You can't lodge yourself in my   
body, but I feel as though you would if it were possible."  
  
The idea didn't frighten her, as it ought to have. She slid the GF into a   
pouch with the others in her possession. Carbuncle wouldn't be denied the   
attention it craved any longer.  
  
The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring the facilities and taking   
note of things to change, look into, or replace. The facilities weren't bad,   
but she had some ideas on how to improve them. If Cid was giving her this   
opportunity, she might as well test how long of a lead he put her on.  
  
What order should she start to take over students in? She rolled the   
question around in her mind before deciding to approach those that were closest   
to graduation first. A bit of spit polish before sending them out for the   
exams wouldn't hurt. But before she could polish, she'd need to establish   
where the students were in their training. The thought of taking cadets out to   
assess their abilities while gathering beads to refill her supply came to mind.   
That would kill two birds with one stone. She could take the first ones out as   
early as tomorrow.  
  
*****  
  
Later that evening, Xu was jotting down her notes from the day. Once   
everything was down on paper she leaned up from her bent position to run her   
fingers through her hair. Idly, she rolled the stylus between her fingers as   
she read through her entries for anything that required further elaboration.  
  
What did Cid expect of her? Her best, but that was the obvious answer.   
His orders were clear, yet ambiguous. How did he want her to go about training   
the cadets? Any skills that he wanted her to emphasize? What if they wanted   
to learn a weapon she wasn't familiar with? Just because she was a Weapons   
Mistress didn't mean she had command of every type of weapon out there.  
  
She pushed herself away from her desk. Now was a good time to visit   
Doctor Kadowaki. The good Doctor always had an ear to lend and advice to offer   
when someone's mind was troubled. Plus she knows the Headmaster in a way Xu   
doesn't. Maybe she could get some hints for what to expect.  
  
Even with that goal set aside, she still needed to see the Doctor for a   
check up. When she was to stop by for the exam was at her convenience, just so   
long as it was sooner rather than later. Xu checked the chronometer to see if   
it was still during office hours. The Doctor was always on call if an   
emergency presented itself, but this hardly qualified. Confident that Kadowaki   
would still be in, she made her way to the Infirmary.  
  
The doors to the Infirmary hissed as they drew into the wall to admit her.   
Kadowaki looked up from her work to see who it was. A smile spread across her   
face at seeing Xu approach. "It's good to see you, Instructor Xu."  
  
"Please, you calling me anything besides 'Miss Xu' strikes me as being   
wrong," Xu brushed a lock of hair back behind her ear with embarrassment.   
Kadowaki came from around her desk to embrace the young Instructor.  
  
"So you say," Kadowaki waved aside the protest. "I assume that you're   
here for your routine exam? Good, you know the drill, up on the scale with   
you. The Galbadia Garden Doctor forwarded your medical records, so this should   
be pretty cut and dry."  
  
Xu went through the paces as Kadowaki checked items off on her clipboard.   
The Doctor directed her to get up on the examination table. SeeD made a point   
of noting every distinctive characteristic of its members. This was a standard   
procedure should SeeD find itself in need of identifying a member or the   
remains there of.  
  
"Any scars, cuts, missing toes, or whatnot that I should know about?"   
Kadowaki asked.  
  
"My back."  
  
The Doctor walked to the other side of the table and hiked Xu's shirt up.   
Kadowaki hummed to herself softly, then instructed Xu to remove her shirt so   
that an image could be taken. Xu stretched across the table with her head   
cushioned by her arms. The Doctor checked the display to be sure the image was   
a good one before allowing Xu to get dressed.  
  
"May I see the image you just made?" Xu asked after pulling her sleeveless   
undershirt back on.  
  
Kadowaki gave her a questioning look. "Of course, I'll bring it up on the   
display." She tapped a few keys before the wall display glowed brightly with   
the image.  
  
Xu crossed her arms as she tried to read what was on the display. She   
could see why Kei was having problems. "Guard? That's not the character for   
Guardian, but it resembles it..." she muttered softly to herself in her native   
language, completely forgetting that Kadowaki was standing behind her.  
  
The Doctor watched her as she thought. "What are you saying, Xu? I don't   
understand you."  
  
Xu sighed heavily then turned to address the Doctor. "I can't deny it   
anymore. I'm from Centra and this," she gestured to the screen, "is my position   
within the Anshin clan. The only problem is, I can't read it," she sighed   
again.  
  
Kadowaki pressed Xu back up onto the table like she had so many times in   
the past when Xu was a child in need of being straightened out. "You silly   
girl. It doesn't matter to anyone of importance where you're from. The fact   
that you and Kei even try to hide it is amusing," she gave the younger woman a   
solid poke in the belly.  
  
"..." Xu wasn't sure how to respond to that.  
  
Kadowaki snorted. "It's called 'genetics'. You come from a very pure   
bloodline," she paused. "If I had to place a wager, I would say that Kei is a   
pure blood while you are three-quarters?"  
  
Xu blinked. Her father's father was an outsider to the clan who joined   
them. Genetically speaking, that would make her three-quarters pure. How did   
the she know?  
  
"I'm right," the Doctor concluded from Xu's silence. "I've examined   
siblings who had less in common than you two do.  
  
"You don't need to worry about your privacy. As a Doctor and your friend,   
your secret is safe with me."  
  
"It isn't much of a secret anymore," Xu admitted sheepishly.  
  
"Yes, I remember reading a couple articles on the newslinks about an   
Anshin woman who stood up to Vinzer Deling. They didn't name her, of course,   
but I had a sneaking suspicion that it was you," she laughed. "Kei wasn't in   
the country at the time, so it had to be you!"  
  
Xu smiled at that. Standing up the Deling was relatively minor compared   
to what Kei would do if she were allowed to run freely around Galbadia. She'd   
bully them into realizing how foolish their xenophobia was or die trying (with   
the person dying not being her). It would do Galbadia a world of good to have   
her cousin breathing down their necks for a while in Xu's honest opinion.  
  
"I must admit that the exam wasn't the only reason I came by. Do you have   
a few minutes for me to bend your ear?"  
  
"I'm here anytime you need me," Kadowaki assured. "What did you want to   
talk about?"  
  
"You've known the Headmaster for a while haven't you?"  
  
"I used to baby-sit him when he was a boy," her face creased as she   
smiled. "But don't let him know that I told you that. Why do you ask?"  
  
Xu ducked her head. "I was hoping that you could help me figure out what   
his expectations of me are. I was caught off guard by his shifting the weapons   
training over to me. I'm feeling somewhat overwhelmed by such a daunting   
task."  
  
Kadowaki gave her a sympathetic squeeze on the shoulder. "Do we ever know   
what's on that man's mind until after the fact? I would say that he's testing   
you. Rise up to the challenge and show him what you're made of."  
  
"That's easier said than done," Xu pointed out.  
  
"Yes, it is, but since when have you backed down from a challenge? I seem   
to recall a stubborn cadet who tested out of her class level right after having   
the stuffing beaten out of her by a Grat."  
  
Xu smiled as she recalled that afternoon. "You're right, I won't back   
down. I just wish that I had a firmer grasp of the Headmaster's intentions."  
  
"Don't we all?"  
  
*****  
  
  
Kei frowned as she read the message that was displayed on the terminal in   
her quarters. It was another request from her father to return home.  
  
Why won't he leave her alone? She didn't want to see him. He didn't want   
to see her. That was the status quo. This arrangement suited her just fine   
and she saw no reason to change it.  
  
"I'm not some Guardian Force to be summoned at your whim," she muttered.   
With a savage poke of her index finger the message was erased from the system.  
  
*****  
  
"Do you think you're ready to challenge her?" Nym asked in a hushed voice.  
  
"I've been ready for a year now," Quistis waved off her current roommate's   
concern. Her former roommate sat across from her at the Cafeteria table. Xu   
hadn't been back for two days before Quistis challenged her to a Triple Triad   
match. But not just any match. The cadet was making her way through the ranks   
of players and was stuck at Xu's tier. Quistis couldn't advance until she beat   
her friend at a game. Nym was present to witness the match since it was an   
official one involving player rankings.  
  
Xu didn't comment as she sorted through her cards. Even *finding* them   
had been a challenge. As much as she loved her cousin, she should never have   
sent her cards to Kei. Her idea of organization defied all established   
definitions for the word. Xu finally found her deck tucked between the   
mattress and the frame of Kei's bed. She wasn't brave enough to ask how they   
got there in the first place.  
  
The rules were agreed upon. The winner would collect one card from the   
loser. The question was; how good of a deck did Quistis have? Xu didn't have   
any of the newer cards that were released within the last couple years. If   
Quistis was in possession of a handful of those, she was quite likely screwed.   
The five cards she would use to defend her ranking were selected with the rest   
of the deck set aside.  
  
Quistis set the first card down in the corner with both facing sides   
strong. So Quistis was going to play defensively and catch her at the end,   
huh? The strategy was vulnerable to forced draws if both players were   
defensive. That wouldn't save her skin for long since Quistis could continue   
to challenge her for as many matches as she wanted. But if Xu took a big   
enough bite out of her deck it might discourage the cadet from coming around   
again any time soon.  
  
The first match did end in a draw. Quistis immediately challenge Xu to   
another one. Xu was able to fend off Quistis' more aggressive tactics this   
game. In the end, she won by a single point and claimed one of the newer cards   
from Quistis' hand. The girl frowned deeply and challenged again.  
  
Xu knew that she didn't have the cards to fend off Quistis if she was   
persistent. In the end, it didn't matter. Quistis surprised Xu with the last   
card she laid down capturing two of Xu's. The cadet reclaimed the card Xu   
captured while her elder lamented her lost status.  
  
"Do you know who to challenge next?" Xu slipped her deck into a pocket.   
At least she hadn't lost any cards.  
  
Quistis nodded, "I've just been waiting for you to return."  
  
"Well, if you want to practice, you know where to find me. Which reminds   
me, Nym, I want you and Myn to come to the training room after your classes let   
out tomorrow. We're going bead gathering so bring your Guardian Forces."  
  
"Sir?" A puzzled expression crossed her face.  
  
"You know that I hold a Master's rank within the Weapons Guild?" They both   
nodded. "With that in mind, the Headmaster has decided that I will take over   
teaching weapons work to the Garden's student. I intend to start with the   
students closest to graduation and work my way back in class. I want to take   
my new students out spell gathering so that I know where to begin when we get   
back."  
  
Nym bobbed her head. "We'll meet you there," she paused briefly,   
"Instructor? Mistress? SeeD? Which title should I use?"  
  
"Xu, please, just Xu. I've had enough titles to last a life time."  
  
*****  
  
A party consisting of Myn, Nym, and Xu left Balamb Garden the following   
afternoon in search of Cure spells. The easiest monsters to get them from were   
the Glacial Eyes.  
  
The appearance of the Glacial Eyes always reminded Xu of a floating spinal   
cord complete with rib cage. The description wasn't far off. Their flesh   
stretched from the bottom of one 'rib' and over the top (where a head would be   
on a neck if they had one) and down the other side. Their glossy blue coloring   
was almost beautiful, despite being a fairly ugly creature overall.  
  
Only Xu carried curative items in the form of a few potions. If they   
could all return with a full pouch of Cure beads, that would give her a solid   
start on rebuilding the Cura supply when she refined the Cures into the   
stronger magic.  
  
Myn checked over his utility belt once more as they walked up a grassy   
knoll not far from the Garden.  
  
"Is something the matter?" Xu asked, curiosity piqued by his rummaging   
around in his pouches.  
  
"I feel as though I've forgotten something," he said more to himself than   
to answer her.  
  
Xu looked him over quickly to see if anything was out of place. He had   
his knife, several pouches, and his weapon: a pair of sickled blades attached   
by a chain. How one could wield such a weapon and not slice off a limb boggled   
Xu. She'd watched him warm up with them and was amazed by the effortless grace   
with which he performed.  
  
His twin's approach was straightforward with her shuriken darts. Xu could   
appreciate the advantages a ranged weapon offered as long as the person using   
it wasn't solely dependent upon it. She wanted to see how practiced Nym was   
with her close combat skills in addition to how good her aim was.  
  
Myn pointed down the slope of the hill to where two Glacial Eyes hovered   
near some underbrush. Xu acknowledged his keen eye and motioned for them to   
range to either side of her. She would take up the point while they tried to   
catch the monsters in a pincer attack.  
  
"Kill off one and leave the other to draw spells from," Xu ordered after   
successfully engaging the monsters. Myn moved forward first to attack. He   
lunged up to the monster and swiped the edge of his weapon across its   
vulnerable underside. The Glacial Eye howled with rage at his impudence.  
  
Nym jumped into the fray after he pulled out. She surprised Xu by drawing   
out her belt knife, bringing it around swiftly, and sinking it deep into the   
creature's flesh. With a sickening sound, she twisted it once before   
withdrawing the blade savagely. That proved to be its deathblow. The Glacial   
Eye convulsed once before dropping to the ground.  
  
Xu quickly stepped in and cast Sleep on the remaining monster. The   
creature couldn't resist her spell, drifting off to sleep. "Pull as much as   
you can while it's out," she put words into practice as she prepared to draw   
Cure magic from the monster.  
  
"Dammit!" Myn exclaimed. "I left my Guardian Forces on my desk when I   
bent over to fasten my boots. That's what I'm missing."  
  
Xu frowned at his thoughtlessness. One didn't leave their GFs behind,   
especially when they were on a spell-gathering mission. Spells could only be   
collected with the aid of the GFs. Anyone could cast magic, but the collection   
required training and a Guardian Force that was junctioned to the user.  
  
"Finish off this Glacial Eye and I'll lend you one of my GFs," Xu motioned   
for them to attack.  
  
The twins acted quickly to carry out her orders. Once the immediate area   
was secured Xu pulled out a Guardian Force for Myn to use. She didn't even   
think about which one to give him as long as it wasn't already junctioned to   
her. It came as a surprise to them all when Carbuncle rejected Myn outright by   
refusing to junction with him.  
  
"I haven't done anything!" He professed his innocence. If he had   
neglected or abused the GF he could understand its hostilities towards him, but   
this was his first encounter with Carbuncle.  
  
"I'm sorry, let me give you another one," she lent him Diablos instead.   
Once Carbuncle was back in her possession, she felt it 'cuddle' up to her. It   
didn't like being away from her, even for the few minutes that Myn held the   
stone.  
  
'What's your problem?' She thought silently to the Guardian Force. It   
didn't answer her, of course, except to wash her over with a wave of love,   
adoration and assurance. She had never encountered a GF with so much   
personality. Usually they were content with being summoned and occasionally   
fondled. Carbuncle was a constant presence in the back of her mind, always   
wanting to be in on her thoughts and feelings.  
  
'I should speak with the Headmaster,' she decided. But when would she   
have the time? As long as Carbuncle wasn't doing any harm, she could let   
matters stand as they were. She would have to remember to mention it next time   
she caught up with Cid.  
  
Once Myn was junctioned, he turned out to be a strong magic user. He   
consistently pulled the maximum amount of Cure one could in a single attempt.   
It was a skill his twin couldn't match. She would draw only a few castings if   
she didn't outright fail in the attempt.  
  
This disturbed Xu. Trabia drilled their cadets in the use of energy   
quanta, which was considered an advanced magic technique. Bead magic was   
simple compared to it. She hoped that Nym was just out of practice with the   
use of beads since Trabia didn't hit on the subject very hard.  
  
It took fewer encounters than Xu expected to fill their pouches. She   
wasn't sure if she was pleased by their efficiency or disappointed at not   
having more of a chance to see the twins in action -- especially Nym. She had   
an uneasy feeling about the cadet's true skill level.  
  
"Let's head back," Xu motioned in the general direction of the Garden.   
They were far enough out that it would take a couple hours to get back if they   
stopped to battle monsters along the way. "If you want to impress me, now's   
the time to do it."  
  
"Oooh, a challenge," Nym jabbed her twin. "You heard the Instructor, Myn,   
we've gotta knock her socks off!"  
  
"I'm thinking that our 'Twin Magic' should do the trick," he nodded his   
head in agreement with his own idea.  
  
"Twin Magic?" Xu asked, pulling up the rear of the group.  
  
"You'll see," Nym promised, motioning to a pair of nearby Glacial Eyes   
with her head. Xu wasn't sure she liked the devilish gleam in Nym's eyes.   
"Orders, sir?"  
  
"Engage them, standard formation," Xu took up the point with Nym and Myn   
fanning out to the sides. One of the Glacial Eyes took notice of Xu and   
charged at her. She spun away easily while managing to clip it along one of   
its fleshy flaps with her sai.  
  
To her left, Myn made a hand motion with Nym following his cue. They were   
focused on casting a spell if Xu didn't miss her guess. The Glacial Eye came   
around again and was rewarded with a gash to its other flap for its efforts.  
  
"FIRA TWIN!" They call out simultaneously; perfectly mirroring their   
focusing exercises. Twin bursts of Fira engulfed the pair of Glacial Eyes,   
causing them to squirm with pain before dying as a result of the doubly cast   
spell.  
  
Xu had to admit that she was impressed. "I wonder if you could cast two   
spells like that -- one right after the other -- if you had used a Double spell   
first..." she mused aloud. Their little trick did have merits under the right   
circumstances. If both of them could double cast a spell, and then did a   
twinning of that, it would make for a powerful magical attack.  
  
"It's something to try if we can get some Double castings," Myn agreed.   
"It took us long enough to figure out how to cast Fira without having any Fira   
spells on us."  
  
"I didn't think you guys had any Firas with you," Xu admitted. "How did   
you do it? Can you do that with other spells?"  
  
The party continued making their way towards the Garden while Myn   
explained the logic behind it. "We discovered that when we were both casting   
the same spell at the same time, we could boost its power using the other as a   
sort of mirror. So if we focused on a Fire spell, we could boost it in   
strength to a Fira spell, but it was a single casting between two people."  
  
"And how useful is that when you could simple refine Fire spells into the   
more powerful Fira?" Nym chimed in. The point was well taken. It was poor   
combat practice to tie up two fighters on a single task when one person could   
accomplish the same thing with a little preparation.  
  
"So we worked on learning how to split the Fira after we combined to   
create it. Took us a while and a lot of charred rocks, but you can see that   
our efforts were successful," he beamed with understandable pride.  
  
"We're well practiced at boosting low level elemental spells to medium   
level. We've only been able to boost a high level Firaga spell up to a Flare   
once. And we felt drained for days afterwards. It was too big of a leap for   
us," Nym picked up the explanation.  
  
"Where did you get the idea to even try a combined magical attack?" Xu   
marveled at their ingenuity and wondered if the Headmaster knew. More than   
likely, he did. He wasn't one to let such things slip by unnoticed.  
  
"Oh, from this silly video game Nym used to play all the time. It had   
these twin magic users in it that cast powerful magic together." Myn   
disregarded the validity of the game with a flip of his wrist.  
  
"It was *not* a silly game," Nym huffed. "They were cute! And when they   
sacrificed themselves in-"  
  
"I'm not listening," Myn sighed. He abruptly had to duck a swipe at his   
head with one of his twin's shuriken.  
  
Nym continued arguing with Myn for the rest of the trip about the merits   
of the game. Xu chuckled to herself. She had to agree with Myn on this one,   
video games really were silly.  
  
Once they had returned to the Garden, Nym and Myn parted ways to get   
cleaned up. By the time they met up again for dinner Nym had already told   
Quistis and Enju that Myn had forgotten his Guardian Forces. Nym continued to   
give him grief as they waited in the dinner line and back at their table.  
  
"Did you really forget your Guardian Forces?" Quistis asked. Myn wasn't   
capable of such a stupid mistake, was he?  
  
He sighed dramatically with a mischievous glint coming to his eye,   
"Questioning my questing qualifications, Quistis?" The corner of his mouth   
quirked up as he awaited her answer.  
  
"Quit it," Nym warned with a grin betraying the seriousness in her tone.  
  
Quistis held Myn's eyes with her own, then firmly said, "That's quite   
enough."  
  
Enju smirked, "Quippy." Quistis shot him a look and he ducked his head.   
"Sorry, couldn't help myself."  
  
Quistis giggled softly. She couldn't be upset, even if the joke was   
somewhat at her expense. The twins teased each other constantly and decided to   
pull her into their fun tonight. Besides, Myn forgetting his Guardian Forces   
was a good laugh in and of itself. He'd never make SeeD if things like that   
continued to happen.  
  
*****  
  
Later that night in the privacy of Xu's quarters a game of Triple Triad   
was being played between a woman who loved the game and another who hated it.  
  
"Xu?"  
  
"Hum?"  
  
"Are you going to lay down a card or stare at my shoulder?" Kei sighed.   
"You make me play this damn game with you and you aren't even paying   
attention." The game itself was distasteful to Kei as it was a blatant waste   
of time, but she indulged her cousin on occasion.  
  
Xu inhaled deeply before concentrating on the cards in her hand. She put   
one down in a position that even Kei could see was a foolish mistake. Kei set   
her borrowed cards aside. "Enough games. What's on your mind?"  
  
"A lot of things," Xu answered, not even protesting the abrupt end to   
their match. She leaned back in the desk chair she pulled up to a small table   
for their game. Her quarters were too quiet sometimes, she could almost   
hear... That bit of insanity was cut off before the thought could fully form.  
  
"That much is obvious," Kei said dryly. That was her way of being   
sympathetic. Her cousin wasn't much for offering a shoulder to cry on, but Xu   
would be hard pressed to find someone more willing stick up for her. Kei would   
listen to her, as she always did. Then she would offer suggestions that ranged   
from ignoring the problem to confronting it in a manner that was a complete and   
total overkill. The middle ground of 'peaceful resolution' that someone like   
the Headmaster would suggest wasn't in Kei's repertoire.  
  
"The Garden feels different. No... That isn't true. The Garden feels   
normal, *I* feel different," she fumbled for the words to describe the   
ambiguous feelings she experienced ever since leaving Galbadia. It wasn't that   
Balamb didn't feel like her home anymore. Galbadia could never replace it in   
her heart, but everything felt *different*.  
  
The frown on Kei's face only deepened as she listened to her cousin grasp   
for the words. "Are you sick? Do you need to see Doctor Kadowaki?"  
  
"I don't have gas, Kei," Xu said, trying to lighten the mood a bit.   
"Though it feels uncomfortable like gas does..."  
  
"When did you start feeling this way?"  
  
"After leaving Galbadia. I don't think anyone has ever been happier to   
get out of that place, but when I came here my joy was muted," Xu sighed. She   
wanted to be ecstatic about returning to Balamb, but she couldn't quite muster   
the enthusiasm.  
  
"Did something more happen while you were back home that you didn't tell   
me?" Kei's mind rapidly shifted through everything Xu told her and tried to   
make sense of it. "You did say that coming of age felt right. What did you   
mean by that?"  
  
"It did feel right. I don't know why. Maybe I'm more Anshin than I wish   
to admit," Xu sighed and slouched in her chair. She knew Kei wouldn't buy   
that. It was a weak excuse, even to her ears.  
  
Kei crossed her arms as she thought. "You are more traditional than   
you'll admit. You always have been," she met Xu's eyes and held them. Those   
rich brown eyes that matched Kei's own reflected the uneasiness that was   
warring in her soul.  
  
"That's not a bad thing," Xu said finally.  
  
"No, it's not," her cousin allowed, "but you need to decide where you   
stand on some issues. You can't remain neutral forever."  
  
Xu opened her mouth to protest, then closed it without anything being   
said. She sunk deeper into her chair and closed her eyes.  
  
"I've never seen you so listless. What's wrong with you?" Concern colored   
Kei's voice. This was most definitely *not* like her. Xu was confident and   
strong. She knew what she wanted and went straight for it without hesitation   
or regret.  
  
"Nothing. Everything. I don't know anymore," Xu whispered without moving   
from her slouched position. "I feel different but I can't explain how."  
  
"Xu..." Kei resisted the urge to take her by the shoulders and give her a   
solid shake. That would do nothing for Xu's lethargic spirit.  
  
"Are you fit for duty?" Kei asked after the pause stretched on for several   
minutes.  
  
"I will always complete my duty without fail."  
  
Kei didn't need to see the fire in Xu's eyes to know she meant that. The   
steel in her voice regarding her convictions to serve SeeD faithfully was   
absolute.  
  
As it should be.  
  
They continued to sit, Xu with her eyes shut and a sad expression on her   
face. Kei watched her, knowing that she was likely working with her Puzzle   
Stone searching for an answer. She would be available to talk when her cousin   
brought herself out of her meditations -- even if they sat here all night and   
into the next day.  
  
*****  
  
The next day, as it turned out, wasn't a very good one for Kei. She left   
Xu's quarters after another baffling chat. That girl was messed up, no doubt   
about it. She got less sleep then a growing SeeD should, which left her   
feeling grumpy in the morning. While eating a cold breakfast, a messenger   
informed her that the Headmaster wished to see her. The distasteful meal was   
left on the table in favor of answering Cid's summons.  
  
"You called for me, Headmaster?" Kei saluted, then stood at attention   
before Cid's desk. His elbows were on the desk with his hands steepled   
together. He leveled his eyes on her and she wondered why he called for her.   
He didn't seem pleased, whatever it was.  
  
"I try to be flexible when it comes to my SeeDs. I realize that we all   
have obligations besides the ones we take on willingly as a member of this   
organization. That being said, I've spoken with the Anshin more in the last   
month than I have in the last ten years. I don't think it's too much to ask to   
be let in on whatever it is you all are doing."  
  
Kei's head cocked slightly before realization hit her. "I don't know,   
Headmaster," she kept her eyes locked forward as her anger flared. So they   
called him behind her back! The growl she wanted to release was carefully   
contained.  
  
"Don't know or can't tell me?"  
  
"They've called for me to return several times and I've refused. I don't   
know why they insist I come," she said through gritted teeth. Damn it! She   
was losing face before one of the few men she respected. There'd be hell to   
pay for this!  
  
"Well then, SeeD Kei, it is your job to find out. You'll leave on the   
next transport. Don't come back until you can give me some answers.   
Dismissed!"  
  
She saluted smartly, then turned on her heel and left. Her pride was stun   
and her anger boiled over. She didn't want to go see them. He was giving them   
exactly what they wanted: her. She would find some answers, if for no other   
reason than to know why she was giving them the boot when she delivered it to   
them.  
  
*****  
  
Xu was beating a cadence on a punching bag when the door to the training   
room hissed open. It was late enough in the evening that most students would   
have called it a day. The door slid open and she ducked around the bag to see   
who it was before halting it with a steadying hand.  
  
"May I help you?" She called to the student. His sharp eyes snapped onto   
her position before he walked purposefully towards her. He looked like he was   
dressed for a fight wearing his cadet uniform and kote on his forearms. She   
recognized the weapon secured to his belt as being much like the steel fans   
used by a skilled Weapons Master during a demonstration at the weapons   
convention.  
  
Upon reaching the edge of the mat, he bowed formally. "Ah, we meet at   
last," he said. Xu noted the odd amount of respect in his voice; it was   
something different than from what she got from other cadets. "I wanted to   
introduce myself to you, Mistress Xu," he said, "I am Enju."  
  
She sketched a quick bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Enju. You   
needn't address me as Mistress, SeeD is fine."  
  
He gestured around them. "Within these walls you will always find   
yourself in Guild territory," he replied. "And as is proper for one of your   
rank, I should address you as 'Mistress'."  
  
"You're familiar with the Weapons Guild?" She hadn't heard of it until she   
went to Galbadia. Then again, if Enju was from there it was quite likely he   
would know of them.  
  
"I know enough to respect a Master," he bowed his head politely. "Your   
cousin doesn't think very highly of me. I was hoping that we could have a   
better relationship."  
  
Xu's eyes narrowed. Kei didn't like a lot of people, but it was brash of   
him to approach her in such a way. How did he even know about them? Best to   
play dumb for the time being. "I have many cousins, Cadet Enju, which one have   
you alienated?"  
  
"You have only one cousin that is a SeeD, Mistress. That is the one I   
have battled against," he pulled his sleeve up to give her a better view of his   
kote. He'd obviously had a run in with someone possessing a bladed weapon   
judging from the strike marks scratched into the guard. Kei was hot tempered,   
but she wouldn't go after a cadet with her katana would she? Xu thought back   
to her quip not long ago about fewer students running around the Garden. She   
was joking, wasn't she?  
  
"You're lucky to have been wearing guards," Xu said, hoping to draw more   
information from him without tipping her own hand.  
  
"Luck has nothing to do with being prepared. Luck did play its hand when   
it came to defending against SeeD Kei. She is a fine warrior," his eyes almost   
gleamed with mischief. Xu swallowed down the bile in her throat. What he was   
accusing Kei of was enough to get her discharged from SeeD.  
  
Xu wanted to protect her cousin from his accusations. Such things   
couldn't be true! "Watch what you say about a SeeD," she warned with a touch   
of steel to her tone.  
  
An amused look crossed Enju's face as he pulled his sleeve back down over   
his forearm. "I'm not trying to cause trouble. I'm simply making you aware of   
what has happened up to this point. I know that Miss Trepe admires you   
greatly. Rightly so, in my opinion. SeeD Kei and I have differing opinions on   
how to best help Miss Trepe. Know that her best interests are what's foremost   
in my mind."  
  
Quistis was involved?! An outburst by Kei now made sense if she was   
defending the girl from this man. Why would Cid even allow such a creature   
into the Garden? She held back the growl that formed in her throat. Enju   
seemingly noticed this and smiled impishly.  
  
"You're as intense as your cousin," he commented lightly. "I've heard   
that about the Anshin. Despite what you may think of me, I'm on your side. No   
one will lay a hand on Quistis, and if they do," he ran his thumb down the edge   
of his fans. And to further his point, the blades sprang out from their   
sheaths, causing Xu to flinch in surprise.  
  
It was the first time he used her name instead of her title. He was a   
dangerous individual of questionable scruples, but he seemed resolved in his   
decision to be Quistis' defender.  
  
"I thank you for your concern. You'll notify me before you take any   
actions, understood?" She said firmly, hoping that she appeared to possess some   
authority greater than what she felt.  
  
He flashed her a roguish smile. "As you wish, Mistress," he bowed again   
then withdrew from the room. A chill ran down Xu's spine. There was something   
about him that made her feel as though death followed him as a pup would its   
master.  
  
Xu punched the bag once more, then called it a night. She and Quistis   
were going to Balamb tomorrow. The cadet wanted to show her all the things   
that have changed while she was away. Xu welcomed the opportunity and the   
guide. It would be a good opportunity to renew her bond with Quistis.  
  
*****  
  
Quistis beamed happily as she and Xu walked down the well-traveled road to   
Balamb. There were so many things Quistis had to share with her. She was   
bubbling with stories to tell. And she wasn't the only one. Xu had some tales   
to spin as well.  
  
Balamb hadn't changed much while Xu was away. A few planks in the dock   
the guys liked to fish off of had been replaced. The general store expanded to   
selling some basic Guardian Force supplies. It was still a slow paced,   
everyone knows their neighbor, sort of town.  
  
"I've missed this place," Xu inhaled deeply, taking in the salty air. A   
fisherman with a pole on his shoulder tipped his cap as he passed by them on   
the dock. Quistis watched Xu as she gazed out over Balamb Bay.  
  
"How are *you* doing, Quistis?" Xu asked, taking her eyes away from the   
lovely ocean to regard her young friend.  
  
Quistis leaned against the rickety railing while considering her answer.   
"You're back, which is reason enough to be happy. I'm doing well in my   
classes. The only thing holding me back is my Limit."  
  
"Your Limit?" A strange expression crossed Xu's face.   
  
"Yeah, I haven't been able to find it yet," she sighed and placed her head   
on her arms that were folded along the railing. "The Headmaster says that I'll   
stumble into it soon enough, but I can't advance to my next level of courses   
until I learn it."  
  
Xu went pale.  
  
Quistis didn't understand what got into her suddenly. "Is something the   
matter?"  
  
The Instructor shook her head. "No, nothing. How long have you been   
blocked?"  
  
"Not too long, a couple months. They say it could break at anytime. I   
just need to keep throwing myself into battle until something snaps and I get   
it."  
  
"Yes, that's one way to approach it. Don't worry, I'll make sure you   
learn your Limit," the steel in Xu's eyes startled Quistis. Why was she so   
fired up? It's not like she would remain blocked forever.  
  
"I know you will. You've always helped me when I couldn't figure   
something out on my own," she smiled kindly. That was the truth, Xu had always   
been there for her when she was available. Not that she was going to become   
dependant on Xu now that she'd returned. Quistis was able to take care of   
herself. But having her friend there to offer reassurance was always welcome.  
  
Xu nodded and resumed watching a few fishing boats as they moved from one   
end of the bay to the other. "Would you mind working on your Limit on our way   
back to the Garden? Nothing should be holding you back."  
  
Quistis blinked. Xu had always been the straightforward type, but even   
she respected the importance of rest days. Her not knowing her Limit must   
bother Xu more than she was letting on. Quistis frowned on the inside. She   
didn't want to let her friend down. If practicing today would make her feel   
better...  
  
"Okay, we can go looking for monsters on our way back if you'd like," the   
cadet agreed.  
  
Their conversation wandered to other topics from there. She learned all   
about the new friends Xu made while in Galbadia. That Pan fellow sounded like   
one Quistis would have avoided herself. The idea that he could best help Xu by   
fighting her when she first arrived didn't strike Quistis as being completely   
sane. Jen and Eileen seemed to be people more to her liking. Ah well, what   
were the chances that she'd even meet any of them?  
  
  
  
Quistis stretched out on her bed after a long afternoon of monster   
hunting. They fought Bite Bugs and Glacial Eyes until she was tired of seeing   
their ugly mugs. And in the end, she was no closer to learning her Limit.  
  
She flopped over on the mattress and buried her face into her pillow. She   
was such a failure for not getting this. Xu learned hers like it was second   
nature and here she was struggling. Was she even good enough to be a SeeD?   
She let the doubts dominate her thoughts as tears slipped down her cheeks.   
What if she did fail Matron and the Headmaster and Xu after all?  
  
The room was slowly pitched into darkness as the sun set. She didn't   
bother to turn on the lights; she didn't want anyone to see her in her misery.   
Time slipped by and she must have drifted off to sleep because the next thing   
she knew someone flipped on the overhead lights as they entered the room.  
  
"Aw crap!" The lights flicked off again. "Sorry, Quistis, didn't realize   
you were taking a nap," Nym apologized as she tried to come into the room   
quietly. "Shh, I'll get my books and we'll study out in the lounge," she told   
someone who waited in the hallway -- likely Myn.  
  
"It's alright. You can turn the lights on if you want," she sat up,   
smoothing down her hair.  
  
The lights came to life again. Nym took one look at her from behind her   
sunglasses and was immediately at her side. "Are you okay? You look like   
hell," she brushed aside a few loose strands of Quistis' hair. It was hard for   
the girl to hide that she'd been crying, especially when her eyes were still   
puffy.  
  
Quistis bobbed her head, trying to play it down. "I'm fine, just felt a   
bit discouraged," she explained.  
  
Myn poked his head into the room, then noticed that they were having a   
conversation without him. "Hey! Yo..." He trailed off. "What's wrong,   
Quistis? Time of the month?"  
  
Even with the shades on, his eyes visibly widened as he frantically ducked   
a shuriken dart that nearly sank into his forehead. The dart shot out into the   
hallway, narrowly missing another hapless cadet out on a walk before burrowing   
into the wall.  
  
"Shut up, you moron," Nym snapped.  
  
The other cadet who'd nearly been attacked shot Myn a look before walking   
off. "Next time, close the door before you say something to provoke her," he   
sighed. "There are some of us who enjoy living, Myn."  
  
Myn groaned sheepishly as he shuffled in.  
  
Quistis sat herself upright so that Nym could sit on one side of her while   
her twin took up the other. "What's got you down?" Nym asked gently, taking   
Quistis' hands into her own.  
  
"Xu and I went to Balamb today. I told her that I hadn't learned my Limit   
yet. She suggested we go around fighting monsters this afternoon to see if I   
could get it and I didn't. I'm feeling frustrated at my own failure," she   
sighed heavily.  
  
"That's nothing! There was this cadet named Lee at Trabia Garden who   
couldn't learn his Limit so they stuck him outside the gates to fend for   
himself. He finally learned it when a Snow Lion started chasing him across the   
Bika Snowfield," Myn encouraged. Quistis' face paled.  
  
"Are you trying to traumatize her?" Nym reached behind Quistis to give her   
twin a smack upside the head. "That's not what happened. He refused to return   
to the Garden until he learned his Limit and the Snow Lion ate him. Dammit,   
now you've scared her. Why did you even bring up that stupid story to begin   
with?!"  
  
"I was *trying* to cheer her up and then you go and ruin the ending!" He   
growled back. "And I think that near-death and learning your Limit makes for a   
lot better story than getting eaten! My ending's a lot happier."  
  
"It's okay," Quistis assured, not feeling up to being in the middle of   
another one of their fights. "I'm sure I'll figure it out soon." She smiled   
weakly at each of them.  
  
Neither of them seemed convinced, but realized they'd already worsened the   
situation and were willing to leave matters where they stood. Nym got her   
books and left the room. Myn stood up slowly and stretched. "Don't listen to   
her Quistis, this time *I'm* the one telling the truth," he leaned over to give   
her a platonic kiss on the cheek before leaving himself.  
  
She wanted to believe Myn, but for some reason her mind was certain Nym   
was the one telling the true tale.  
  
*****  
  
Enju was no stranger when it came to the Training Center. On many   
afternoons he could be found there practicing against a bag or working with a   
practice blade. None of the other students worked with him. Frankly, they   
weren't good enough. He'd brush aside any challengers and then return to his   
individual practice. If there was a challenge he accepted, it was usually for   
hand to hand--and that almost always dealt with a curious SeeD who wanted to   
test his reputation. When it came to cadets, Enju tended to keep to himself.  
  
Xu took notice of this anti-social tendency. Myn had been the only one he   
practiced with at length, but since the twins were graduating soon Myn had   
other obligations. And once again Enju played the loner in training. It   
wouldn't do for him to alienate his classmates, nor to miss out on important   
sparring opportunities because he felt as though he was too good for them.  
  
She decided to speak with him about it when they were the only ones in the   
Center. The afternoon had melted away hours ago and he should have retired to   
his dorm room by now to do his homework.  
  
Enju was returning a borrowed piece of equipment to the weapons locker   
when she confronted him. He took her by surprise by speaking first--even   
though his back had been turned and she could have sworn he hadn't seen her   
coming.  
  
"Good evening, Mistress Xu," he said, standing up. A katana was in his   
hands and he gave it a testing twirl, his hand steady as the grip was flipped   
around it. "Might I make a request?"  
  
"You're still going to call me that, aren't you?" she said with a slight   
sigh. It seemed like her colorful army of titles was coming from Galbadia to   
Balamb to haunt her. She'd checked on his files, and after seeing his own   
raising in the Guild she understood his proficiency. Not to mention his   
tutelage by Master Niethe.  
  
Enju nodded, and carefully set the katana back on its rack. "I hear Talasu   
is still being an intrusive bastard as always."  
  
"You know him?" Xu asked, slightly taken aback by the venom in his voice   
when he spoke Talasu's name.  
  
"I had the pleasure and misfortune of studying under him for a short   
time," Enju replied, picking up a tonfa and relaxing into a ready stance with   
it braced against his forearm.  
  
Xu tried to hide her frown; that hadn't been listed in Enju's records. As   
far as she knew, it had just been Niethe. Something didn't feel right.  
  
"It is something I prefer to keep quiet; I dislike have too many questions   
raised about me -- by friends or otherwise. As a result, many of my weapons   
are underused, and thusly unappreciated."  
  
He replaced the tonfa and pulled out a simple knife to examine next. Xu   
watched with mild interest as his fingers curved around the grip as if the   
weapon was made specifically for him. Every weapon in the locker was generic   
in style and crafted with durability in mind.  
  
Xu leaned against the doorframe. "Why come to me? Your classmates are   
willing to practice with you, but you refuse."  
  
Enju spun the knife, and then seemed to appraise the smoothness of the   
blade. "You're the only other one at Balamb who's been involved with the   
Weapons Guild. You are familiar with their techniques and weapons. I require   
someone who holds a distinct possibility of defeating me."  
  
He slowly turned his head to Xu. "I am requesting that you be my opponent   
for a few hours each week, after classes. Surely you can appreciate the desire   
to retain one's fighting skills, Mistress Xu."  
  
"Hum..." she relaxed with her back to the doorframe. "I have no desire to   
take on an apprentice."  
  
"And I don't want a Master," he replied easily. Talasu would his last   
Master, ever.  
  
Xu considered it, then nodded. "I'll make you a deal, Enju. You start   
practicing your hand-to-hand skills with your classmates and I'll challenge you   
blade-to-blade in the evenings."  
  
Enju hid the scowl he was tempted to express. The last thing he wanted   
was to waste his time with underlings, but knew it was the only way that   
Mistress Xu would agree to help him. "Very well," he conceded, "Is tomorrow   
good?"  
  
"Tomorrow is fine. Let's not begin with anything too exotic. Just   
because I hold a Master's rank doesn't mean I know every weapon that's out   
there."  
  
He sketched a bow. "I'll bring my own weapons. I'm sure you'll find   
something appropriate to challenge me with."  
  
Xu regarded him thoughtfully as he strode out of the room. That was an   
odd thing to say. Most students couldn't afford anything beyond simple   
modifications to the basic Garden issue weapon. From how he spoke it sounded   
as though he had an extensive inventory at his disposal.  
  
The next evening Enju was prompt in arriving with a gym bag in tow. He   
went to the locker rooms to change into something better suited to their   
training session. Xu waited for him on the main mat with her sai-harness belt   
on. If they were going to practice bladed weapons, there was nothing she'd   
rather use until she had a feel for what he was capable of.  
  
Enju came out of the locker room wearing a gi with a tee shirt underneath   
and his ever-present kote strapped to his forearms. A simple belt held a knife   
to his side.  
  
"Good evening, Mister Enju," she greeted.  
  
"Mistress," he bowed politely. "Are we ready?"  
  
Xu shook her head. "Not quite. Please remove your kote, they'll only get   
in the way."  
  
His expression froze as his blue eyes bore into her. Xu hit a nerve and   
she knew it. "I'd rather not," he answered coolly.  
  
"It wasn't a request. We have nothing to hide here, Enju. Or should I   
call you by your other name?" Confronting someone like this wasn't Xu's style,   
but she had to know. A small part of her enjoyed playing the trump on him   
after he confronted her not so long ago.  
  
"Kei," he hissed. "What did she tell you?"  
  
"Hum? My cousin's away. I haven't spoken with her about you," she put up   
a calm facade. Once she learned more about him, she was afraid. There was no   
way that a sane person wouldn't be. Cid briefed her about Enju's past at   
length, but there were still many uncomfortable holes in his story and doubts   
regarding his 'reformation'. She kept those doubts private. If the Headmaster   
expected her to train him up to be a SeeD, by the Spirits she would.  
  
"I will say that the Headmaster asked me to keep an eye on you. He was   
concerned that you might need someone to watch your back," she smiled sweetly   
at him.  
  
Enju crossed his arms and hmph-ed.  
  
Xu took that as an invitation to continue before he could come up with a   
long list of protests and waste half their training time. "Since we're all   
friends here, I expect you to be honest with me."  
  
Again, that it wasn't a request. Enju looked over his shoulder at the   
door. If someone came in while his identity was revealed he would have to   
leave this place. Xu followed his eyes then add, "I locked the door when you   
came in. Our session won't be interrupted."  
  
He glanced back at her. She maintained a politely expectant look. It   
oddly mirrored the one Talasu gave him when he was expecting something of Enju   
that he wasn't quite ready to give. "Very well," he conceded. Slowly he undid   
the straps holding the armguards in place. The sleeves of the gi remained to   
cover a majority of the tattoos.  
  
"Remove your top," she ordered next. This time he scowled. His white   
undershirt wouldn't do much for covering his arms. The past he went to so much   
trouble to hide would be plainly obvious. He tossed the sleeved top aside to   
stand before her with his hands folded in front of him in a proper SeeD stance.  
  
"How about you?" He challenged defensively. "I'm not the only marked   
killer here."  
  
"What's fair is fair," Xu agreed without hesitation and removed her own   
gi. She then went one step further by removing her tee shirt to stand before   
him in her sports bra. She turned around so that he could see clearly the   
tattoo across her back.  
  
He called her bluff and she paid up; that was a trait he could admire.   
His eyes traced the designs on her back, then followed along her spine. She   
stood erect, even when in a relaxed posture. It occurred to him that she was   
allowing him to see her like this -- a side she allowed few to see -- to build   
a bridge of trust between them. She was stretching an olive branch out to him;   
all he had to do was accept it.  
  
"You shouldn't turn your back on an enemy," he chided.  
  
"Are you my enemy?" She turned around again to address him. He smirked,   
then pulled his tee shirt over his head.  
  
"Have few friends and view those you don't know yet as potential enemies,"   
he advised, turning around so that she could see his back. Usually he wouldn't   
go this far for someone, but he felt like his was obligated to at least meet   
her halfway.  
  
"How delightfully pessimistic," Xu drawled. "You're a SeeD cadet now.   
We're all here to back you up and you are here to back us up. We're a team."  
  
"'There's no I in team,'" he quipped while turning back around. "You and   
your cousin are too much alike. Forgive me for being doubtful, but I've worked   
on my own for quite some time now and have cut the need for others out of my   
life. Relying on others can get you killed if they don't pull their weight.   
If I'm the only one on the 'team' then I know what all the variables are.   
There's less chance of my life coming to an unexpected end."  
  
Xu considered what he said carefully. The amount of thought she put into   
weighing his words was obvious by her expression. "But what if you have a   
weakness, one which you cannot overcome? That's the strength of a team. Every   
person has different abilities. Mixing and matching them appropriately can   
make a near unstoppable force.  
  
"When I'm through with you, you'll be a solid foundation for such a unit.   
From what I've read in your records and have observed while you train in here,   
you're an excellent combatant but will never be a strong spell caster." She   
paused to shake her head. "Just like me. We are alike in that our forte is   
combat. Leave the magic to those better suited for such things."  
  
"Then perhaps we should get to it?" He suggested. Avoiding answering her   
was the most comfortable option. Right now, he didn't have an answer for her.   
What she said made sense, sort of. He could see people who weren't as well   
rounded needing others to fill in for their shortcomings. There was nothing   
wrong with being self-reliant. Not if that's what a continued existence   
required.  
  
After an exhilarating match he thanked her. "I'll show you one of my more   
exotic toys next time we meet."  
  
Xu wasn't expecting him to show up the next afternoon during an open   
training session with an oblong case. He undid the latches and lifted the lid   
to reveal a very odd weapon indeed.  
  
"It's called a gunblade," he explained. "Some pioneering Weapon Smiths   
developed a weapon that combines the explosive impact of a gun and the edge of   
a sword."  
  
He pulled the long weapon out of the case before presenting it to her for   
examination. It looked unwieldy to say the least. How could anyone hope to   
fence effectively with a gun's stock doubling as a hilt? The broad blade of   
the weapon made it an awkward weight to swing around.  
  
"What happens when the trigger is pulled?" She asked, unable to find the   
'barrel' of the gun.  
  
"Right now, nothing. There aren't any cartridges loaded into it," he   
smirked. "What will happen, in theory, is that an explosion that nearly   
doubles the damage on impact will occur. Timing is everything."   
  
Xu continued her examination of the unusual weapon. It probably would   
make more sense to her if she were better with swords to begin with. Kei would   
likely be able to make something of it.  
  
"Spar me with it?" She handed it back over to him.  
  
He nodded in agreement. Xu went to the weapons locker to find something   
appropriate to battle with. As much as she loved her sai, the gunblade was   
physically large enough to make them next to useless. Hum... A polearm should   
be able to deflect the gunblade's blows.  
  
They took up positions on the center mat. Most of the students halted in   
their own exercises to watch their Instructor battle against the rare weapon.   
And quite a battle it was. Enju didn't have nearly the skill that he could   
have, but he did admirably well. The gunblade required him to use both hands   
to swing it around with any measure of control.  
  
Off on the sidelines, a pair of boys admired the two combatants.  
  
"I've decided. That's the weapon I want to use," Squall said with muted   
awe. He'd spent most of his life at the Garden, but often went unnoticed (as   
the sprouts tended to be).  
  
He had only just entered the SeeD program with Seifer. They were still in   
the early weapon training stage, practicing knife work. Their Instructor had   
suggested that they start frequenting the training room to get an idea for what   
type of weapon they would like to specialize in once the time to choose came.  
  
His only friend and rival hmph-ed. "Too late. I already decided to use it;   
you can't copy me."  
  
"What?!" Squall protested. "You didn't say anything."  
  
"I decided at the start of their match, but just didn't bother voicing it.   
That makes you the sorry copycat, Squall." Seifer smirked.  
  
"Whatever," Squall turned on his heel and made to leave the training room.   
Seifer grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.  
  
"What d'ya mean 'whatever'?" He demanded.  
  
Squall sighed and didn't answer. If Seifer couldn't figure it out on his   
own, Squall wasn't going to help him.  
  
What usually happened when they got into an argument occurred once again.   
They began scuffling, trying to drive the other boy's face into the mat. A   
group of female cadets leapt out of the way as they slammed up against the   
wall. Their fight ended when someone grabbed each of them by the collar and   
pulled them apart.  
  
"What in the hell do you two think you're doing in my training room?" Xu   
eyes flashed with anger. Seifer tried to swat at Squall once more as the other   
boy sulked. Xu gave him an extra shake to make sure his attention was fully on   
her and not Squall.  
  
"Well?" She demanded when neither of them spoke.  
  
"We came to watch the cadets practice," Squall volunteered with some   
hesitation. "The Faculty suggested it."  
  
"Did the Faculty also suggest disrupting the practice sessions of those   
around you?" She asked with in an icy tone.  
  
"No one else was practicing. They were all watching you," Seifer sneered.  
  
From his position on the mat Enju called, "Hey, dumbass, how about   
learning some respect?"  
  
Xu waved him silent before turning her attention back to the young   
upstart. "You've got a lot of attitude," she glared at him until he finally   
turned away. "You'll both be reporting to the Headmaster for discipline.   
Don't come back here until you're serious about training."  
  
*****  
  
Quistis pushed a pea around her dinner plate as the sinking feeling of   
failure gnawed away at her stomach. She'd spent the afternoon with Xu. In the   
quiet of the Instructor's quarters Xu tried to teach her something called a   
Puzzle Stone. It was an exercise in frustration. She couldn't picture what Xu   
asked her to. Her friend patiently tried to lead her through the exercise for   
close to three hours with little success.  
  
It was her fault for failing. Xu was a patient teacher, but Quistis just   
didn't get it. If she couldn't understand a simple lesson taught to her on a   
one-to-one basis, how would she graduate as a SeeD? This was the second time   
she failed Xu recently.  
  
She stabbed ruthlessly at the pea and even failed to skewer it with her   
fork. Quistis sighed heavily.  
  
"Good evening, cutie. How are we doing tonight?" Enju set his tray down   
on the table opposite of her and plopped down onto a chair.  
  
Couldn't he see that right now she wanted to be alone to brood? She could   
ask him to leave her alone, but then he'd do the exact opposite. So she kept   
playing with her peas silently as he ate.  
  
Enju got the message well enough--but he ignored her desires anyway. He   
angled his fork at her. "The silent treatment? Oh, that's harsh, Quistis, not   
the way to greet an old friend. It's not like I kissed you again."  
  
When that failed to draw a response (that sort of prodding usually did in   
any case), Enju got noticeably worried. "What's on your mind? Something   
serious, I can see it in your expression."  
  
"I don't want to talk about it," she grumbled.  
  
"Says she in the very public Cafeteria," he retorted easily. "If you   
didn't want to talk about it, you would have found some hole to hide in and I   
would have spent hours trying to find you. The Cafeteria is hardly a place for   
recessing from social activity."  
  
Quistis grunted in acknowledgement of his point. She told him about her   
recent failings and doubts that she was good enough to be a SeeD. He listened   
politely, only asking questions to clarify points and waited until she was   
finished before he gave her his thoughts.  
  
"Oh, please!" he said bluntly. "That's bullshit and we both know it.   
You're one of the most promising SeeD cadets at this Garden and the fact that   
you even question that is laughable. So what if you don't get something on the   
first try? I know that you're a child protege but even you," he reached out   
and tapped her lightly on the nose, "have limits."  
  
She frowned. "No, I don't have a Limit, that's my problem," she said   
bitterly. Enju favored her with an exasperated look.  
  
"If it's bothering you so much why not ask Mistress Xu to take you out for   
more practice?"  
  
Quistis laid her head on the pillow of her arms on the table. "I'm taking   
up so much of Xu's time as it is. She's got more important things to do."  
  
"Like teaching her students, maybe?" Enju scolded. "What more important   
thing is there for an Instructor to do than that?"  
  
Again, he had a point. She slid back up to a sitting position. "You're   
right."  
  
"Naturally. Now, let's go do something fun," he held his hand out to her   
in invitation. She picked up her tray with one hand and took his with the   
other. She enjoyed walking around the Garden with him, admiring the many   
fountains and gardens.  
  
Enju escorted Quistis to her room after they spent an hour wandering   
through one of the courtyards. And when he gave her a chaste peck on the cheek   
when they parted ways, she didn't object. In fact, she found herself smiling as   
she watched him stroll down the corridor. Maybe he wasn't such a puzzle after   
all.  
  
Quistis seemed happy when he left her; but then again, anything would be   
an improvement over the doubtful depression that was gnawing at her. Doubt was   
such a meaningless waste of energy. Why did she let it get to her like it did?   
She was the best thing walking around this Garden and didn't believe in herself   
enough to see it. Modesty had its place, but not to the point of lacking   
self-confidence.  
  
It was nearly time for his training session with Mistress Xu. He knew   
that she'd taken Quistis' Limit difficulties on as a personal project. Perhaps   
now would be a good time to nudge her into action since Quistis wasn't getting   
any better. Enju could only hope that Quistis would grow out of the depressive   
mood swings once she had more years. Doubt could be lethal.  
  
Xu was waiting for him on the center mat. She'd already changed into her   
preferred training outfit of shorts and a sleeveless shirt. He asked her once   
why she wore a uniform or gi while training with everyone else but not when she   
trained with him. Her answer was to the effect that they had nothing to hide.   
She didn't have a professional SeeD image to maintain and he didn't have to   
worry about his dirty little secrets. When they trained together, the doors   
were always locked to ensure their privacy. During their session, it was only   
a Master and her student.  
  
He changed quickly. He wanted to continue their last session. He felt as   
though he'd give Xu a run for her money, but knew that was furthest from the   
truth. He hadn't come close to scoring a hit on her. If he had to catch her   
in a dark hallway and slit her throat, she wouldn't have time enough to scream.   
But when he was forced to stand there and fight out the battle, things got   
difficult. That was the area he needed the most improvement in.  
  
"Miss Trepe is distressed about learning her Limit," Enju huffed as he   
danced away from a flurry of swiped and jabs Xu threw at him. Perhaps   
challenging the Mistress with a set of Tiger Claws wasn't the wisest of moves.   
The claws were really just a bar with a ring at each end meant to be slipped   
onto the pinky and index finger. The bar itself had four curved blades attached   
to it, like a set of tiger's claws. Their reach was limited to the reach of   
his arms.  
  
She'd chosen to defend herself with her sai, which he knew was her   
strongest weapon. If anything, he was getting a workout from all the dodging   
he was forced to do.  
  
"As am I," Xu replied, knocking his jab away with a sideways stroke.   
Thankfully, his kote were shielding his wrists from the brunt of her sai.  
  
"When will you be going out again?"  
  
Enju adeptly blocked her thrust with one set of tiger claws, and spun   
around to rake the claws on his other hand across her back. Xu floated away   
before he could finish the strike. "Tomorrow," she answered.  
  
He paused. "You're going on a rest day? Isn't that defeating the purpose   
of getting a day off?"  
  
Xu let her guard down long enough to shrug. "Quistis requested it."  
  
"Might I come with you?"  
  
It was an unusual request. Usually Limit Skills were taught with only the   
Instructor and the student going out together, thus reducing the student's   
nervousness induced by peer pressure. Even more so, the student needed to feel   
*fear*. They needed to feel desperate enough to reach down inside of   
themselves and tap the Limit energies. When there was a full party they tended   
to be confident that their party members would haul their butt out of the fire.  
  
Xu once again shrugged before lunging at him to exchange another round of   
blows. "It's your day off. Who am I to stop you if you decide to follow us?"  
  
He shoved her back with enough force to send her backpedaling across the   
mat. "Thank you."  
  
She quickly regained her balance and leapt forward again. "I doubt you'll   
be thanking me after tonight. Ready!"  
  
He settled into his stance and prepared to fend off another assault.  
  
  
  
Xu took a long shower after their session. The spray of water washed away   
the sweat, but not the heavy feeling in her heart. What was she doing? By the   
Spirits, what was she *doing*? Acting the part of a lackey to SeeD? No! She   
shook her head firmly to dispel that thought.  
  
She had a purpose -- a calling, but what was it? Leaning her forehead   
against the tiles, the water ran down her face mixed with tears. Once again,   
the conversation she had with her father about some people being more than   
others haunted her. Was she more than others were? Or was she simply   
delusional? Perhaps even arrogant for thinking such a thing, as her father   
scolded her for.  
  
It was so hard to define the discontentment she felt. She was on the fast   
track to the top of SeeD, and yet it wasn't enough. The fear of falling victim   
to mediocrity gnawed at her. It nipped at her heart like a mutt would at a   
person's heels.  
  
What kind of fool was she?  
  
*****  
  
It was a crisp morning that Xu and Quistis left the Garden to battle   
against the monsters that roamed the Alcauld Plains. The monsters seemed to be   
out in force today. They fought several small swarms of Bite Bugs without   
Quistis taking any significant hits. The cadet needed to be in a desperate   
situation before the Limit would present itself. After fighting a pair of   
Glacial Eyes, Xu came to the conclusion that they weren't going to find   
anything powerful enough on the Plains proper to challenge Quistis.  
  
They continued along the paved road that ran between the Garden and   
Balamb. Off the road a quarter kilometer was a forest that had Caterchipillers   
in it. The Caterchipillers drew their name from their smaller cousins. They   
were a large caterpillar-like creature that was stubby in length and fat in the   
body. Xu fondly remembered a time when Quistis thought that Caterchipillers   
were cute. She wondered if the girl would see them in the same light today.  
  
The two of them penetrated the thickly wooded area. Quistis led the way   
by climbing over fallen trees and around bushes like a seasoned explorer. She   
was stealthier than Xu would have expected. The confident care with which she   
placed her feet hinted that she was practiced in slinking around quietly.  
  
A pair of Bite Bugs swooped down on Quistis, causing her to fall back on   
her butt. She picked herself up from the ground quickly and took a ready   
stance. The prey they were searching for lumbered out from the underbrush.  
  
"Watch out! Caterchipillers are faster than they appear," Xu warned as   
she brought up her guard.  
  
Xu let Quistis take the lead in the battle, deciding which would be the   
first target. She brought her chain whip around above her head before lashing   
it across the distance to strike one of the hovering Bite Bugs. The small   
creature fell to the ground, dead. Xu mentally nodded with approval. It was a   
good idea to pick off the weaker monsters first so that they couldn't keep   
stinging you for minimal damage. Xu took her cue and rushed up to the other   
Bite Bug. She pierced the tender flesh under the its maw, then flung it off   
her sai to strike against a nearby tree.  
  
The Caterchipiller didn't seem fazed that they had just eliminated its two   
companions. It arched its large body and flung itself at Quistis. The cadet   
put her arms up to guard her face, but that's what it wanted. It wrapped its   
body around her before biting at her neck. She prodded it off her with a sharp   
elbow jab. It retreated to a relatively safe distance away from the two of   
them.  
  
"Are you okay?" Xu asked hastily, taking up a position that placed her   
between the monster and her injured student.  
  
Quistis touched her neck with a gloved hand. It came away bloody. "I'm   
fine," she replied quietly.  
  
'Good! She's becoming angry!' Xu silently cheered on Quistis to let the   
emotions propel her. The Caterchipiller used an attack that was catalogued as   
'Ultra Waves'. It was almost like pulsating sound waves that knocked both of   
them back, but didn't do much harm.  
  
Quistis brought her weapon around again, striking the Caterchipiller on   
the tip of its 'tail'. It wasn't a very good hit. The creature flung itself   
forward and wrapped itself around her again. She punched at it to knock   
herself free. Blood flowed freely down her neck to stain her yellow ribbon   
orange. She sat on the ground holding her neck, too drained to return to her   
feet.  
  
'That's enough for today,' Xu decided. "Enju!" She called out, summoning   
their shadow to come and finish the battle. He'd been true to his word to   
remain concealed, but she was able to track his hiding places; it was easier to   
spot him here in the open country.  
  
The older cadet abruptly exploded from the leaves of a nearby tree, a   
katana raised over his head. Without so much as a word he mercilessly cleaved   
the monster in two across the belly with a katana. Innards of the once living   
creature steamed as they spilled out over the ground to mix with the moist   
earth.  
  
The precision of the attack was impressive, but that was second in Enju's   
mind. He dropped down to Quistis' side to examine her wounds. It looked worse   
than it likely was, but Doctor Kadowaki would be the judge of that. Xu cast   
Cure on Quistis to hasten the healing process. Quistis got to her feet with   
Enju's help. She walked over to the dead monster, glaring at it.  
  
Unexpectantly she gave the carcass a solid kick. She leaned over to touch   
the sticky web that was sometimes harvested from the monster by entrepreneuring   
individuals. "What good is that?" She demanded of the carcass. "Stupid   
attack!" With a mocking gesture she mimicked the monster's earlier efforts and   
hit it with a series of Ultra Waves.  
  
Xu's jaw dropped open. She glanced over at Enju, who had much the same   
expression on his face. "The fuck?!" He exclaimed.  
  
"WHAT?!" Quistis demanded angrily, giving the carcass another hard kick.  
  
"Your Limit Skill is... Blue Magic," Enju managed to say. He shook off   
the stupidity he was feeling to give her a quick hug. "You found your Limit!"  
  
"Huh? Mimicking monster's attacks is my Limit?" She looked about ready to   
break down from the frustration. "Why couldn't I have a powerful one like Xu?"   
She pouted.  
  
"What are you saying?!" Xu exclaimed. "Blue Magic is one of the more   
powerful Limits Skills there is. This was a weak creature," she gestured to   
the mess near them that was quickly becoming pungent. "If you can learn the   
skills of more powerful monsters you'll be more powerful!"  
  
"It sounds to me as though you need to go back and study up on your   
monsters," Enju suggested, gently putting an arm around her shoulders to lead   
her away. It wouldn't be long before more monsters showed up to feast on their   
fallen comrade. Sticking around wasn't a good idea.  
  
"It isn't a weak Limit?" Her eyes lit up with the hope that she was being   
told the truth. Xu had never fed the girl false hopes and had no reason to   
start now.  
  
"Like any skill, the more you practice it, the better you'll become.   
You'll need to encounter as many different types of monsters as possible so   
that you can pick up on their tricks," Xu smiled softly. "Blue Magic suits   
you. It takes someone with a keen mind to make the most of it. I think you'll   
do well with your Limit."  
  
The return trip to the Garden was a short one. Enju made quick work of   
any monsters that made the mistake of challenging their passage. Upon   
returning, Doctor Kadowaki bandaged Quistis' neck while at the same time   
congratulating her on finding her Limit. It was with great pride that Xu was   
able to report her success to the Headmaster personally in his office. The   
broad grin on his face made all their efforts worth it. But it was only icing   
on the cake when compared to the beaming smile that was Quistis'.  
  
-----  
Please visit our website at http://www.centragarden.net  



	10. Part 10

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 10  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans gbeans@tyrlen.org  
edited by Helen Fong iriachan@yahoo.com  
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. www.squaresoft.com  
  
  
- Kei -  
  
Her father greeted Kei when the transport touched land at the Centra port.   
He was a man of average build with a demeanor that spoke of the power he held.   
He dressed himself in long flowing robes that weren't useful for more than   
posturing. A person couldn't do any work in them without running the risk of   
ruin. It was a physical reminder of why she saw him as a pompous old fool.  
  
He bowed formally to her before motioning for her to follow him to the   
truck that would take them to the Anshin compound. A chilled silence sat   
between them as they rode beside each other in the truck's cab. The thought of   
being here without Xu was a depressing one. There was no chance that she'd   
enjoy herself. On the contrary, she expected to be treated coolly at best.  
  
As if the company wasn't bad enough, the desolate landscape only added to   
the overall sense of misery. After the Lunar Cry that occurred generations   
ago, the land was stripped of its greenery and most forms of life. This region   
of the Centra continent was a dismal desert with only a few patches of stubborn   
weeds in the grainy earth. Instead of moving to more hospitable lands like the   
sensible people of Dollet and Esthar, the Anshin stuck it out and rebuilt their   
homes.   
  
That decision encompassed much of the Anshin way of thinking -- their   
stubbornness, perseverance, and willingness to endure unnecessary hardships.   
Now that she thought about it, Xu was the model Anshin. She snorted as she   
discarded the thought. Xu would have her head if she ever voiced that opinion,   
even if it was the truth.  
  
Kei's musings kept her occupied until they arrived at the compound. One   
of her younger brothers greeted them and offered to take her duffel and weapons   
to the family's home. That caught Kei off guard since she hadn't been   
permitted in the family home for years now. Whenever she visited, she stayed   
with Xu's family.  
  
Her father invited her to follow him. They walked together along a neatly   
maintained gravel path that was lined by houses with equally well-maintained   
yards. How perfect everything appeared on the surface disgusted her. To her,   
this all was nothing more than a pretty facade. 'Life in the Anshin's isolated   
corner of the world was fine. Who cares if the rest of the planet thinks   
they're freaks?' That's what their manicured lawns said to her.  
  
Soon it became apparent that he was leading her to the same building Xu   
was taken to. She stopped in the middle of the path and crossed her arms   
defiantly.  
  
"I'm not going to play your games. You won't do to me what you did to   
Xu," she deliberately spoke in the standard language to piss him off. People   
were expected to speak the language of the Anshin when they were in the   
compound unless they were with foreign guests.  
  
"You won't leave here without the answers you seek. The search begins   
within," he motioned to the building while answering her in kind.  
  
She glared at him, then continued walking towards the building. When she   
first entered the thickness of the air overwhelmed her. She stepped outside to   
gasp for breath before steeling herself and going in. Impatiently, she waited   
by the door for her eyes to become accustomed to the darkness of the room.   
After adjusting, she noticed that five pairs of eyes were watching her intently   
from across the way.  
  
"Won't you change into something more comfortable and sit with us?" The   
oldest of the elders invited. He was the only one of the lot that she actually   
cared for. He had always treated her kindly, if not sternly for her   
oft-rebellious behavior. An acolyte came forward with some robes for her to   
wear. She shook her head firmly in refusal.  
  
"I came here as a SeeD. It is as a SeeD that I will sit before you," she   
responded in their language before sitting down on a cushion that was placed on   
the floor for that purpose. Kei couldn't bring herself to act snide around   
him. The acolytes that served the elders retreated from the room, leaving only   
her and the five of them.  
  
"We have learned much about your life out there from Xu. We wish to hear   
your version of things," an elder sitting to the left of the oldest requested.   
'There' was always assumed to be the rest of the world. How narrow their views   
were!  
His mentioning her cousin and her time here immediately set Kei on edge. These   
were the same people who messed with Xu's mind. They twisted her unwavering   
sense of duty into something that left her feeling insecure with regards to her   
calling in life. They undermined everything SeeD taught her and that was   
unforgivable.  
  
"You-" she bit off the statement she was about to make.  
  
"Yes?" The oldest invited.  
  
"You screwed with Xu! Don't you realize what a difficult life she's had?   
And despite it all she's kept her chin up. Then you bastards have the balls to   
draw her here and say Sean's death was her *punishment*. How heartless can you   
be?!" She slowly clenched and unclenched her left fist at her side. Kei hated   
mind game even more than Xu did. 'Say what you mean and mean what you say' was   
the only way to do things in her book.  
  
"This angers you?" Her father asked from his position at the far right.  
  
"Yes! On top of being heartless, you did *something* to her. She hasn't   
been the same since she returned. Now she's all confused and restless. Xu is   
the best thing this clan has produced in generations. Leave her the hell   
alone!" Kei was on her feet, livid and visibly shaking.  
  
The elders exchanged glances amongst themselves while she paced across the   
room. The wooden flooring beneath her socked feet didn't produce a satisfying   
enough thump as she stomped from one end to the other.  
  
"Is it your opinion that Xu will always protect that which is important?"   
One called to her, breaking her from the rhythmic stomping.  
  
She turned around slowly to face them. "In a heartbeat. And I'll protect   
her from vultures like you."  
  
"Perhaps we should have spoken to them the other way around?" The one   
between the oldest and her father muttered.  
  
"You would have never gotten to Xu if I'd known beforehand," Kei announced   
with certainty.  
  
"Precisely," the oldest agreed. "How does it feel to kill another,   
child?"  
  
"How does it feel to take a breath? It's what I do," she replied testily.  
  
"Are you without a conscience?" The far left one gasped.  
  
"Are you without a mind?! The world isn't black and white. There is no   
such thing as good and evil. There are, however, many shades of gray."  
  
"You think that you understand the shades between good and evil?" Her   
father challenged.  
  
"I trust my heart. Only a fool would say that they can always distinguish   
between the two since it's rarely that simple." She glared at them as the   
elders exchanged more silent looks.  
  
"What?" She demanded. "Why do you keep doing that? And why have you   
brought me here?" She stormed up to her father and stared down at him.  
  
"We wish to know what you do," the oldest answered calmly.  
  
She moved to stand before him, then knelt to his level and leaned close   
enough that they shared the same breath. "*You're* the elders. Don't you know   
everything already? What can you learn from someone you drove away years ago?"  
  
He didn't back away from her. To the contrary, he leaned closer. "The   
further we drove you away, the longer it would take for you to return. But you   
would also learn more along the way to share with us." He reached his hand   
behind her head and pulled her close so that he could kiss her softly on the   
forehead. "You're so angry, Kei. We have always loved you, whether you saw it   
or not."  
  
"I doubt your sincerity," she whispered harshly.  
  
"Of that, only you can be the judge." He removed his hand from behind her   
head, stroking his fingers through her short hair affectionately as he did so.   
Then he traced a light finger along her left ear and the earring there. It was   
her mark of defiance against them, accepting the social traditions of another   
culture instead of her own. The finger continues along her jawbone. He smiled   
kindly at her.  
  
She rocked back on her heels, then landed on her butt. He effectively   
derailed her rage. She couldn't rouse the feelings of anger that had driven   
her just a few moments earlier. Was there such a thing as a calming spell? If   
so, that was the effect his soft caress had on her.  
  
"Are you ready to talk now?" He asked gently.  
  
"Yes, I'm ready," she murmured in a sedate tone.  
  
For countless hours they spoke. The elders picked her mind clean   
regarding every significant (and insignificant) subject imaginable. Her father   
seemed to be earnestly interested in what she had to say -- all of them did.   
So much time in the past was spent standing before them because she'd done   
something wrong that it was almost unnerving to be speaking with them on   
cordial terms.  
  
She was getting sleepy while their stamina seemed endless. Xu's warning   
would serve her well. She'd sleep until morning and then leave this place   
before they could try anything. Her father smiled fondly at her as he gave her   
a blanket to use for the night, or whenever it was. Maybe their friendliness   
could continue outside of this room...  
  
Kei woke up groggy. Usually her body snapped awake when she told it to,   
but it was so sluggish this morning. Slowly, one eye peeled itself open and   
then the other. When they finally came into focus her brain was slow in   
reacting to the fact that she wasn't in the same room she'd fallen asleep in.  
  
A thin stream of sunlight came in through the narrowly parted curtains.   
Her eyes wandered around the room as her mind tried to place where she could   
be. More than likely she was in one of the rooms of her parents' home. Hum...   
this was a child's room judging by the toys on the shelves and drawings tacked   
to the wall. Was there someone else asleep in here with her?  
  
If anyone was asleep, they soon weren't when she rolled over onto her   
back. The scream she uttered due to the shockwave of pain that coursed through   
her body was enough to rattle the pictures hanging on the wall. A stream of   
curses followed as she balled up on her side, willing the pain away.  
  
The curses continued as her mind clicked recent events into place. They   
must have done something to keep her knocked out while they tattooed her back.   
Strong pulses of outrage surged through her mind. What right did they have?   
Fuck their coming of age nonsense! She didn't need their approval to know that   
she was an adult. They would pay for this. By all that's holy she will make   
them pay!  
  
"Kei!" The door to the room swung open and her mother rushed it. Anger   
flashed through Kei again, tears from the pain and betrayal traced down her   
cheeks. Her mother couldn't see her while she was weak. She couldn't let them   
see how their actions hurt her both physically and emotionally. Anger could   
cover that...  
  
"Where's Father?" She pressed herself up from the bed. Even the loose   
shirt she wore caused her discomfort as it brushed against her tender skin.  
  
"So she's finally awake?" His voice boomed from the hallway. He entered   
the room to face his daughter's rage. He wasn't a tall man, but he stood with   
pride. She'd long ago come to think of it as his 'elder stance'.  
  
"What have you done you rotten-" Kei cut off her expletive when she   
spotted a pair of her younger siblings peeking into the room. She moved past   
her parents and slammed the door shut. There was no need for them to witness   
this.  
  
Her mother tried to position herself between her daughter and her husband.   
The elder gently, but firmly, pressed her aside so that Kei had a clear shot at   
him if she wanted. "Would striking me make you feel better?" His cool eyes   
locked with hers.  
  
She considered it, then shook her head. There were more pressing needs to   
be addressed (namely, healing her back) before retribution.  
  
Her things were set out neatly on a low table under the window. She   
opened her spell pouch and pulled out a handful of Curagas -- the most powerful   
curative spell known -- and some Esunas. "Any damage to the flesh can be   
healed if a powerful enough spell is used soon enough," she reasoned.  
  
"It won't work Kei..." Her father's expression was of remorseful   
certainty. "You can't cure yourself of what you are."  
  
His warning fell on deaf ears as she concentrated all of her will into the   
spell she was about to cast. "CURAGA!!" She yelled. She could feel the   
spell's effect as it worked on her back. 'Undo the damage they've done,' she   
willed it as it took effect.  
  
She stood before the vanity mirror and lifted the shirt she wore to watch   
the pigment they embedded into her skin fade away. A smirk crossed her face   
that quickly turned to dismay as the marking returned. How is that possible?!  
  
She dropped the shirt down and gathered her will for casting the Esuna   
spell. Maybe that would do the trick. Her desperation grew as the spell   
didn't even make the pigment fade. She quickly rushed to her pouch and pulled   
out a bead of Double. Perhaps casting two Curagas in a row would rid her of   
the tattoo. Panic set in as that plan likewise failed. The only effect she   
accomplished was her back being thoroughly healed to the point that it no   
longer smarted when touched.  
  
She sank to her knees in defeat. Why didn't it work?! Frustrated, she   
buried face into the bed while pounding her fist on it. Then the tears came   
again. She didn't understand what was going on here. Plus she was angry at   
*them* for doing *this* to her. They violated her body in a way she would have   
never permitted. It made her like *him*, Enju.  
  
"It won't go away because you can't erase what you are," her father   
explained gently after kneeling down beside her on the floor.  
  
"I don't understand what you mean," she looked at him with bloodshot eyes.   
"What are you doing to us? What does it all mean?"  
  
"You'll figure it out event-"  
  
"NO! You'll tell me now!" Kei grabbed him by the front of his robes and   
dragged him in closer to her. "No more games. Tell me!"  
  
He actually *smiled* at her. It wasn't cocky. Almost the opposite in   
that it was the smile of a proud father. "Justice will always seek out the   
truth and dislikes evasions."  
  
He slipped his hand under her shirt to write on her back slowly with his   
index finger. "'Spirit of Justice'," he whispered.  
  
"That's not the character for 'Spirit'," she protested. "I know that   
one."  
  
"The character for 'Spirit' that refers to those who lead us to the Path   
of Life isn't commonly written," he explained.  
  
"Then why is it on my back?" She scowled.  
  
"Don't be dense, child," he slapped her back. If she hadn't healed it and   
he'd done that, she would have hurt him. "You're a Spirit that is walking the   
human plane for some reason."  
  
Kei coughed, stunned disbelief prompting her to deny it. "What?! Are you   
out of your mind? The Spirits don't walk the human plane as humans   
themselves."  
  
"Not usually, but it has been known to happen. During times of upcoming   
trial the Spirits may come here to protect those who are resting."  
  
"What about Xu? And how many other people have you done this to?" Kei   
gave him a sideways look. She could see it already. The elders were branding   
all the able-bodied adults of Kei's generation as 'Spirits' and then sending   
them off on some task. How did Xu miss their hidden agenda...?  
  
"Xu is the Spirit of Protection. We are certain that there are many other   
Spirits currently walking this plane. You and Xu are the only Anshin who are   
on this quest. We feel reassured now that your human bodies have been purified   
and the wards that will protect you from the evils that walk this plane have   
been applied." He actually *hugged* her as they sat together on the floor. If   
Kei's eyes rolled any further they would have ended up in the back of her head.  
  
"A great danger is upon us if there are so many Spirits here right now.   
Please do your best to protect us," her mother begged.  
  
What a load of crap! 'The world is in danger and so we're going to throw   
our outcast children into the thick of it and hope they save us.' No person in   
their right mind would believe that. After all the stunts they've pulled,   
they've finally gone over the edge with this one. 'Spirit of Justice' indeed.  
  
"You dragged me all the way out here for *this*? Don't you think I have   
more important things to do?"  
  
"Of course you do!" Her mother agreed. "We'll try to not keep you any   
longer than necessary. The next transport will arrive in five days. Why not   
take the opportunity to rest before returning to your duties?"  
  
Her parents left her alone in the room. Whatever they were up to, it   
seemed that they sincerely believed the line of hogwash they were trying to   
feed her. Then again, they sincerely believed that monsters meant no harm.   
She sat on the bed thinking for at least a half-hour before rousing herself to   
get cleaned up. As she washed, she kept craning her neck to catch a glimpse of   
her back. She couldn't see the tattoo very well, but was sure it was much the   
same as Xu's.  
  
While she was in the bath, her mother came in and placed some clothes for   
her to wear while taking away her uniform. This annoyed Kei, but at least it   
was men's clothing that she left behind. Perhaps it was a sign that they *did*   
consider her an adult now and would stop trying to force their ideas regarding   
dress and behavior down her throat.  
  
Refreshed from her bath, she wandered through the house. As she did so,   
she could hear the scampering feet of children scurrying from one room to   
another. They were watching her. Nonchalantly, she turned down a hallway and   
then waited out of sight for one of them to follow her. When one did, she   
caught him in her arms and hugged the surprised child. It was her youngest   
brother, Mikel. He squealed with fear instead of joy at being caught.   
Frowning, she let him go.  
  
"Why are you afraid, Mikel?" She slid down the wall to sit on the floor.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kei. Uh... Spirit? Uh..." He scuffed his toe against the   
wall as he stammered.  
  
"Try 'sister'," she suggested. What was with making her brother afraid of   
offending her? This was ridiculous.  
  
He shook his head back and forth, his dark eyes wide as he regarded her.   
"I have to treat you with respect. As much respect as the elders!"  
  
"Come here," she patted the floor next to her in invitation to sit down.   
He did so and continued to watch her carefully. "Father is an elder, is he   
not?"  
  
Mikel nodded.  
  
"And you hug Father, don't you?"  
  
He nodded again.  
  
"Meaning that he is your father first and an elder second. I am your   
sister first and whatever they want to call me second. Being your sister is   
what matters though. Understand?"  
  
"I think so," he whispered.  
  
Kei kept her sigh to herself. He was young enough to still be easily   
influenced. Hopefully she would be able to get him to truly understand her   
point before she left. "So that means you may hug me, doesn't it?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"So, may I have a hug?" She favored him with the friendliest expression   
she knew how to conjure.  
  
He stood up and wrapped his arms around her neck. She returned his   
embrace warmly, but gently enough so not to crush him. Kei had left long   
before Mikel was born, thus she didn't know much about him. 'That's going to   
change,' she decided firmly. Keeping a solid hold on him, she lifted him as   
she stood up. With him on her hip, she walked to the kitchen to find something   
for breakfast.  
  
Two more of her siblings were seated at a small kitchen table when she   
entered. They looked up at her, torn between leaving the room to her and   
finishing up what they were working on. She gave them a friendly smile before   
setting Mikel down on the counter.  
  
"Have you eaten yet?" She asked him.  
  
He nodded his head in an exaggerated manner. "I ate this morning with   
everyone else when you were still asleep."  
  
"Hmph, what did you have? Are there any leftovers?"  
  
He continued nodding, then pointed to the cooler behind her. She opened   
it and began rummaging around inside. A bowl of porridge and some fruit would   
take the edge off her hunger.  
  
She hmph-ed again as she glanced around her. They reorganized the kitchen   
since the last time she was allowed in the house. She had no idea where the   
utensils were now being stored. Mikel pulled out the drawer behind his legs --   
which were hanging over the side of the counter -- and presented her with a   
spoon.  
  
"Ah! You knew what I was looking for," she messed up his hair playfully   
before handing him the fruit she pulled out. She deftly balanced him on her   
left hip while carrying the bowl of porridge in her right hand. Mikel was   
deposited on an empty chair with her claiming the one next to it. Their   
siblings watched them with curiosity.  
  
"What are you working on?" Kei gestured at the papers they had spread   
across the table with her spoon.  
  
"Momma said they had to practice their handwriting," Mikel volunteered   
while bouncing in his seat.  
  
"Hush, Mikel. The Spirit doesn't care about such things," one of them   
scolded.  
  
"If I didn't care I wouldn't have asked," Kei pointed out dryly. She had   
the feeling that she was going to have to fight off the label of 'Spirit' for   
the rest of her time here. And even if she did get them to stop using it, they   
would start again as soon as she was gone.  
  
Kei picked up one of their practice sheets to look over it. She   
recognized most of the characters that were carefully written. All of them   
were done in neat handwriting. The Anshin language was an elaborate scrawl   
that required an eye for detail since even the thickness of a line could affect   
the meaning of a character.  
  
Much of Kei's difficulty with the written aspect of the language was due   
to its not being very friendly towards left-handed people. Creating the   
characters was frustrating when she kept smearing the ink across the page with   
her hand. By the end of class the side of her hand would be covered in ink   
that she would have to wash off -- only to repeat the process the very next   
day.  
  
'They must be desperate if they're willing to put their faith into someone   
who's barely literate,' Kei mused as she continued to examine the sheet. It   
didn't bother Kei that her tablemates were more comfortable with their native   
language. She never cared enough to master it.  
  
"Keep up the good work," she encouraged.  
  
Mikel squirmed in his chair restlessly. It was hard to keep someone his   
age tied down for very long. He peered around at the different wall scrolls,   
the ceiling, then Kei's fruit -- it was endearingly cute.  
  
"I want to go play," he said plaintively. "Let's go find some cousins and   
play, Kei." He turned his dark brown eyes onto her. She relented without a   
fight.  
  
'Who says children aren't powerful?' Kei mused to herself while quickly   
washing her dishes and setting them on a drying rack by the sink. Kei allowed   
herself to be dragged off by Mikel to find some playmates. It would give her a   
chance to become reacquainted with her surroundings.  
  
The compound as a whole hadn't changed much since she left. It probably   
hadn't changed much since it was founded generations ago. The third stone from   
the left at the base of the old well was loose as she remembered it. The old   
bag who lived near the well still locked her beady little eyes onto Kei when   
she moved the stone with the toe of her boot.  
  
But there was something more to it. The old woman wasn't glaring at her   
with annoyance for misdeeds Kei had yet to commit; she was afraid. Fear was an   
emotion Kei could almost taste when it was in her presence. Her eyes slid away   
from the old woman to take in the others who were milling about the small   
courtyard. Mikel didn't notice their deference towards them; how they watched   
in horror as he demanded to be lifted to Kei's back and carried around.  
  
Kei wanted to yell at them. To scream that even now they were missing the   
point. Mikel's happiness was far more important than their stupid beliefs and   
superstitions. They had never been right about her, now more than ever. Her   
eyes swept around her, daring anyone to 'correct' Mikel.  
  
"Come on, let's go home," she shifted his weight slightly before trotting   
across the grass lawn of the old bag and through the garden of an uncle on the   
return trip. It was her preferred route home during her younger, defiant days.  
  
*****  
  
Kei bowed politely to her aunt and uncle before seating herself at the   
kitchen table for dinner. She was a welcome guest in their home, and was often   
invited to share meals with them.  
  
She had always gotten along better with Xu's parents than with her own.   
The resemblance between their mothers, who were sisters, was reflected in their   
delicate facial features and short stature. Their lack of centimeters was   
something they passed along to their daughters, though both Kei and Xu stood   
taller than their mothers did.  
  
Xu's mother poured tea for the three of them. She was the sweetest   
tempered woman Kei knew, without a mean bone in her body. Her uncle was the   
embodiment of patience. Not to say that he wasn't strict at times, but he   
always believed that something good would come out of a situation if you waited   
long enough for it to turn around.  
  
In short, they were the perfect Anshin couple.  
  
Their 'failings' as a family began with their daughter Xu. Her being an   
only child was distressing to a people who believed in producing as many   
offspring as possible. 'We must allow others the chance to rest on this   
plane,' was the reasoning behind it. Keeping the women barefoot and pregnant   
was how Kei saw it.  
  
Xu's birth was a difficult one for her mother. Both of their lives were   
spared, but at the cost of her aunt's ability to bear children. The clan was   
worried about Xu growing up in a 'proper' family environment without any   
siblings. There was no need for concern. Xu spent so much time with Kei's   
family that she didn't lack for playmates.   
  
Kei's mother was constantly pregnant while Kei was growing up. Kei was   
their third child, though now the oldest living because her elder twin siblings   
were killed by monsters when she was ten. Her mind pushed the memory away.   
That event marked the beginning of her world unraveling. She admired the twins   
more than the Spirits themselves.  
  
Her parents were 'strong'. Two children could be replaced in less than   
two years. Never mind that they were the ones who mattered the most to Kei.   
Her father was always gone performing his duties as an elder and her mother had   
babies to watch over. The twins did more to raise Kei than her parents had,   
and they died because of some coming of age rite. It was an event that shook   
Kei to her very core. Xu offered her all the support she could, but why should   
a nine-year-old cousin be comforting her instead of her parents?  
  
The bitterness Kei felt grew stronger when her parents began molding her   
to be like *them*. She had a place. She had responsibilities. To them, she   
was a machine to be programmed. It drove Kei insane. They didn't understand   
her. They didn't even try to. Couldn't they see that she didn't want to   
follow the path they chose for her? She couldn't follow it. That wasn't what   
was meant for her.   
  
By the time she was thirteen the tension had built to unbearable levels.   
When it came time for her first coming of age ceremony, her world was   
shattering because of the pressures her parents placed on her.  
  
There are two coming of age ceremonies in an Anshin's life. The first was   
to give them a 'name' after they had proven themselves by living outside the   
compound walls for three days. The second came in their late teens after they   
chose a direction in life. A 'title' was given to them that defined their   
position within the clan.  
  
The ceremony was Kei's chance to escape this miserable place. As soon as   
they let her outside the walls, she ran off across the barren landscape of the   
Serengetti Plains towards the coast. A transport was scheduled to leave the   
next day. On this, she stowed away to the port city capital of Dollet. Once   
there she wandered the streets for a couple of weeks doing anything she could   
to survive.  
  
Then one day a man approached her and asked her where her parents were.   
When she had no answer for him, he assumed she was an orphan. He invited her   
to be a student at a newly established school on the Balamb continent. She   
would be in the school's first class of students. What the man offered solved   
her immediate needs of food and shelter plus it gave her the opportunity to   
make something of herself. Where the man took her was Balamb Garden.  
  
Headmaster Cid was so kind and reassuring. He was a savior to a very   
frightened Kei. His gentle manner wore through her defenses and got her to   
open up to him. Months passed before his patience finally paid off and she   
told him her story. He pulled her into a warm hug and welcomed her again to   
his school. She would be a SeeD in his Garden.  
  
The boost in confidence that Kei needed didn't come until midway through   
the first term of the following school year. She literally bumped into her   
much beloved (and often missed) cousin in the Cafeteria. Their first night   
reunited was spent catching up on what happened right after Kei left.  
  
As Kei suspected, her parents assumed that she became a meal for some   
monster and life went on. Xu's parents weren't so certain and half suspected   
that she'd left to blaze her own trail. But Centra was so remote, where could   
she have gone to? The matter was left unresolved for those few who still   
believed that she was alive.  
  
Xu's own coming of age ceremony occurred without a hitch as far as anyone   
knew. Her parents were quite nervous about sending their only child into the   
wilderness, but it had to be done. It was because of her experiences out there   
that Xu had a change of heart. She was already wavering regarding her beliefs   
about monsters after her two cousins were killed, but then she encountered   
monsters up close and personal.  
  
It happened when she accidentally stumbled into a small nest of Jelleyes.   
Their grotesque eyes and throbbing gel-like bodies wrapped themselves around   
her. The knife she was given to prepare food with was turned against the   
monsters. After pulling herself from the nest, she got herself to a small   
stream. Her three days of trial were spent by that stream reliving hellish   
nightmares of Jelleyes clinging to her.  
  
The story was one only Xu and her cousin knew. She never told the elders   
or her parents that she killed three monsters while she was being tested. But   
that was what firmly turned Xu against the monsters.   
  
Shortly after she was named, she read about Garden on one of the   
newslinks. It sounded like a place where she would fit in perfectly. The idea   
of sending any child, especially their only one, to a military academy appalled   
her parents. They wanted her to remain with the clan and continue to live a   
peaceful life.  
  
But Xu was adamant. And when she got that way, she could try the patience   
of an elder. Or five of them, to be exact. She refused to accept their   
assurances that she would live a fulfilling life if she remained. She wanted   
to leave and 'no' was the wrong answer. After making a nuisance of herself,   
they finally gave in to her request. It was their only choice if they wanted   
to live in peace again.  
  
So there she was at Balamb Garden with her 'dead' cousin Kei. For which,   
Kei was extremely grateful. Now that she had a family again, she gained the   
confidence to give her best. The cousins swore to not give away their   
relations (since both were ashamed and the world -- they discovered -- didn't   
like the Anshin to begin with). But they were friends. There was no hiding   
the joy they felt at seeing each other.  
  
The elders hadn't believed Xu when she first told them that Kei was alive   
and well in Balamb. It surprised Kei even more when Xu passed along an   
invitation to visit. A couple years went by before Kei was able to swallow her   
bitterness enough to brave facing them again. And even then, she wouldn't go   
without Xu accompanying her.  
  
That is, until recently. Circumstance had brought her here twice within   
the last year without Xu's company. She wasn't any closer to feeling   
comfortable, but at least she was getting by. Seeing Xu's parents again was a   
welcome event. They had the same soothing effect on her raging spirit that Xu   
did.  
  
"How have you been, Kei?" Xu's father asked politely while the meal was   
being served.  
  
"Besides discovering that you all have lost your minds?" She asked with a   
sense of sarcastic jest. They were used to Kei's biting sense of humor and   
thus took no offense at her scathing comment.  
  
"The elders are convinced that you are a Spirit incarnate. Doesn't it   
feel good to finally be accepted into the clan?" Her aunt asked in an effort to   
get Kei to see the brighter side of things.  
  
"I never wanted to be accepted," Kei kept the edge from her tone. The   
kind woman didn't deserve her bitterness. "It's presumptuous to foist these   
responsibilities onto us. Xu and I have lives away from the clan, you know."  
  
"Indeed, and that's what makes your work all the more important. You   
naturally sought out a position that would allow you to best protect us. We   
couldn't give you the training needed and so you found it elsewhere," her uncle   
reasoned. Didn't the fact that her parents drove her away even register with   
him?  
  
"We're proud of you, Kei," her aunt said before taking a bite from the   
food on her plate. Kei chewed slowly on what was in her mouth before   
swallowing. The action was to give her a chance to organize her thoughts as   
much as to eat.  
  
"Why weren't you proud of me before? Why didn't the elders discover this   
at my birth? Surely my own father would have known?" Kei challenged, her eyes   
flashing with the frustration that was boiling up within her again.  
  
Xu's mother put her hand over to touch the arm of her husband. He took a   
deep breath before speaking. "Your father knew, but refused to believe the   
signs. He was dead set upon changing you into who he thought you should be.   
We spoke on several occasions before and after you ran away. He would not   
trust the opinions of his brother-in-law since my hands have been tainted with   
the blood of monsters." He explained in a chillingly calm tone. Kei shivered   
as she pictured that same tone being used against her father to make his case   
on her behalf.  
  
"As much as it broke our hearts, we knew that we would lose Xu to the   
outside world," her aunt continued. "And so we prepared her the best we could   
for the challenges she would face out there. The elders are the ones who gave   
her so much grief when she petitioned to leave."  
  
A small smile crossed her aunt's face. "Fortunately, Xu learned well how   
to be stubborn."  
  
Their conversation lapsed into comfortable silence while they ate. There   
were many things she wished to speak with them about. Especially them since   
they were fair people, even when it came to admitting biases they may hold.  
  
"I'm not a Spirit of Justice," Kei said while chasing a carrot around her   
plate with her fork. "I'm a SeeD, plain and simple."  
  
"Are you sure?" Her uncle asked, willing to play devil's advocate. "I've   
been thinking about it. Your father believes that you are an irrational,   
rebellious, and violent child. But I've noticed that you choose your battles   
carefully."  
  
"Explain?" She looked up from her dinner. This was a new tune for him.  
  
"Our traditions go back many generations. Over time, those traditions   
could be broken and then mended in an imperfect fashion. It would seem to me   
that you rebel against those things that strike you as 'broken'. Much like you   
*know* what things are corrupt and yearn to correct them," he explained   
reasonably.  
  
"......"  
  
He sighed softly and leaned back in his chair to think of an example to   
present. "Even after rejecting a majority of the clan's ways, you still   
maintain our diet, do you not?"  
  
"Yeah, but it makes sense. It's nutritionally sound and perfect for high   
energy people," Kei pointed out.  
  
"But when someone states that a misfortune is actually a punishment for a   
misdeed you bristle?" He arched an eyebrow at her as she clinched her fork.   
With conscious effort she released her grip, setting the utensil beside her   
plate.  
  
"Of course I do. It's a load of crap!" She growled.  
  
"How do you know that?" He asked kindly.  
  
"How do you not?" She asked in return, becoming frustrated by his games.  
  
"See? The 'truth' is so obvious to you that you become frustrated and   
angry when others don't see it."  
  
"Are you implying that I'm right?" She leaned forward in her seat.  
  
He shrugged it off. "It's not my place to tell others if they are right   
or wrong. I only know what is true for myself. My personal beliefs maintain   
that you are correct in saying misfortunes aren't punishments handed down by   
the Spirits."  
  
"What changed your mind?"  
  
Her aunt and uncle exchanged a long look. This was a matter they had   
obviously discussed at length. Her uncle took up his wife's hand and gave it a   
squeeze before answering. "Xu is the one who convinced us. You know of the   
misdeeds of my youth. After Xu's difficult birth was coupled with her own   
'rebellious' behavior the elders declared that our only daughter was my   
punishment.  
  
"How could my greatest achievement be my punishment? We are both very   
proud of her, even if we don't express it well at times. She never meant any   
harm, unlike a certain mischievous cousin of hers," he favored Kei with a   
smile. "You both have done well for yourselves. I know that you won't let us   
down because that would mean letting yourselves down as well."  
  
*****  
  
It was chilly the next morning. Kei pulled up the light coat before   
continuing along the path to her destination. She would never forget her way   
to the house of the oldest elder. Many times she was dragged kicking and   
screaming there. As she grew older, she found comfort in the tea he served and   
the ear he offered.  
  
She slipped into the outer room without knocking. He asked her to stop by   
and would be expecting her. Her heavy boots were removed at the door, leaving   
her to pad into the family room with socked feet.  
  
"It's good of you to come by, child. Please be seated," he motioned to a   
plush chair kitty-corner to the couch he sat on. A service for two was on the   
coffee table before them. He poured her a cup of the hot liquid and offered it   
to her. Fingers that were chilled during the walk here stung briefly at   
holding the warm cup.  
  
The old man looked the same as when she ran away. He had a willowy frame,   
narrow features, and a receding hairline that ran to the back of his scalp.   
What hair he did have was as white as a freshly fallen snow. Deep wrinkles cut   
into his features. He was getting up there in years, and those years hadn't   
been kind to him by preserving a youthful look. Kei didn't doubt that she   
added to some of his worries. But despite it all, he was a fair tempered man   
with more patience than most.  
  
"You've grown up so quickly. Are you the same little girl that I used to   
stand in the corner?" He mused before blowing on his tea and taking a small   
sip.  
  
"No, I'm not the same little girl. I've grown too big for such   
treatment," she smirked while drinking from her own cup.  
  
He smiled into his cup. She didn't deny that she was in need of such   
treatment, just that he was no longer capable of delivering it.  
  
"I asked you here today so that I could tell you a story," he said.  
  
"Are there any Tonberries in it?"  
  
"... No."  
  
Kei pouted. "Then it can't be a very good story," she grumbled, easily   
slipping into their old routine. That was always the first question she asked   
when he announced that he was going to tell a story. By her childhood   
reasoning a story wasn't a good story unless a Tonberry was featured in it.  
  
"Hush now, while I tell you the tale."  
  
  
A man of few years was he  
Who'd yet to meet his destiny  
Unknown to him,   
a leader of men  
Was it a coward's heart that he possessed?  
Refusing to go at the Spirits' request  
He wouldn't take part,   
in the war about to start  
For his disobedience the Spirits did punish  
Trials on him befell, with a weight able to crush  
Forgotten the private doubt he felt,   
soon his resolve did melt  
On the Spirits' behalf he fought with fervor and no will to stop  
So his destiny was fulfilled, a knife in battle caused him to drop  
  
  
The blood drained from Kei's face. "What the hell kind of story is   
that?!" She demanded of the elder. Bad enough that the man was forced to fight   
when he obviously wasn't willing, but it was his 'destiny' to die at the end!  
  
"What do you think it means?" He resumed sipping his tea as she mulled   
over it.  
  
"Probably something stupid like 'do whatever the Spirits tell you' or   
'destiny cannot be fought against'," she complained bitterly.  
  
"You are correct. As a Spirit, it is something you should keep in mind   
when making demands of others. If you asked for the life of one of your   
clansmen, it would be delivered to you immediately. The destiny of others is   
decided at your whim, never forget that," he gave her a level look over the rim   
of his cup.  
  
Kei blanched under his gaze then became angry. "Why you-" she broke eye   
contact with him to look out the window. Outside, a man was walking briskly to   
get to his destination and out of the cold. She didn't know him. He was just   
another nameless person for all she knew or cared. And yet, she did care about   
what happened to him. A part of her wished for him to hurry along and get out   
of the nippy weather.  
  
"I never asked for this..." she whispered softly.  
  
"A bird is but a bird, a tree is a tree, and you, my child, are a Spirit.   
You cannot change the conditions of your birth," he reasoned.  
  
"Who says that I'm a Spirit?" She challenged. "That's something *you*   
decided. I've lived my life just fine before you put these responsibilities on   
me. Leave me alone." It came out as more of a plea than the angry retort she   
had intended. She felt like she was begging him to be released of the heavy   
chains he bound her in. The clan had very exacting traditions and expectations   
of those they lifted to such 'noble' positions. She wanted nothing to do with   
it.  
  
"You have always been a bold one. Why do you lack confidence in yourself   
now?"  
  
"I'm not a Spirit. I'm the little girl you used to put in the corner   
until she grew too big," she fought off the frustration she felt. Why wouldn't   
he listen to her? Why wouldn't he believe her? Surely she would be the first   
to know if what he said was true.  
  
He smiled softly, noting the contradiction with her earlier statement of   
no longer being who she was. "I can prove it. Show me what Guardian Spirits   
travel with you."  
  
Kei stared at him blankly while reaching into her pouch for her Guardian   
Forces. She laid them out on the table before them one by one. Ifrit, the   
fire elemental. Shiva, the mistress of ice. Quetzalcoatl, the spirit of   
thunder. The Brothers, Sacred and Minotaur. The last stone she placed was the   
demon, Diablos.  
  
The elder reached forward and picked up Diablos, turning the stone slowly   
in his hand as he examined it. "You've never bonded well with this one, have   
you?"  
  
What he asked was true. Diablos was uncooperative and slow in responding   
to her summons despite her best efforts to build rapport. She always assumed   
that it was because Diablos was a demon and defiant by nature.  
  
The old man fished into the folds of his robes to pull out a milky white   
stone. It was a complete contrast to the ebony stone that he held in his other   
hand.  
  
"In the balance of nature, everything has that to which it bonds and that   
which it repels. Diablos is a chaotic element -- your opposite. This," he   
held the white stone towards her, "is that to which you will bond. Take it and   
feel the kinship of Alexander's Holy Judgment."  
  
Kei reluctantly took the stone from him. The Spirit within seized her   
with a force that caused her to fold over in her chair. A wave of nausea   
washed over her as Alexander made itself known. She squeezed her eyes shut to   
fight off the suffocating grip it had on her. It settled down, making itself a   
constant presence in the back of her mind. When she opened her eyes the world   
looked the same, but different. Many of the shades of gray melted away in   
favor of a defined purpose. It was like wearing a blindfold all of her life   
and suddenly having it lifted -- the revelations Alexander presented were that   
profound.  
  
"I see..." she slowly righted herself in the chair. She looked around the   
room, seeing it again for the first time. Her gaze then fell onto the black   
stone that was Diablos. Bile rose up in the back of her throat at the gall of   
a demon to even be in the same room as her.  
  
The elder saw the cool look in her eyes and placed the stone into a   
pocket. "I doubt you want it back," he said dryly, but the slight humor in his   
tone couldn't be missed.  
  
"No, it disgusts me," she said, feeling all the more firm in her   
convictions.  
  
He stood up, prompting her to do the same. "Go, Kei, nurture your bond   
with Alexander. It will continue to grow until it is truly symbiotic. You are   
both Spirits of Justice, use it to your advantage."  
  
She bowed to him, "Thank you, I will."  
  
*****  
  
The truck Kei rode in with her father bounced along the rugged road   
towards the coast. Kei once again wondered why they never bothered to lay down   
a proper roadway. This was the main route to and from the equally   
underdeveloped port where the weekly transport moored. After learning all she   
could from these people, she was anxious to return to the Garden. She will   
never feel comfortable spending time here. She was glad that no one asked her   
to stay longer.  
  
Crowning a small hill they came across another vehicle. Kei's expression   
froze as her heart began to rage. The other truck had gotten a flat tire and   
was up on a jack. During the repair a swarm of Jelleyes attacked. Everyone   
was locked in the truck, but they couldn't escape as long as the monsters   
remained.  
  
"Stop," Kei ordered. Her father didn't protest as he brought their truck   
to a halt at the side of the road. She shoved her shoulder into the door to   
force it open, causing the metal to creak in protest.  
  
Her father watched with a detached, morbid fascination as his daughter set   
about her work. The katana on Kei's belt was drawn from its scabbard. She bit   
into her lip to let out a shrill whistle. That caught the Jelleyes' attention.   
A pair of them detached themselves from the group to swoop in on her.  
  
She didn't wait for them to close the distance. Instead, she lunged   
forward to cut the closest one down in a rapid series of strokes. The second   
one immediately recognized the threat she presented and withdrew to the safety   
of numbers.  
  
One step, then another, she slowly stalked her way up to the truck looking   
like a woman possessed with the wrath of the Spirits. A shiver went down her   
father's spine as he realized that the wrath of the Spirits was exactly it.   
He's never seen her as a sweet, loveable daughter, but he hadn't seen her at a   
merciless killer either. What force had they unleashed?  
  
A pulse ran through one of the Jelleye's body in the motion she'd come to   
recognize as a spell casting. Intense flames burst out around Kei, singeing   
her clothes. She paid the flames no heed, swiping them away with her katana as   
she continued to approach. Another Jelleye convulsed, sending a pillar of ice   
up from the ground to impale her. It was equally ineffective as she simply   
shook the spell off.  
  
"Feel the power of the Holy Judgment," she declared before a large   
mechanized castle rose up from behind her. Forelimbs that were spires pounded   
into the ground as it lifted itself to its full impressive height. Hatches on   
its shoulders opened up, glowing with gathering power. Countless beams of Holy   
energy shot from the Spirit's shoulders, completely annihilating the Jelleyes.  
  
Alexander dissolved back to the realm of the Spirits leaving Kei to slowly   
sink to her knees before collapsing entirely. Her father rushed out of the   
truck and ran to her. The people she saved were closer and thus made it to her   
first.  
  
"Elder, what's going on?" A man in his mid-twenties asked as he checked to   
see if Kei was still breathing. She appeared to be no worse for wear except   
for being utterly drained from her recent efforts.  
  
"The Spirits saved you. Help me get her to my truck while your companions   
change the tire. The monsters won't be long in returning," the elder helped   
lift his daughter across the young man's shoulders. He carried her back to the   
truck and carefully placed her in the passenger's seat. The seatbelts were   
used to keep her lax form in an upright position.  
  
With the tire now replaced, the other truck rolled to a stop near them.  
  
The man opened the door to the cab, then paused to speak. "We'll come by   
soon to thank the Spirits properly," he levered himself in and slammed the door   
shut. The truck continued down the road towards the coast.  
  
The elder considered following them, but instead turned the truck around   
to return to the compound. Kei was in no condition to travel. That was the   
logical reason for not taking her to the port.   
  
'I can't send her back when she still has much to learn...' That was his   
heart speaking.  
  
*****  
  
Frogs courting each other was the first sound Kei heard as she slowly came   
around. There was something weighting on her forehead. A hand sent to   
investigate removed the cold compress that it found. She opened her eyes. The   
room was dark except for a wall display that read the time as 0323. This was   
the room she'd spent the last few nights in. Why in the hell was she still   
here? She was supposed to return to Balamb.  
  
Her mind traced back through the day's events. Breakfast with Mikel.   
Saying good-bye to her family. Leaving with Father for the port. A swarm of   
monsters attacking.  
  
She shifted awkwardly in the bed as she probed that memory. The monsters   
were angry, and justifiably so. A truck broke down uncomfortably close to   
their nest. The humans were trying to move, but they weren't fast enough. The   
young were scared. Attack them! Frighten them away!  
  
Kei sat up gasping for breath, freeing herself from the flashback. How   
did she know that? Fear crept up her spine. She kept a close handle on it as   
she carefully probed the memory again.  
  
While the Jelleyes did have a good reason to be upset, the humans were   
working as quickly as possible to rectify the situation. An attack was   
unwarranted. One of their numbers was cut down as a warning to retreat. When   
they didn't, she had no choice but to the defend the non-aggressor.  
  
They tried to hold her off, but their attacks were like a child's.   
Couldn't they see that they were in the wrong and would soon be punished if   
they didn't back off?  
  
What happened next was fragmented. She summoned Alexander... or did it   
summon itself? Power, barely channeled, flowed through her as the Guardian   
Force used its Holy Judgment to destroy the Jelleyes. Alexander released her,   
assuring her that justice was done before she blacked out.  
  
Panic seized Kei as she realized just how much of that battle was   
Alexander working through her. If it happened once, it could happen again.   
She was hardly SeeD material if she couldn't control her actions during battle.   
The very idea that she could be possessed left her feeling unsettled.  
  
Alexander awoke, disturbed by her train of thought. 'Why are you in my   
mind?!' She held her head between her hands while trying to free herself from   
the Guardian Force.  
  
Kei squeezed her eyes shut to find herself in *her* space -- her Puzzle   
Stone work area. Half finished puzzles were strewn across a workbench. A pile   
of puzzles she'd become frustrated with in the past and broke occupied a   
corner. This place wasn't nearly as organized as Xu's area, which she had   
visited on occasion when they worked together on a puzzle.  
  
Looking back to the bench she saw that a man with white hair that flowed   
down to his shoulders in waves sat on a stool. He wore loose fitting white   
trousers with knee boots. His top was likewise white and consisted of multiple   
folds and layers that were belted together at the waist. The aspect of him   
that unnerved Kei the most were his eyes... or lack thereof. His eye sockets   
contained balls of white without any pupils. He was blind.  
  
"I apologize for invading your sanctuary," he said in a voice that could   
be either soothing or commanding depending upon his intent. "Here is the only   
place we can meet like this."  
  
"You're Alexander?" She knew who he was as soon as she saw him.  
  
"And you are the Anshin, Kei," he cocked his head slightly. "Or, more   
precisely, these are the names to which we will answer to, for the time being."  
  
Kei drew a stool out from under the bench to sit on. She'd never heard of   
a Guardian Force manifesting itself through a Puzzle Stone. Then again, she'd   
never heard of one wielding as much control over its bearer as Alexander had   
over her.  
  
"Why did you bring me here?"  
  
"To get to know you. I can't have you being afraid of me," he said.  
  
"I'm afraid of what you do to me. Of when I lose control."  
  
"You've never lost control. I can influence you, speak with you, but I   
cannot outright control you. Your instincts are what take over." He twitched   
head again slightly. Kei began to recognize the motion as him having some sort   
of 'insight'.  
  
"Don't look so surprised. The Travelers have told you repeatedly of your   
true nature. You're being more stubborn than usual. Stop being a frightened   
Traveler and live up to what you are."  
  
She crossed her arms defensively. "Why me?"  
  
He angled his head again. "What? You think you were *chosen*, like this   
was some random game of chance in which life would somehow hit upon a 'good'   
person. The Traveler who introduced us was right; you are what you are. You   
have always been a patron of Justice -- my kindred spirit -- and you always   
will be."  
  
"Why don't I feel different? Special?" She challenged. Why did they have   
to tell her about this? Why didn't she know from birth? The entire story   
seemed concocted, though less so when she considered the fact that she was   
sitting here speaking with a Guardian Force.  
  
"'Different' and 'special' are all relative. This is as close as you will   
get to a glowing light that declares you as having a greater purpose. But you   
don't need me to tell you that do you? You've always known, as has your   
Traveler cousin, Xu.  
  
"You've always known where the lines were, how hard you could push, and   
what results it would yield when you did. You wanted to challenge the system,   
to either mend or break something that was made up of half-truths. But there   
are bigger battles for you to fight now. More wily opponents for you to either   
reform or destroy.  
  
"That is where I come in. I am the Guardian of Holy Judgment on this   
plane. When one such as yourself is here, it is my obligation -- and honor --   
to assist you in completing your mission." His 'eyes' locked onto her. He   
seemed to know exactly where she was and what emotions she felt. Doubt mingled   
with curiosity to know what he did.  
  
"What is my mission?"  
  
"I don't know," he admitted with a sigh. "The winds are calm, but I can   
feel a storm coming. It won't stay peaceful forever."  
  
"..." She didn't like his vague answer. It sounded entirely too much like   
something the elders would feed her. Relying on faith alone to prove her   
convictions was something she didn't indulged in.  
  
"Come now, Kei, you've never been one to back down from your duty. I   
think you'll understand the truth of what I'm saying soon enough. The first   
thing we should do is to help Xu find her kindred spirit. Then she will have a   
companion to assist her."  
  
"She'll have a voice in her head too, you mean," was Kei's biting   
response.  
  
"... A voice of experience that has been on this plane since its   
conception," he amended. "Don't belittle the guidance we offer, it'll make our   
relationship a difficult one if you do."  
  
Kei sighed and turned her attention to the puzzles on the bench. One of   
them caught her attention. It was a rectangular board with eight panels bound   
together. She could always make all sorts of different shapes out of the   
panel, but never understood the point of the puzzle. Turning it around in her   
hands, she noticed that the panels now had sections of three linked rings on   
it. She folded the panels around in a way to unlink the rings, then undid her   
work to re-link them. The board shimmered before disappearing from her grasp.   
It placed itself on the shelf as one of the completed puzzles.  
  
"I never saw the rings before," she commented thoughtfully.  
  
"Many things that eluded you before will now become apparent," Alexander   
assured. He wasn't condescending in his statement. It was meant to comfort   
her. What other things will 'look' different now? Hum...  
  
"Are you blind?" It was a blunt question, but he was reacting to   
everything she did. She'd assumed that he was because of his pupil-less   
eyes...  
  
"I do not see the world as you do, if that is what you mean," he drawled.   
"Are you blind for not seeing things as I do?"  
  
That was a very good question. The type of 'sight' they were discussing   
now wasn't a physical thing. It was the ability to look into a person's soul   
and know what lay there. What was the person's intent? Would the better good   
be served or some selfish end? Who and what would be affected? Such insights   
were on the level of the profound. She felt humbled when confronted with the   
magnitude of it all.  
  
"You'll help me to see?" She whispered softly, looking over at him for   
some indication of his co-operation.  
  
"As I've said, I'm at your service," he bowed the upper half of his body   
towards her. "Have you any more questions?"  
  
She racked her brain quickly for anything else. "I know that you are   
aligned with Holy, but am I as well?"  
  
He nodded, "It is the nature of the righteous. We hold a strong influence   
over this region of the world. The monsters we destroyed yesterday were   
especially vulnerable to Holy. On the other hand, that does give us a weakness   
to the dark power. I recommend avoiding demons like Diablos."  
  
"I already got rid of it."  
  
"A wise move."  
  
She picked up another puzzle from the bench to fiddle with it. Likewise,   
this one had markings on it that she'd never seen before. It practically   
solved itself now that she could tell what she was trying to accomplish.  
  
Slowly, Alexander slid off of the stool he sat on. "Manifesting myself   
like this is draining. Whenever you wish to talk, invite me here." With a   
courteous bow he dissipated into the darkness.  
  
Kei let out a long sigh and sank down on the stool while stretching   
herself across the bench. She leaned her chin on the metal surface with her   
arms before her and a puzzle between her hands.  
  
She finally figured it out. After all this time, she finally figured out   
what she was supposed to be doing with herself. Instincts and fate carried her   
through up to this point, but now she could get herself on track with definite   
resolve. There was no reason to hold back or any excuses for slacking off.   
She'd be the best SeeD at Balamb Garden.  
  
'Xu will challenge you for that honor,' a bemused part of her quipped.   
Her cousin was good competition. Probably the only evenly matched rival she'd   
find if what she now knew was true.  
  
And why shouldn't it be true if it's what she believed? Truth and fact   
often intertwine. In this complex mind game of Anshin beliefs and spiritual   
revelations it appeared as though no one was going to force a distinction to be   
made between the two. Such nonsense. Life was better when it was   
straightforward. Then she wasn't left in the position of explaining something   
to the Headmaster that he'd either disregard as a cultural belief or send her   
off to speak with Doctor Kadowaki. If no one else did, Xu would understand.  
  
*****  
  
The unexpected extension of her stay allowed Kei the time to better   
reacquaint herself with her clansmen. This wasn't necessarily a good thing as   
she soon discovered. Much to her annoyance, they either held her in reverence   
or were afraid of her. Neither reaction was appropriate in her estimation.   
She found herself longing for the days when she was regarded as a troublemaker.   
At least then she was treated like a *person*.  
  
After the children were let out of classes for the day, Kei would greet   
her siblings as they came home. Not all of them arrived immediately after   
class, of course. The older ones had chores to do. Mikel would go racing   
through the house until he found her and dragged her outside to play with him.   
It'd been years since Kei let down her guard enough to enjoy the simple   
pleasure of playing in a sandbox.  
  
At first, the other children were afraid to play with her. Not because   
she was an adult and adults didn't indulge in such things, but because she was   
a Spirit. In a bold gesture that seemed out of place for the usually shy   
Mikel, he spoke up on her behalf, telling them that she was his sister first.   
That meant that she could play with them and then go do what the elders said   
she had to.  
  
Kei chuckled on the inside. She'd never done what the elders told her to   
regardless of her status within the clan. As long as Mikel understood that she   
was there for him, that's what mattered.  
  
Today's after school activities included a game of ball tag. It didn't   
take Kei long to discover that she was at a disadvantage versus the little   
monsters. Being nearly twice their size made her twice as big of target and   
them only half. They were also monkey-like in their gyrations. When did she   
lose the ability to bounce around as they did?  
  
Mikel came scrambling around a corner to avoid the ball thrown by an older   
boy. Life went into slow motion as she watched him slip on the gravel path and   
go crashing down to his knees. Things sped up again when his woeful cries   
shattered the peaceful afternoon. Kei was at his side in an instant to comfort   
him.  
  
It was a nice enough afternoon that they'd both changed into shorts when   
he came home. The consequences of this were twofold in that he had no   
protection from his fall, but at least it was easier to access the wound. Bits   
of gravel were embedded into the soft flesh. Blood welled up around it, the   
body's way of cleaning out the wound.  
  
The children gathered around them as Kei got a better look. "Well, let's   
get this healed up, hum?" She fished into a pouch and pulled out a Cure bead.   
Tears streamed down Mikel's cheeks as he watched her with curiosity. Small   
pebbles fell to the ground as the scrapes were healed completely by her spell.   
A kerchief from another pouch was used to wipe away the remaining blood.  
  
"All better," Kei announced cheerfully. Mikel's eyes were wide as he   
touched his knees with a testing finger.  
  
"The Spirit used *magic*," one of the kids whispered loudly.  
  
"Of course I did," Kei snapped. "There's no reason for Mikel to be in   
pain when there's something that can be done to relieve it."  
  
By then one of the other parents had arrived after being fetched by a   
concerned playmate. She looked ready to argue the point, but wouldn't dare   
because it would be improper to correct a Spirit in front of the children. Kei   
stood up while pulling Mikel to his feet. She shoo-ed him to go on ahead and   
get ready for dinner.  
  
"As a parent how can you allow your children to suffer needlessly?" She   
whispered for the mother's ears alone while passing her.  
  
The woman's eyes widened, then narrowed. Kei offered a brief bow in   
parting before following Mikel to the family home.  
  
Besides playing with her brother, Kei made it a point to visit the head   
elder again. The desire to learn more about Alexander and her bond to the   
Guardian Force ate away at the back of her mind like a disease. He did have   
more to teach her, she just had to be patient enough to listen. Their meetings   
were always held at his house with a pot of hot tea between them.  
  
The first topic of discussion after their greetings were exchanged was her   
healing Mikel. That and her words to the aunt hadn't gone unnoticed. Kei held   
no illusions that she would be able to slide by without some reprimand coming   
her way.  
  
"Why do you enjoy causing dissent among your own people?" The elder asked   
her in an off-handed manner.  
  
She answered him with equal levity in her tone. "Why do you insist on   
being wrong?" Her sweet smile only added weight to the sting in her words.  
  
He leaned back and chuckled in response. "You'll prod us in the direction   
you think we should go willing or not."  
  
"I can't change the way the clan thinks, only show them the error in their   
ways."  
  
"What if you're wrong?"  
  
Kei considered the tea in her cup before answering. "Do you honestly   
think it'll hurt my feelings to be rejected? I don't care what you decide, but   
I'm sure as hell not going to compromise my beliefs to conform with the clan's   
traditions."  
  
He sipped his tea, watching her over the rim of his cup. "Do as you will."  
  
A few days later, Xu's parents invited Kei over for dinner. She had never   
considered herself to be much of a social butterfly, but that's what she felt   
like during her extended visit.  
  
Dinner this time around maintained an amiable air until it came time for   
her to leave.  
  
"Will you please give this to Xu?" Her uncle pressed a small wrapped   
bundle into her hands. "It's time for this to be returned to her."  
  
"I'll deliver your package to her without fail," she assured.  
  
*****  
  
Two men occupied a comfortable annex office that was set off to the side   
of Kei's family home. A path of well-traveled gravel physically separated the   
two buildings from each other. This was as much for psychological effect as to   
establish the separation of the elder's family life and his duties performed   
within the office.  
  
Kei's father sat with the head elder. It was an informal meeting that the   
younger man did not look forward to.  
  
"How is your daughter doing?" The eldest asked. Kei's father had several   
daughters, but there was only one who had caught the attention of the elders --   
again.  
  
"She's doing well, and hasn't terrorized the aunt by the old well in a   
couple of days," he answered blandly. He'd already explained Kei's outburst   
and how she kept her anger in check to the old woman -- that no harm would come   
to her if she avoided Kei. That was one force even he feared -- her often   
unrestrained anger. It was part of the reason he was hoping that they were   
wrong...  
  
  
"The other morning I saw her playing with your youngest son. It's good   
that they have a chance to bond like this," the old man commented.  
  
He didn't answer. How could he answer? 'Yes, it's good that she has a   
chance to be with her brother before we send her back out to be killed.'  
  
The other noticed his lack of response. The younger elder's treatment of   
Kei was a longstanding issue between the two men. The part of Kei's father   
that was an elder understood the obligations one must fulfill at times. The   
part of him that was a father rebelled against sending his daughter into such a   
dangerous world. Especially after losing his first children.  
  
"She is a Spirit, you can no longer deny that," the oldest stated gently.  
  
He wanted to deny it. He wanted to stubbornly maintain that they were   
wrong about her. That she was no one special, just a hot-tempered girl. But   
that wasn't the case and he knew it.  
  
"Why do the Spirits keep claiming my children?" He sighed heavily. It was   
a complaint unfit for someone of his station. A thought he would never voice   
aloud to any other, not even his wife. The man he sat with was the only one   
who could offer a sympathetic shoulder for his ongoing grief.  
  
"You're not the only one to lose his children," he was reminded. "Think   
of your brother-in-law. He has only Xu."  
  
"If I had one child or ten, the number makes no difference. Perhaps I'm a   
selfish man."  
  
"No," the eldest disagreed, "you are a father."  
  
"And not a very good one at that. I pushed her away. I tried to drive   
her away from her destiny and only succeeded in earning her distrust. Will she   
ever be able to forgive me?"  
  
"That I cannot say," the old man said. "There is much the two of you need   
to discuss. You should do so while you have the chance. Who knows when you   
will see her again?"  
  
He nodded his agreement with the idea. He needed to make things right by   
her. To let her know that it was his intention to save her, not hurt her. And   
as her father and protector, he failed her.  
  
"I fear the wrath of Justice," he said. The best he could hope for was   
justice tempered with understanding and mercy instead of the anger that drove   
it.  
  
*****  
  
By midweek Kei found herself feeling nostalgic about her childhood home.   
She walked along the many criss-crossing paths remembering where they once lead   
and was surprised by where many ended up now. The clan was growing as it did   
every generation. More children were coming up in the traditional way and were   
ignorant of the world out there. She watched them from the path, torn as to if   
she should enlighten them or leave them to their peaceful ignorance. Did they   
ever feel the restlessness that plagued her as a child?  
  
It was after one of these long reflective walks that Kei quietly slipped   
into her family's home. It was far past a respectable hour to be awake. She   
had bid her aunt and uncle a good night after dinner but didn't immediately   
return home. Instead, she explored the many nooks and crannies that were her   
hidey-holes when she was a child. Some of them she was too big to reach any   
more, others were no longer there due to the passage of time. Those that she   
did find intact she spent time in reminiscing. She was back in this miserable   
place and yet... It felt like home.  
  
"You've finally returned," a deep voice that could only belong to her   
father said from the darkened family room as she passed by.  
  
With a soft sigh, she retraced her steps to stand in the room's arching   
doorframe. "It was getting late. I suspect that you'll have chores for me to   
do in the morning." She didn't begrudge the menial tasks that her parents gave   
her to do. They were nothing when compared to what her siblings had to do or   
what she did while growing up.  
  
She could only make out the faintest outline of where he sat on a   
comfortable couch. The hallway light that guided midnight runs to the lavatory   
was around the corner and provided little assistance in this situation.  
  
"Sit, Kei, we've needed to talk for nearly ten years," he invited. His   
voice sounded heavy to her, almost as though he had been crying. She sat on   
the step that led down into the room. With the light angling behind her and   
from the side, she was a dark silhouette against a white backdrop to him. She   
couldn't read his face and he couldn't read hers.  
  
"I was wrong. I didn't want to be right, and so I chose to be wrong. I   
knew... I knew from the day that you were born that you different -- special.   
Every day you grew bigger, stronger, smarter... The pride of any parent, and   
yet I knew.  
  
"I don't think you can understand the pain that caused me; knowing the   
things that I did. Knowing that I would lose your brother and sister   
beforehand. Wanting desperately to change the course of the future while being   
obligated to remain silent. Do you know how much it hurt to comfort your   
mother after their deaths knowing that I could have prevented them?" He had   
been crying earlier and resumed doing so. Muffled grief raked against Kei's   
ears as she listened to her father break down.  
  
She wasn't a woman without compassion and so spoke gently when addressing   
him. "What do you mean 'you knew'?"  
  
His outline leaned forward to get something off a nearby table before   
settling back against the couch. "Do you know why I'm an elder?"  
  
"Didn't you inherit the position from your father?" That's how these   
things worked as far as she knew. And one of her brothers would go on to be an   
elder himself once her father stepped down from the position.  
  
"What you say is true, but I have two older brothers who were eligible.   
The reason I was chosen to succeed was because of my gift. I have the 'gift'   
of ForeSight, a man cursed with knowing the future before it unfolds."  
  
Kei digested this news in stunned silence. Folklore had it that certain   
people were born with gifts, skills that weren't within the grasp of a common   
man. Some could communicate with animals and monsters. Others had an uncanny   
knack for knowing what the next day's (or next year's) weather would be like.   
There were a few legends regarding ForeSight. It was a gift that had a way of   
destroying the man who possessed it. His efforts to alter the future would   
either backfire or he'd go mad with his knowledge. Kei shivered on the inside.  
  
He resumed speaking, taking her silence as an invitation to continue. "I   
knew that you were a Spirit. How could I miss the brilliant shine that you   
resonate with? I'm a selfish man. I wanted to keep you here, away from the   
duty that claims you. You could never be happy here, I know that, this isn't   
the place where you belong. But I wanted you to stay where I could protect   
you."  
  
She swallowed the growing lump in her throat. She was torn between being   
angry with him and feeling pity because of the situation he was caught in. All   
his attempts to mold her were done in an effort protect her from her destiny.   
A destiny she never believed in.  
  
Or did she?  
  
Did Xu believe? No, she doesn't even know that she's a Spirit. Could   
that be why Xu's been feeling so restless? It was silly for her to even   
consider such hogwash as possibly holding a grain of truth. But if it did...  
  
His outline shifted again. A heavy sigh followed, "I knew that you would   
find me here one day, drunk enough to swallow my pride. You don't have to   
forgive me or even pretend to understand, but know why I've acted as I have."  
  
She didn't answer him.  
  
Instead, she pondered the purpose of her life. The meaning of life   
itself, really. What did it all matter in the end if the Anshin point of view   
was correct and this all was just a dream? If, one day, she died and then   
'woke up', what did her life here matter to anyone? Was this some sort of   
cosmic game being carried out at a deity's whim?  
  
The idea of having a destiny didn't sit well with her. No one else should   
be in control of her life except for her. But, another part of her argued, was   
she ever truly in charge of her life? As a member of SeeD, she'd handed her   
future over to them. If she were ordered to go into battle, she would go. She   
mulled over that revelation silently.  
  
The first streams of morning light streaked through the parted curtains of   
the family room. Her father's outline became more defined. She could make out   
his slouched form on the couch. A bottle of wine sat on the low table before   
him with a pair of glasses, only one of them containing any of the dark liquid.   
A deep rumbling came from her father. She mistakenly thought that he'd drifted   
off to sleep before he spoke.  
  
"Do you know what separates justice from vengeance?"  
  
She spent less time trying to figure out his riddle than trying to see   
where he was going with it. "What?"  
  
"Mercy. Never forget the value of mercy," he sighed heavily. This time   
the noise he produced was from sleep brought on by the liquor and the early   
hour. Kei approached her father, taking in his prone form. She'd never seen   
him like this before and doubted that she ever would again.  
  
She poured a splash of wine into the empty glass and held it in brief   
toast. "Thanks, old man."  
  
The sliding door that separated the family room from the rest of the house   
was slowly shut after she arranged her father for a peaceful sleep. No one   
would disturb him until he was ready to present himself again.  
  
Old fool. Why did it take them so long to see eye to eye?  
  
-----  
Please visit our website at http://www.centragarden.net  



	11. Part 11

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 11  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans gbeans@tyrlen.org  
with His lordship Chaos hislordshipchaos@hotmail.com  
additions by Quandry quandry@tyrlen.org  
edited by Helen Fong iriachan@yahoo.com  
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. www.squaresoft.com  
  
  
  
"SeeD Kei reporting," Kei saluted smartly before moving to the rest   
position. Cid waved for her to take a seat on a low couch that was off to one   
side of his office. Xu was already there pouring tea for the three of them.  
  
"I'm glad to have you back. What have you to report?" He inquired after   
accepting a cup from Xu.  
  
"A lot. Xu, if you'll assist me?" Her cousin stood up and moved to Kei's   
side. The elder SeeD hadn't taken the seat offered to her. "Please take your   
tunic off so that the Headmaster can see your back."  
  
Xu nodded her agreement and immediately began loosening her tie.  
  
"Really, ladies, that's not necessary," he protested when Xu turned around   
and slid her white undershirt off. A hand slithered behind her to undo the bra   
strap that was the last layer preventing an unrestricted view of the tattoo   
across her back.  
  
"Oh my," Cid breathed, his protests forgotten. He leaned in closer to   
take in the finer details. Xu kept her undershirt against her chest as she   
turned her head around to speak with her cousin.  
  
"So how am I supposed to see?" She teased.  
  
Kei batted the protest away. "I'll show you later."   
  
"You better not have cold fingers," Xu warned.  
  
"Whine whine whine," Kei touched the area between Xu's shoulder blades.   
"This is her name."  
  
"Yes, I remember the character," Cid admitted. Xu flushed slightly at the   
memory of why Cid would know it. When she first came to the Garden, she didn't   
know how to write her name in the standard language, so she signed her homework   
as she would back home. The Headmaster suggested exploring alternative   
spellings that were within the standard language character set. He had   
suggested 'Sue' since it sounded much like what she was saying and it wasn't so   
foreign. Kei suggested 'Xu' because it *did* reflect her foreign origins.  
  
Kei moved her fingers along the center of her back. "The reason we   
couldn't read the characters earlier, Xu, is because they are from an older   
form of the language. Pre-Lunar Cry times if the head elder is to be believed.   
They're supposedly close to the glyphs one would find at the Centra Ruins,   
though don't quote me on that.  
  
"These characters in the center indicates that Xu is a 'Spirit of   
Protection'. In my report I've explained at length what that means within the   
Anshin mythos. Needless to say, it's a calling of great responsibility."  
  
Kei's bland statement of how important such a declaration was caused Xu to   
look at her sharply. Her cousin acknowledged this with a shrug. "I don't   
expect the Headmaster to believe the way the Anshin do or to understand the   
significance within the culture."  
  
"What about you then? Are you a Spirit too? I bet you're the 'Spirit of   
Cynicism' if you are!" Xu barbed.  
  
Kei let out a bark of laughter. "According to them, I am a Spirit as   
well. The 'Spirit of Justice'," she pushed her thumb into her chest with an   
air of importance. Xu rolled her eyes.  
  
"That's all this world needs!" Xu shook her head. Cid watched them with a   
bemused expression before coughing discreetly to get them back on task.  
  
"Ah, yes, these eight characters ranged across the shoulder blades   
represent various elemental magics. The eight on the bottom are support   
magics. It took me a while to pressure the head elder into telling me why   
they'd put something like that on our backs. All he said was that it would add   
to our protection. I couldn't talk anyone into attacking me with magic to see   
if my resistance was increased. Maybe Xu will do the honors later."  
  
"Couldn't you have found a Jelleye? They use elemental magic," Xu pointed   
out. Jelleyes were the most common monster on the Serengetti plains. Almost   
more common than the tuffs of foliage that passed for plant-life in the desert.  
  
Kei put her hand up under her chin as she thought about it for a moment.   
"Now that you mention it, I was hit with magic when I beat down those Jelleyes.   
At the time I thought it was Alexander who was protecting me from suffering   
more than minor burns."  
  
"Alexander?" Cid immediately clued in on the unfamiliar name.  
  
"Yes, Alexander, he's a Guardian Force that is aligned with all that is   
Holy," she fished into her pouch and pulled out a milky white stone for the   
Headmaster to examine. He didn't remove it from her hand, but did nose in   
close to it. "The head elder gave him to me after they told me that I was the   
Spirit of Justice. He said that since I was aligned with Holy, I'd never have   
a high compatibility with Diablos. After touching Alexander for the first   
time, I knew that he was right."  
  
"Fascinating," Cid let the comment stand without further question, knowing   
that the full story would be in Kei's report. Now was the time for the   
highlights. He could call her back if he needed further elaboration.  
  
"Xu, there is a Guardian Force that you will bond with as well," Kei said   
softly. Xu had never seen her cousin refer to anything in such a   
near-affectionate manner. This relationship with Alexander was something more   
than a regular bonding. It was deeper. It was...  
  
"Carbuncle," Xu whispered.  
  
Cid leaned his head slightly to one side. "Carbuncle? Hum... Yes, there   
was a stone of Carbuncle's left in the training room some time ago in case a   
lesson required extra protection. Did you find it?"  
  
Xu nodded. "I found it. The first time I summoned Carbuncle, it was like   
the little green guy was my best friend. It got mad when I lent it to Myn..."   
Xu's voice trailed off as she considered what she was saying. She must sound   
like a madman to the Headmaster.  
  
"I'm sure I'll have more questions for the both of you after I've read   
Kei's report. Now, if you will kindly dress yourself, I have other things to   
which I must attend. Besides," Cid paused to pushed his glasses further up his   
nose, "it sounds as though you two have a lot to talk about."  
  
The SeeDs withdrew from the room after saluting him. Xu was quietly   
reflective as they walked to the Dormitory block. Kei almost ran into her when   
Xu stopped abruptly and turned to face her. "Is what you said true? About   
being a Spirit incarnate?"  
  
Kei shrugged her shoulders slightly. "It's what the elders believe to be   
true. But how often do the elders and I agree?"  
  
"Something tells me that you finally found your peace while you were   
there. You seem... different," Xu reflected.  
  
"I'm changed, just as you were changed. But isn't it the nature of human   
existence to be in a state of constant flux? Nothing remains the same   
forever."  
  
It was an argument Xu had used to encourage Quistis on many occasions in   
the past. She tugged at her tunic, straightening it before she continued   
walking. "Let's not discuss this now, hum?"  
  
Kei wordlessly followed Xu. She knew her cousin well enough to know when   
something had shaken her deeply. Despite what she said, Xu *did* believe in   
traditional values. To be told that she held a position of great importance   
within that structure would leave her somber for some time. Once Xu had mulled   
through her thoughts, Kei would be there to comfort her.  
  
*****  
  
"I can't believe you're making me do this," Myn complained good-naturally   
before casting a protective spell on himself. "Bad enough that you do this to   
me as a hobby, but now you've been officially endorsed by SeeD to injure me?"  
  
"SeeD Xu said I needed the practice. How am I going to know that I'm   
doing stronger casts if I don't have someone tell me?" Nym reasoned. Charring   
a rock as a measure of her performance was making things too easy. Nym wanted   
her twin in on her practice and there was no way she would allow him to squirm   
out of it. And so, he stood out in the Quad and braced himself to be the   
target of her magical attacks.  
  
They had both completed the pre-requisites to the SeeD written exam, which   
was being administered in six weeks. Now was their chance to do any last   
minute polishing before they were put to the test. Myn felt confident in his   
skills. Unfortunately, his twin didn't share his sense of readiness. SeeD Xu   
had commented on a few occasions about her weak spell casting. Nym was   
determined to improve herself before it came time to be tested.  
  
"Fira!!" Nym called while channeling as much power behind her bead-cast   
spell as possible. It was the weaker of the two techniques taught. That's why   
Nym never put much effort into perfecting it.  
  
Myn was physically pushed back by the force of the spell, but could tell   
that it wasn't as strong as if he had cast it against her. His twin frowned   
slightly before preparing for another attempt.  
  
They went on like this for a solid half-hour before anyone with enough   
authority to stop them came by. It just so happened that it was SeeD Xu who   
paused to watch Nym practice. When the cadet stopped to allow her brother a   
chance to wipe the heat-induced sweat away from his forehead Xu stepped up to   
speak with them.  
  
"You look like you need a break from being a target, Myn," she   
sympathized. "Why don't you go get something cold to drink from the   
Cafeteria?"  
  
"I have to help Nym practice," he protested weakly. Truth be told, he was   
getting tired. It took a toll on the body to be hit with one spell after   
another.  
  
"I'll take your place," Xu volunteered. Nym began to shake her head in   
refusal, but Xu insisted. Myn was sent to the Cafeteria to retrieve drinks for   
the three of them.  
  
"Hit me with the most powerful spell you've got," Xu encouraged, bracing   
herself for the attack. Nym frowned slightly, then settled into her mantra.   
It was no use trying to talk their Instructor out of it, not when she was dead   
set on the idea.  
  
Carbuncle stirred in the back of Xu's mind. It could sense the gathering   
of magic and the intent for it to be used against her. The Guardian Force   
prepared itself to protect Xu from the attack that was about to be unleashed   
against her.  
  
'No!' She ordered the presence in the back of her mind. Carbuncle   
recoiled, stunned by Xu's adamant refusal of assistance. It sulked, uncertain   
if she was angry because it had done something wrong. Xu wanted to tell the   
Guardian Force to leave her alone. She wasn't a host body for it to be carried   
around in, but her heart softened and she reassured it that it wasn't guilty of   
any wrongdoing.  
  
Nym's Fira spell crashed into Xu suddenly. She'd been so wrapped up in   
Carbuncle that she wasn't braced for the incoming attack. Xu fell hard to the   
cement.  
  
"Instructor!" Nym rushed to her side. "Are you okay?"  
  
Xu picked herself up from the ground, brushing off her uniform as she did   
so. "My pride is a bit scorched. Your casting has improved," she complimented   
with a small smile. What Xu didn't let show was the stunned surprised she felt   
at taking the attack full force with little damage resulting. She shouldn't be   
feeling this well after being set ablaze.  
  
Carbuncle made itself known again as it comforted her much as a pet would   
lick its master's hand. It was concerned for her. Did Carbuncle protect her?   
No, she had ordered it not to. Then what? The tattoos on her back as Kei had   
suggested? That couldn't be possible! Glyphs couldn't protect someone from   
the effects of magic... could they?  
  
"Instructor?" Xu's thoughts snapped back from her private wondering. Nym   
had a concerned look to her since Xu hadn't answered her question yet. Myn   
arrived then with their drinks.  
  
"I'm fine, Nym. I think you've put in enough practice for today. Go   
bandage your brother up and then get something to eat," she encouraged as she   
stood up. "I'll see you both tomorrow for our training session. Don't forget   
your GFs, Myn."  
  
"What just happened?" Myn asked with the three cups still cradled in his   
arms.  
  
"I don't know," Nym confessed. "Not even her uniform was scorched. How   
come they don't make ours out of that material?"  
  
  
  
Elsewhere in the Garden, Kei was searching for her cousin. She had yet to   
deliver the package from Xu's parents to their daughter. Xu wasn't in her   
quarters. Kei headed towards the Training Center next. It would have been   
easy enough to page for Xu, but that took the fun out of the hunt.  
  
Kei was so intent on finding Xu that she didn't notice the person outside   
of the training room until she nearly passed him. She paused and turned her   
head. Enju was leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. He   
looked as if he had been waiting there for her.  
  
"Welcome back," he remarked in a quiet if not idyllic voice.  
  
Kei said nothing, but continued to watch him. A curious tingle crept up   
her neck. Alexander whispered something in her mind, but she quickly shook it   
off.  
  
"Good trip?" he inquired.  
  
She nodded.  
  
A strange smirk appeared on Enju's face and he closed his eyes   
momentarily. The SeeD cadet then pushed away from the wall and started walking   
down the corridor away from Kei.  
  
Nothing more was said between them but Kei now knew something else about   
the 'reformed' assassin.  
  
"So," she murmured, scowling and not particularly liking what she had to   
say to herself. "You're a Spirit too."  
  
She resisted the urge to follow him, instead going on into the training   
room to look for Xu. Unfortunately, it appeared as though Xu found a place to   
disappear to today. Glancing at the chronometer, Kei noted that it was getting   
close to dinnertime. Maybe Xu had taken off early to get something to eat?  
  
Kei retraced her step out of the training wing to continue down the main   
corridor that ran around the Garden. The Cafeteria was two spokes away from   
her current location. She could swing by Xu's quarters once more on her way   
there to see if she had just missed her.  
  
When Kei tapped on the door to Xu's quarters it opened immediately. Xu   
was on her way out for dinner.  
  
"Do you have a moment?" Kei asked. Admittedly, what she wanted could wait   
until after dinner, but she wanted to carry out her 'duty' faithfully as she   
had promised.  
  
"What's up?" Xu brushed her hair back behind her ear. Her skin had a   
touch of pinkness to it that was the result of being magically burned. Kei set   
aside her curiosity about that for now.  
  
"I have something from your parents," she pulled the small cloth-wrapped   
package out from the nook of her arm. The cloth was held in place by a length   
of carefully tied twine.  
  
Xu accepted it with a puzzled expression on her face. She retreated back   
into her quarters to open it, inviting her cousin to follow. "Any idea what it   
is?"  
  
"No clue," she admitted.  
  
The twine was tied in such a matter that a knife was required to loosen   
it. It fell away, leaving the cloth wrapping to be undone. Xu undid the folds   
of cloth until she came to the item it contained. Her shaking hands held up a   
knife that would look quite ordinary in most any kitchen setting. That is to   
say if you were anyone except an Anshin.  
  
Xu swallowed the growing lump in her throat. What she held was commonly   
referred to as a Chef's Knife. The Anshin called it by its proper name: a   
Sacred Knife of the Tonberry. Xu's anxiety wasn't a result of her holding an   
artifact that the Anshin considered sacred. No, her fear was a direct result   
of recognizing the knife as being one she had used in battle when she was   
younger.  
  
Kei gently pushed her sheet white cousin down on the couch. There had to   
be a story behind Xu's parents giving her a Sacred Knife. Hell, she would like   
to hear how Xu parents even got one in the first place. Tonberries weren't   
known for handing them out to anyone who just happened to ask.  
  
Xu spoke slowly, reflectively, as the bafflement was evident in her   
dumbfounded expression. "I... recognize this knife, but..." her voice trailed   
off.  
  
Kei put an arm around her cousin's shoulder. Poor Xu. She'd been thrown   
through many loops lately and it looked like the joy ride wasn't nearly over.   
Kei wanted to be angry. Angry at *them* for causing Xu to have doubts, to feel   
so disheveled right now. But she couldn't, that part of her had been refined   
into a definite purpose. Just as Xu's purpose would soon come into focus.  
  
"Tell me about it?" Kei encouraged, trying to help her vocalize the   
thoughts that must be running rampant through her mind right now.  
  
"I never told you this before because I didn't think it happened this   
way," she explained in a whisper. "During my first coming of age I was   
attacked by the Jelleyes. I fought them off the best I could, but I lost my   
knife after sinking it into one of them. A Jelleye came from behind and   
wrapped me up in itself, suffocating me. Then I saw a glimmer on the ground   
that I thought was my knife. I squirmed my way free of the Jelleye and grabbed   
for the knife. They fell easily once I was armed again.  
  
"The days that followed are still a nightmarish blur. I remember the   
stream I laid by. I don't recall ever preparing food for myself, but I do   
remember eating. I hurt so much. In all my training for SeeD and the Weapons   
Guild I don't think I've ever been in as much physical pain as I was after that   
Jelleye attack.  
  
"Three days passed, I gathered my strength and dragged my sorry hide back   
home. That's also a blurred memory. From what I recall, I didn't stop to   
greet the gate watchman. I went straight home and fell onto my bed. I didn't   
even pause to take my shoes off at the door. I know that I was ill for a week   
after returning. It was a nasty fever that Mother still maintains was one of   
my worst."  
  
Xu paused in her story to examine the knife carefully. The grip had some   
dried blood on it. "I tried to clean the knife in the stream, but I couldn't   
get all the blood off," she explained. "I'd never held a knife before that   
day. I didn't realize that the knife I returned with wasn't the one I left   
home carrying.  
  
"I've wondered at times how I survived the attack. Jelleyes, while not   
exactly powerful, are more so than what I was then. It makes sense now. I   
survived because I used a Sacred Knife."  
  
Kei frowned slightly. Not all of the pieces of the puzzle were fitting   
together by her reasoning. "But how did you get it in the first place? It's   
not likely that a Tonberry would drop its Knife."  
  
Xu agreed, "A Tonberry wouldn't drop its Knife. Maybe it left it there   
for me? They do know more than we do. It makes sense in a way. I know that I   
didn't look for food during the time I was at the stream, but I did eat..."  
  
"You think a Tonberry kept watch over you?" Surprise colored Kei's tone.   
It wasn't unheard of (legends had to be based off of something) just very   
unlikely.  
  
Xu hung her head slightly, turning her gaze away from Kei to study the   
Knife. "I'm almost certain of it," she admitted quietly.  
  
"The elders must be right about you then. You are a Spirit of Protection.   
Tonberries wouldn't waste their time on a meaningless girl after all," Kei   
reasoned. "Speaking of the elders, I wonder if they know about this? I can't   
see them being happy about anyone, including a Spirit, using a Sacred Knife to   
kill monsters."  
  
"If they knew, things would have turned out differently for me," Xu   
stated. "I never told anyone except you that I was attacked. My parents   
surely know that *something* happened for me to come back with a Sacred Knife,   
but never confronted me about it. If they told the elders about the Knife,   
they would have been all over me."  
  
"This is true," Kei allowed. They wouldn't have sat on such knowledge one   
way or the other if they were in possession of it.  
  
Xu wearily leaned back into the couch. "I'm sorry, Kei, I'm feeling   
drained right now. Could we talk about this more tomorrow?"  
  
Kei nodded, knowing that Xu would stay up until the early morning hours   
thinking. "Get something to eat," she advised before standing up. "If you   
want to talk, you know where I am."  
  
Xu waved her thanks, then stretched out across the couch. She closed her   
eyes and focused on freeing her mind of its cluttered state. A small stone   
materialized in her hand. Strong fingers massaged it as she slipped further   
and further away from the immediate reality.  
  
A small creature was waiting for her when she entered the private work   
area of her Puzzle Stone. Carbuncle fluffed its tail at her then scurried over   
and demanded to be picked up. Xu took the Guardian Force into her arms and   
carried it over to the workbench, where she set it down. With large, dark   
round eyes it blinked at her cutely then bent over. Xu backed away from the   
bench as the creature grew in size and changed shape.  
  
"What the-?" The immediate question of how Carbuncle got into her work   
area was shoved aside in lieu of wondering what it was doing. It's a good   
thing that Xu was careful to keep her space clean so there was nothing to be   
knocked to the floor as Carbuncle continued to get bigger.  
  
Once it stopped growing, Carbuncle unfolded itself to reveal that it had   
changed into a shape that more resembled a human's. The hair on its head was a   
green tuff with short, emerald green fur covering its entire body. Its face   
was closer to a human's, but still had a muzzle in place of a human mouth and   
nose.  
  
"Berf!" It greeted happily.  
  
"Berf?" Xu asked.  
  
"Beeerf?" Carbuncle idly scratched an itch on its side with its hind foot   
while thinking about it. "Beeerftr? Beettr? Beettter?"  
  
"Better?" Xu volunteered.  
  
"Better!" It agreed with its muzzle twisting into an impish grin.  
  
"Speak hard," it explained. "Shuu no mad at 'Bunkl?"  
  
"What?" This couldn't be happening! Kei told her about her talk with   
Alexander, but she never expected to be speaking with a humanoid Carbuncle.  
  
"Shuu protek! 'Bunkl protek! Shuu 'Bunkl friend, no?" It blinked its   
large expressive eyes at her.  
  
"Well..." Xu began slowly, unsure as to what exactly Carbuncle was driving   
at.  
  
"'Bunkl no protek Shuu. Shuu no mad at 'Bunkl?" It pled again.  
  
"If you mean from earlier, I didn't want to be protected, so I'm not mad   
that you didn't," she assured.  
  
This seemed to be the answer Carbuncle was hoping for. It happily thumped   
its tail on the workbench.  
  
"Why are you here? Why did you choose me?" She pulled a stool out from   
under the lip of the bench then carefully sat herself out of tail whacking   
range.  
  
"Shuu 'Bunkl same," it squeaked gleefully, and then became serious as it   
peered down at her from its perch on the table. "Long time 'Bunkl 'lone. Shuu   
same. Spirit of Protek, 'Bunkl is. Shuu same. Shuu nice person. 'Bunkl make   
new friend!" That statement was punctuated with another enthusiastic tail   
thwap.  
  
"You certainly have a way with words," Xu drawled playfully. It was hard   
to be moody when Carbuncle was so happy. The creature surprised Xu by leaning   
over and hugging her. Xu returned the embrace hesitantly at first, and then   
more firmly when Carbuncle refused to let her go without putting some effort   
into it.  
  
"Speak hard, 'Bunkl change," it put words into actions as it curled up on   
the table once more and shrunk back down in size. The Carbuncle form she was   
familiar with walked up to the edge of the table and leaned against her,   
projecting warmth and affection for her. Xu petted the tuff of fur on the top   
of its head.  
  
Xu spent more time in her work area than she intended when she finally   
brought herself out of her meditations. She hadn't solved any puzzles, or even   
work on them. Instead she spent the time getting to know Carbuncle and more   
about herself.  
  
*****  
  
The next morning Xu felt utterly drained from her late night   
soul-searching session. This wasn't going to do, especially since she had to   
go to Balamb and pick up some items she'd ordered for the training room earlier   
in the week. Maybe she could find someone to run to Balamb for her? Then she   
could rest during the lunch break instead of going to town. The perfect   
candidate for the job presented himself shortly after breakfast.  
  
"You want me to go to Balamb?" Enju asked from his leaning spot against a   
nearby wall. Xu had noticed that odd quirk of his. He always kept a wall to   
his back if at all possible.  
  
"I'll release you from this afternoon's training session if you go on this   
errand for me. Here," she pulled out a slip of paper, "take this to the   
Parking Garage and they'll issue you a vehicle. There should be four boxes to   
be picked up that have all ready been paid for."  
  
"Alright," Enju agreed since she seemed set upon sending him. "I'll go   
get your stuff for you. Who am I to argue with a sanctioned road trip?"  
  
He pushed off the wall after stuffing the requisition form into a shirt   
pocket. If Xu was going to be so accommodating by giving him a vehicle to use,   
he was going to enjoy it.  
  
Now, where was Quistis? Today also happened to be her free afternoon.   
They could go joyriding to Balamb together. The way he looked at it, she was   
well deserving of a road trip herself.  
  
"No thanks," Quistis returned to flipping through the book she was reading   
when Enju finally found her in the Library. 'I want to spend this afternoon   
studying monsters' indeed! He huffed, then decided upon a tactic that was more   
likely to work with her.  
  
"Mistress Xu was the one who asked me to go. She said there were four   
boxes, which sounds like an awful lot of stuff to me. I could really use some   
help with it."  
  
Quistis paused in her page turning to consider it. "Take Myn with you,   
he's stronger," she resumed studying her book.  
  
Enju refrained from making an exasperated face, lest the cry of 'Augh!' be   
heard from his mouth. No matter, he had an answer for that one. "Both Myn and   
Nym are training with Mistress Xu this afternoon. You're the only other person   
I can ask."  
  
Another pause. "Hum, I'd forgotten about that. Okay, meet me here after   
your classes and we'll go."  
  
Success! Enju bowed slightly to the lady then left feeling quite pleased   
with himself.  
  
After classes Enju and Quistis went to the Parking Garage to get a   
vehicle. The guard charged with issuing them was hesitant to hand the keys   
over to Enju. He took the requisition sheet and then called Instructor Xu to   
confirm that she'd actually given it to that rascal. Xu confirmed that she had   
and asked him to quickly send Enju on his way. The guard shook his head at the   
state of the Garden nowadays and gave the keys to a beat up truck to Enju.   
Enju simply gave the guard a sincere smile and waved as he climbed into the   
cab.  
  
"I have got to do this more often," he stated.  
  
Quistis wasn't sure she shared in his exuberance; already she was starting   
to regret going with the likes of him. At least Balamb didn't offer him that   
much free space to roam; if this were Galbadia they'd probably return a week   
later from sightseeing.  
  
The truck itself was, by no means, the best vehicle Garden had, but it was   
gassed up and good enough to get them to Balamb and back. Enju coaxed the   
truck into moving without grinding the gears too much. This piece of crap   
truck didn't seem capable of being put into gear without grinding them some.   
He drove them out half a kilometer before pulling over to the side of the road.  
  
A quick check in both directions ensured they were the only ones around.   
Suddenly a conspiring grin appeared on his face. "You drive," he said before   
popping the door open. He was pulling the door open on Quistis' side before   
she even moved. She had to scoot over to the driver's side of the cab since he   
was coming in regardless.  
  
"I don't know how," she protested weakly.  
  
He just smiled at her, his eyebrows moving up and down in devilish glee.   
She already knew his answer. Now was the time for her to learn. She'd learned   
how to drive an automatic, but hadn't tried her luck with a stick shift yet.   
Enju briefly explained what to do. When she tried following his instructions   
she promptly killed the engine. It took several attempts, but she did manage   
to get her co-ordination to the 'bunny-hop' stage.  
  
"You've got the hang of it now," Enju encouraged, reclining in his seat as   
he placed his feet on the dashboard. "Let's get to Balamb before the shop   
closes for the night. I trust you know the way?"  
  
His eyes closed. "Wake me when we get there, will ya?"  
  
"Don't you dare fall asleep while I'm doing this!" Quistis stated firmly.  
  
Enju's eyes opened back up. "Just kidding," he sighed.  
  
Quistis eased the truck forward as she worked her ways up the gears. She   
was feeling pretty good about herself when the road turned sharply to the right   
and she did not. Quistis panicked and slammed on the breaks.  
  
"Don't slow down!" Enju exclaimed, trying not to get bumped out of his   
seat. "Not into the-" he voice dropped off as exactly what he was trying avoid   
happened, "mud."  
  
With an optimistic sound, the motor continued to hum.  
  
Enju's window was already rolled down. He stuck his upper torso outside to   
get a good appraisal of the situation and winced at what he saw. "Oh shit," he   
muttered to himself, before flashing the alarmed Quistis a half-hearted smile.   
It didn't seem to be convincing her.  
  
But this really wasn't her fault. A storm came through last night and   
turned the already soft earth of the Alcauld Plains into a thick mud.   
Screeching to a halt while driving on it was the worst thing Quistis could have   
done.  
  
"Okay, I want you to let the clutch out *slowly* without giving it any   
fuel. The truck is going to start moving on its own since there is already   
some fuel coming through to make it idle," he coached. Quistis gulped and   
tried to ease the clutch as he instructed, but only succeeded in bunny-hopping   
it again, thus making the problem worse.  
  
"Go ahead and shut it off. Let me see if there's something in the bed   
that we can use under the tires." He was disappointed, but not surprised when   
he didn't find anything he could use to get them out of this mess. He bent   
down to see how far the tires were sunk in. It didn't look *that* bad. Maybe   
he could give it a bit of a push and free them?  
  
It seemed like a good idea at the time, Enju reflected.  
  
He should have known better. The mud was slick and caused him to fall   
when his footing slid out from under him. Quistis, who had been faithfully   
sitting in the driver's seat, straightened up as she heard a large 'splork!'   
sound, followed by Enju's footsteps shuffling up to her side of the truck.   
When she looked out the window, she screamed as she was presented with what   
looked like a mud monster.  
  
"You don't have to scream right in my ear!" the mud creature groaned.   
Enju wiped some of the mud off his face, flicking his wrist with great   
distaste. "That's gonna stain."  
  
Now the truck was stuck *and* he was caked with mud. This was not going   
to be one of his better days.  
  
"Looks like we'll be walking the rest of the way," he arched his back then   
shrugged with resignation. Sometimes it was better to admit defeat and move on   
to the recovery stage.  
  
Not a single monster attacked them as they walked to Balamb. This could   
have been for a variety of reasons. The storm cloud that was forming over   
Enju's head at being humiliated in front of Quistis was enough to discourage   
anything from approaching. Or it could have been that the mud covering Enju's   
usually meticulously clean uniform acted as a camouflage of sorts. Perhaps   
life decided that it had made Enju's day difficult enough and decided to cut   
him some slack. Whatever it was, it made for a pleasant walk into town.  
  
The kid working in the garage pointed them to his boss. The grizzly old   
man pulled his tow truck around and told them to hop in. Enju's humiliation   
was growing with each passing moment. He'd have to pay for digging them out   
with his personal funds or have to answer to SeeD (and especially Xu) about the   
fee charged to the Garden.  
  
Luckily for him, his days as Death's Angel had made for quite the nest   
egg. It was ruthlessly pragmatic, but assassinations made a lot of money --   
though the field was a particularly brutal one to be involved with. Not that he   
was thrilled with having to fork over the gil in the first place. At least   
Quistis didn't ask him how he financed the towing.  
  
With the right equipment and a few well-placed boards the Garden's truck   
was out of the mud and onto the pavement once again. Enju signed the paperwork   
he was presented with. At least the fee wasn't too unreasonable.  
  
It wasn't until they were on the outskirts of Balamb that Enju noticed   
what time it was. "Shit! The shop might be closed!" He sped down the streets   
to come to a sudden halt in front of the General Store. A group of children   
that had been playing nearby stopped to stare at the cadets as they rushed to   
the door. It was too late, the door was locked.  
  
"Nooooo," Enju lamented. Failing a relatively simple task wasn't going to   
win him any points with Xu, especially since he was trying to get on her good   
side. Quistis cupped her hands against her face as she peered through the   
storefront window to see if anyone was inside. She then waved at someone to   
get them to come to the door.  
  
A middle aged woman unlocked the door and poked her head out. "I'm sorry,   
we're closed for the night," she apologized.  
  
"Please, we're here from the Garden to pick up Mistress Xu's stuff," Enju   
tried to keep the pleading tone out of his voice, but his desperation was very   
real.  
  
"Hum, yes," the woman considered their case. She looked Enju over in his   
muddy uniform, then glanced over at the muddy truck. She shook her head and   
motioned for Quistis to follow her. "You seem to be the only responsible one   
here," she confided to the young woman. Enju kept his mouth shut as he   
followed both of them into the shop.  
  
'They're just lucky I didn't bring a sword with me,' he thought to   
himself, stroking whatever was left of his tattered ego.  
  
"These are it," the woman pointed to a stack of four very large and   
undoubtedly heavy boxes. "It was a good idea for you to bring him along to   
carry them for you."  
  
Quistis giggled as Enju scowled and pretended (poorly) that the jab had no   
effect on his pride. He wordlessly hefted up the first box and carried it out   
to the truck. Whatever the hell Xu ordered, it wasn't light. By the final box   
he was panting as he pushed it up onto the bed. Quistis took over at that   
point by securing them with a rope. She thanked the woman for letting them get   
the packages and they were on their way.  
  
When they pulled into the Parking Garage Xu was waiting for them with her   
arms crossed and an impatient scowl on her face. "What took you so long?" She   
demanded of Enju.  
  
Enju raised his hands to try and placate her. "I know this looks bad," he   
admitted, "but I can explain." He then looked down at his soiled uniform, and   
back at the equally soiled truck. "On second thought, no, I can't," he sighed.  
  
Xu's frown only deepened. "After you've unloaded the boxes I want you to   
change into some work clothes and report back here to clean the truck.   
Quistis," the girl snapped to attention, "you help him. Once the truck is   
washed you may shower and get something to eat. I expect both of you in my   
office first thing in the morning to tell me what the hell you were up to all   
afternoon."  
  
Xu pinned them both back with a glare and then left them to go about their   
assigned tasks.  
  
Enju sighed and hung his head with shame. "I'm really sorry about getting   
you in trouble, Quistis. Next time I'll drive... if you even want to come   
along. I really shouldn't have brought you in the first place."  
  
'If there even is a next time after Xu finishes with me,' he reflected   
silently. She was definitely like Kei when it came down to discipline. If she   
felt the circumstances warranted, she'd shove her boot so far up your ass that   
you'd be left with a footprint on the back of your tongue for a month.  
  
Quistis shook her head. "No, we're not in trouble. Xu was worried about   
us and that made her angry. We're not being punished. We would have been   
expected to clean the truck regardless."  
  
Two burly cadets came up to them. "'Structor Xu said you have some things   
of hers?" The bigger of the two asked. Enju pointed to the truck and the boxes   
in the back. He was glad that he didn't have to move them to the cart by   
himself. Getting them to the truck in the first place was more than enough   
exercise for today.  
  
"Any idea what's in these things?" He asked one of them.  
  
"Equipment for the training room. Some new free weights, a set of wall   
pull-up bars, I think there was a medicine ball in there too," he commented   
absently.  
  
Enju sighed, 'In other words, the heaviest damn stuff she could order.'  
  
Washing the truck was more enjoyable than he admitted. Quistis took the   
bait when he 'accidentally' sprayed her with water. It would have turned into   
a water fight if it weren't for the guard scowling at them from across the way.   
Enju kept his hands to himself as he scrubbed down the truck. A beautiful girl   
and water wasn't an opportunity that should be wasted. What a shame...  
  
It was just after the usual dinner rush that the two finished. A   
bedraggled Enju walked into his dorm room, soaked, tired, and his uniform still   
stained with mud. Despite the washing reprieve it had not been a good day,   
especially given what he had to face tomorrow with Xu.  
  
He turned and stared straight at Myn with a deadpan look.  
  
"So," Myn remarked, unable to stop from grinning. "How was the road trip   
with Quistis?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
  
  
Xu didn't waste any time in ripping them apart the next morning. There   
was no doubt that she was still angry about yesterday and fully intended for   
them to know it. Quistis didn't so much as blink as Xu listed each and every   
regulation their little jaunt violated. It wouldn't surprise him if Quistis   
were reciting the regulations along in her mind as Xu read them from a   
clipboard.  
  
"In short, if you two ever pull a stunt like that again I'll have both   
your asses, understand?" Xu growled.  
  
"Yes, sir!" Quistis snapped a perfect salute. He envied her easy   
acceptance of being busted. Her neutral expression could have been used to   
acknowledge the busting or if Xu had just congratulated them on a job well   
done. He was used to this, but it had been a long while since he'd been   
berated by Niethe or Talasu. This was not bringing back any fond memories for   
him.  
  
Xu's cool gaze bore into him as she waited for his acknowledgement. "Yes,   
sir," he saluted, but without Quistis' crispness.  
  
"Very well, dismissed," she waved them out of her office.  
  
Enju didn't release his breath until they had entered the training area   
proper. "I thought you said she wasn't mad?"  
  
He'd faced worse reprimands in the past, but Xu had a way for making   
someone know that she was angry without raising her voice. How her usually   
accented speech mysteriously became clear as a bell was unnerving to say the   
least. He idly wondered if Quistis even noticed the difference. Or, for that   
matter, did Xu? Her enunciation improved dramatically when she wanted to make   
what she had to say abundantly clear. Now probably wasn't the time to point   
that out to her.  
  
"Xu only gets mad when it's justified," Quistis defended. "We screwed up   
and she called us on it." Enju was oddly pleased that she used 'we' versus   
'you'. Trouble loved company and he seemed to have a knack for attracting it.   
Quistis looked at her chronometer, noting that there was still enough time left   
to get something from the Cafeteria before classes started for the day.  
  
"See you later," she waved to him as she went on her way. It was such a   
sharp contrast, the Quistis walking away from him compared to the one he first   
met. This one was unusually confident in herself. Perhaps an experience like   
this was needed to pry her out of her shell? Or maybe having her old friend   
back was doing more for her self-esteem than any of them realized. The   
familiar was a comfortable thing and provided a solid base for building upon.  
  
Funny how his version of 'familiar' always came back to the sharp edge of   
steel and bodies littered in his wake.  
  
Enju played with that idea as he meandered towards the Cafeteria. Then   
another familiar event occurred. Kei stepped out in front of him in the   
hallway. He paused with his back leaned up against the wall to let her pass.   
She used that tendency of his to pin him against the wall.  
  
"You're a Spirit too," Kei said softly in a tone that invited no argument.   
"You've felt the pull, but haven't been able to understand what it means."  
  
"Oh, not this again." The fact was, he knew exactly where she was going   
with this. She'd tracked him down yesterday to tell him all about how he was a   
'Spirit' or something like that. It had to do with some bizarre beliefs from   
her homeland. He wasn't Anshin. He didn't get it. He really didn't care to.  
  
But in Kei's eyes, it certainly explained why he was so unfocused and   
almost contradictory to himself as times such as these. He was only just   
starting to understand his destiny, and thusly only just starting to discover   
who he really was.  
  
Enju wasn't in the mood for revelation or introspection.  
  
This morning left him feeling unsettled. There was no reason for Mistress   
Xu to have intimidated him as much as she had during the last two days. She   
had nothing over him... Or did she? The uneasiness he felt could be written   
off as some association to Xu that he didn't know about if Kei were to be   
believed. But then again that was absurd.  
  
"All your fumbling around up to this point as led you here; to the Garden.   
This is where those who will lead the future have gathered to train. Keep that   
foremost in your mind and stop distracting Quistis. She's too important to be   
caught up in your foolishness."  
  
That irritated him. He only wanted to show the young lady a good time.   
Getting the crap beaten out of her in the name of training by a pair of   
psychopath Anshin didn't strike him as very educational. He gave himself a   
mental shake. He didn't have time for her bull today, not if he wanted to   
catch up with Quistis for breakfast.  
  
Enju abruptly smirked. He'd have a bit of fun before brushing her off.   
"Really? Forgive me for not thanking you for such a revelation, Kei."  
  
"You don't believe me?"  
  
He shook his head. It had come to his attention that she was watching him   
with increased intensity after she returned to the Garden. Whatever nonsense   
got pounded into her head while she was away needed to be knocked back out   
again. Spirit of Justice? Spirit of Protection? Ha! Spirit of the Balamb   
fish! She could take her philosophical crap and shove it for all he cared.   
The fact that she insisted on incorporating him into her world views irked him.   
He wanted nothing to do with it and would continue to do everything within his   
power to resist.  
  
"You make it all sound so neat and tidy," he sneered, "a wonderful little   
package of life all wrapped up for me. Well, I don't believe in destiny. I   
despise the idea of someone or something having already determined my course in   
life. Talasu said something along the same lines a long time ago, and that was   
one of the reasons I left the Guild: to prove I could forge my own destiny,   
apart from anyone else's. I don't bow to prophesy."  
  
"I was like you," Kei admitted softly. "I'd have nothing to do with it,   
but you can't deny what you are. You can't deny that you're a Spirit."  
  
"Whatever," he waved it off. He slipped past her to continue on his way   
before turning to get in a parting shot. "I think I like your cousin better.   
She's as much of a hard ass, but at least she's sane!"  
  
Kei closed the distance between them and yanked him around to continue   
their conversation. "Do you honestly believe that you have control of your own   
future? Look around you. Take a good hard look! You're in a Garden training   
to be a SeeD. Your 'destiny' is in the hands of Cid Kramer. You have no say   
in the matter!"  
  
He pulled his arm free. "Fuck you, Kei. I'm the only one in control.   
You more than anyone else know what I'm capable of."  
  
She grabbed a handful of his uniform tunic and tossed him around. He   
slammed against the nearby wall before sliding down it. That had managed to   
get a rise out of her, he ruefully thought as he rubbed the back of his head   
and glared at her.  
  
With a smirk she bent down to sneer at him. "Even gravity has its way   
with you. Accept those forces which you cannot control and learn to work with   
them."  
  
Enju stood, his eyes narrowing. "Is that a challenge?"  
  
"It's a statement of fact."  
  
"Well if you're a Spirit of Justice," he remarked, taking a fighting   
stance. "Let's see just how powerful you really are."  
  
Kei cracked her knuckles. She hadn't planned on this being so difficult,   
but didn't mind the chance to take a few swings at him. They were both   
unarmed, leveling the playing field that much more. 'This'll be interesting,'   
Kei thought with a sharkish grin.  
  
Enju could feel a familiar presence stir during the heat of conflict. It   
growled and wanted out. But not here, it was too cramped in the corridors.   
The voice told him to run.  
  
"Since when did you wake up without being summoned first," he muttered to   
himself.  
  
He wasn't a coward, but it wasn't a bad idea. The hallway wasn't the best   
place to be duking it out. When he was at this much of a disadvantage it was   
best to find another forum to battle in. Where to go?  
  
Came a helpful suggestion: 'Training Center....'  
  
"You always did have a flair with choosing your fights," he said quietly,   
nodding in agreement with the idea. The Training Center wasn't far from here.   
Once in the Training Center he could hide in the foliage until Kei gave up on   
trying to find him. The only concern was with the Center's local residents.  
  
'I'll discourage them....'  
  
That was something Enju didn't doubt. It was the best plan for both   
escape and/or confrontation. The oddity of having a conversation like this   
didn't register with him, not when there were more immediate concerns.  
  
"Are you ready for me, Kei?" he inquired.  
  
Kei gestured with her hand for him to come forward and try his ill-fated   
luck.  
  
Enju just chuckled in response, his body tensing up. "But first, a magic   
trick. Now you see me."  
  
Suddenly he turned and raced down the corridor, kicking off the walls as   
he reached an intersection and dove into an adjunct corridor. Of all the moves   
he could have made, that was the one Kei hadn't expected him to do.  
  
"And now you don't!" laughed Enju's echoes. "Enjoy the hunt, Kei!"  
  
Like a rabid dog she was on his heels nipping at him. The first set of   
security gates to the Training Center slid open as he paused long enough to   
slip between them. Kei had just passed through them by the time he was down   
the long entrance hall and passing the second set of gates that separated   
humans and monsters. Which way should he go? He felt a nudge to go through   
the west gates towards the off limits overlook.  
  
Not a single monster approached him as he continued running. He was   
through the west gates with Kei still in hot pursuit. Skills honed by years of   
experience allowed him to easily leap up and catch a hold of a low hanging tree   
branch. He scaled up the tree to hide amongst the thicker cover. People so   
rarely looked up when searching for something.  
  
"Best seats in the house," he remarked quietly.  
  
He watched as Kei came through the gate. She gave the immediate area a   
cursory glance. Caution took over and she carefully looked around for him   
while being on guard for monsters. It was a dangerous game they played by   
being in here without weapons. He half hoped that fact alone would be enough   
to encourage Kei to look for him somewhere else. Apparently she wouldn't be   
dissuaded that easily.  
  
Enju was so wrapped up in hiding that he didn't see the T-Rexaur come down   
on Kei until it had engaged her. She managed to avoid its tail swing, but it   
was difficult to escape from a T-Rexaur, especially when alone. Challenging it   
was her only recourse.  
  
"DIE!" She ordered, summoning the icy Guardian Force Shiva. It would take   
more than one summoning of Shiva to defeat a T-Rexaur. Even a young one like   
this could take a beating and keep on feeding.  
  
'Your choice,' the voice growled. 'Fight or flee.'  
  
He already knew the voice's preferred option, given how darkly it spat out   
the latter option. This was the first time it had ever reacted so strongly   
outside of their first encounter. Enju looked back at the SeeD.  
  
Kei would be busy for a while fighting the T-Rexaur by herself, but he   
couldn't very well leave her. The chances of the T-Rexaur winning were too   
great. He climbed down the branches until he was low enough that it was safe   
to jump. Once he was on the ground, he turned back towards the tree he'd just   
been hiding in.  
  
"You did well to guard me. I won't forget your sacrifice," he saluted the   
tree, then began his summons. Quezelcoatl answered, spreading its wings wide   
before attacking the target he indicated. A bolt of lightening streaked down   
from above to split the tree. The tree's thick trunk gave it the weight   
necessary to accomplish his end of crushing the T-Rexaur.  
  
Kei's eyes went wide at the sudden flash above her. The monster also   
noticed this sudden change of events. It tried to backpedal out of the way of   
the falling timber, but it was in vain. The tree came down on the monster with   
a sickening thud. It roared with pain and thrashed about, tail thumping   
against the ground. In the end, it didn't matter.  
  
Enju strolled over the smoking base of the trunk, his eyes fixated solely   
on Kei. "I'll have no interruptions during our duel," he stated coldly,   
gesturing for Kei to make the next move.  
  
The thought of thanking him never even crossed her mind. She charged and   
tried to throw a Fire spell at him while on the move, but had little success.   
Enju was racing off again down the path, easily dodging almost everything she   
could hurl at him.  
  
"C'mon, Kei, stop wasting my time!" He taunted.  
  
"I'll show you a waste of time," she growled angrily while scooping up a   
rock from the ground. What she lacked for concentration when it came to   
casting spells she made up for in throwing on the run. The rock pegged him in   
the middle of the back. Enju stumbled, then tripped as his feet became tangled   
in the underbrush. There was barely enough time for him to register what the   
hell had happened before Kei tackled him and began punching on his vulnerable   
side.  
  
He let out a shout of growing anger and pain as he tried to get away from   
her. A Grat saved him when it knocked Kei aside with a hit from one of its   
limbs. She leapt to her feet and proceeded to destroy the interfering Grat   
with another pounding delivered by Shiva.  
  
He rolled away into the brush, moving deeper into the Center. Without his   
weapons, he was at a sore disadvantage even when armed with his stealth. Kei   
was proving both relentless and damn near unstoppable. He needed to either   
shake her off or beat her down. The latter option was becoming more and more   
appealing with each passing minute.  
  
'Stop stalling. Unleash me...'  
  
"Give me a minute," he hissed through his pants for air. His eyes were   
growing glazed, the instinct to shed blood returning in a dizzying rush.  
  
  
  
A buzzer sounded in Xu's office. She acknowledged the incoming call and   
put it up on her screen. A hooded Shumi ducked briefly before speaking.   
"There is a disturbance in the Training Center. Please come immediately."  
  
When Xu arrived there were several Shumi milling about in the hallway   
leading to the Center proper. The one that had called her motioned for her to   
join it. "The monsters are restless. Everyone except SeeD Kei and Mister Enju   
vacated the Center when a general announcement was made to come back."  
  
"Have you began pinning up the monsters?" She asked. This Shumi had taken   
more initiative than most would have in such a situation. They usually got the   
emergency under control then left the rest to their human counterparts. Then   
again, they didn't know where Kei and Enju were, or what caused the emergency   
in the first place.  
  
"May we accompany you?" Myn held up his weapon with a roguish grin. "Nym   
and I were training when we were ordered to leave. If you're going to   
investigate, you should have backup."  
  
Xu agreed, "Let's go." She wasn't sure which path to go down first, the   
west gate or the north gate. Carbuncle pushed her to try the west gate. It   
was as good of reason as any to choose that direction.  
  
Once they were through the gate she could see why Carbuncle encouraged   
them to go this way. At least one large tree was down with a T-Rexaur crushed   
beneath it. It wasn't an encouraged method for eliminating monsters, but it   
certainly worked in this case. There was significant damage to the surrounding   
plant-life. As they moved in further the monster body count continued to rise.   
Whoever came this way cut a disturbingly wide swath of destruction.  
  
"Where are the monsters?" Nym wondered aloud as she kept a look out.  
  
"They're smart enough to know when something bigger than them is around   
and out for blood," Myn answered.  
  
A loud explosion came from up ahead. Xu broke into a run with Nym and Myn   
a half step behind her. The source of the destruction wasn't far.  
  
  
  
Kei had caught up with Enju on the make-out point overlooking the Garden,   
but this time he had been waiting for her instead of running. Despite the   
wounds she'd given him, he was still on his two feet, and remained ignorant of   
the blood trickling down his face and one arm.  
  
"Ha!" Kei crowed. "I've got you cornered. It's one hell of a drop off   
the lookout point!" There was no way she'd let Enju get away now. The secret   
meeting place of those who wished to explore their relations with other would   
be the location of the greatest beat down in Garden history if Kei had her way.  
  
"Give it up, Enju," she ordered.  
  
Enju abruptly broke into one of the most sadistic grins Kei had ever seen   
him use. He looked every part the feared killer he had once been reputed as.   
"You've had your fun, Kei," he stated, stretching out his hands. Kei was   
immediately on the defensive as she felt him gathering power. Whether or not   
he realized it, he was summoning his Spirit powers.   
  
Enju laughed momentarily. "Spirit. Cadet. Assassin. Right now, I don't   
care what the hell I'm supposed to be." His eyes widened in unbridled fury. "I   
just want to kick your ass!!" he shouted.  
  
Kei stepped back as the Guardian Force Diablos exploded from a black cloud   
of dark energy that formed above Enju's body. Given the strength Diablos had,   
it was obvious those two were perfectly aligned. She'd never seen Diablos   
behave this way with anyone before.  
  
"Permit me to introduce to you a close friend of mine," he snarled, still   
working on drawing out as much energy from himself as he could. If there was   
ever a human expression to match the snarl on Diablos' face, Enju was mirroring   
it.  
  
Kei only smirked as she called upon the power of Alexander to defeat the   
demon.  
  
"What the hell?!" Xu exclaimed as she came rushing up to the outskirts of   
the battle.  
  
"They look really pissed off," Myn said, lowering his weapon in horrified   
awe of the two GFs raging inside the Training Center.  
  
Nym wasn't paying attention to the dramatics. "They're going to kill each   
other," she yelled to Xu over the howling winds. "And us with them!"  
  
Xu took out her GF stone. "Carbuncle!" 'Please be in time,' she begged.   
'Protect them from each other, and us from them!'  
  
With three Guardian Forces now being summoned, Myn and Nym knew better and   
ducked for cover behind a rock outcropping. The world around them flashed   
between dark and bright as the Guardian Forces clashed. The last color seen   
was red as Carbuncle was too slow in answering its summons. The battle was   
already over.  
  
*****  
  
Enju's eyes fluttered open and were presented with the faces of Myn, Nym   
and Quistis all looking down at him. "Am I dead?" he managed to croak out.  
  
Quistis shook her head, just relieved that he was okay.  
  
"Guess not," Enju sighed. "Did I win?"  
  
"At the risk of shattering your fragile ego," Myn said. "You got your ass   
kicked across the five continents and back."  
  
Enju sighed and tried to sit up. It was then that he discovered that   
moving really wasn't one of his better decisions as of late. His vision swam   
until he lay back down again. He was fairly certain that he was in the   
Infirmary. There was no mistaking the antiseptic smell of a medical office.  
  
"How's Kei?"  
  
Quistis leaned forward with her arms across her chest. "Recovering well.   
You got your licks in, but they're minor compared to what you took. She's been   
confined to quarters until further notice. As you've been confined to the   
Infirmary."  
  
Enju groaned on the inside. Well, it wasn't unexpected. Not that he   
could go anywhere right now as it was. His head hurt so damn much. Couldn't   
Doctor Kadowaki give him something to get rid of this headache?  
  
"How pissed is Xu?"  
  
Quistis brushed back a few strands of hair from his forehead. "Let's not   
discuss that right now."  
  
"Because Xu isn't the one you need to worry about. The Headmaster is   
furious," Myn added darkly. Nym gave him a solid poke in the side to keep him   
from making further comments that might upset Enju.  
  
"Shit," he muttered. The Headmaster promised that there would only be   
trouble if he caused it and he'd certainly done that. Damn Kei! Why wouldn't   
she leave him alone? If she'd just picked up on the hint that he didn't give a   
flying fuck in the first place, he wouldn't be in this mess.  
  
  
  
While the cadets comforted their classmate, one SeeD visited another.  
  
Xu sat on the edge of the bed Kei was stretched out on and simply watched   
her cousin. She didn't say anything. She didn't have to. Kei could *feel*   
the disapproval radiating from her.  
  
All right, Kei was ready to admit that she was wrong, but having Xu   
sitting there not saying anything made her feel even worse. Stupid Enju! If   
he'd only believed her and accepted the truth for what it was in the first   
place, she wouldn't be in this mess.  
  
*****  
  
Cid leaned back in his leather office chair and closed his eyes as he   
thought. "What should I do with them?" It was a rhetorical question, so Xu   
didn't offer any suggestions from her position seated across him. She would   
rather not be involved with this part of the disciplinary process, but since   
the transgression had occurred in her Training Center she had to be.  
  
How they caused as much damage as they did still baffled her. Crews were   
working to remove the bodies of one smallish T-Rexaur and nine Grats in   
addition to three fallen trees and tens of thousands of gil worth of damage to   
the building's structure itself. Two people bent on the destruction of the   
Garden itself couldn't have done a better job of damaging it than they did.  
  
The cost of damages was a relatively minor point when the larger issue of   
breach of disciple was added into the equation. It simply wouldn't do to have   
a SeeD attempting to kill a cadet or vise versa. This was not the image SeeD   
wanted to project to the world. It was *very* unprofessional of them, never   
mind being dangerous and flat out stupid. What if one of them had succeeded?   
They weren't being very careful in how they accomplished their ends. What if a   
Life spell wasn't able to revive the fallen person? Damn fools!  
  
"What started this, Xu? I've read both of their statements and don't   
understand what Kei was so worked up over," he tossed the printouts back onto   
his desk after flipping through them once more.  
  
"Anything I suggest is purely speculation, of course," she began slowly.   
She'd read the reports herself and understood more than she wanted to. Why did   
Kei insist on dragging out the heritage that she'd abandoned years ago and   
slapping Enju around with it? Enju didn't understand it any more than Cid did,   
but Kei was bent on making him conform. Such an about face was out of   
character for her stubborn cousin. Did Alexander really have that much of an   
affect on her? Or did she grow that much in a few short weeks..?  
  
He nodded, "Of course, please continue."  
  
"As I understand it, Kei and Enju have had an ongoing rivalry. I'm not   
sure exactly what started it. I thought they'd come to a tacit agreement to   
avoid each other.  
  
"Kei was changed by her trip to Centra, as was I," she paused. How could   
she explain this to him in a way that didn't sound silly or undermined the   
significance of the experience? Cid met her eyes. He wanted to understand   
this event that was so foreign to him but significant to her.  
  
"Spirits are important. They're the ones who guide us from this plane of   
existence to the Path of Life. They're like our Guardians. Usually they don't   
interfere with our day-to-day lives, but when they do you can be certain that   
there's a very good reason. To have Spirits incarnate themselves as humans is   
even more rare. The Anshin view it as an omen of difficult times to come," she   
stopped. Cid's expression hadn't changed from polite neutrality during her   
explanation. She couldn't tell if it was because he accepted this or was   
privately mocking the idea.  
  
He rocked back in his chair, "So who is the Spirit incarnate?" He asked   
plainly. The tone in his voice wasn't challenging, simply inquiring as to what   
she believed to be true.  
  
"I am, sir."  
  
He continued his rocking. "And are Kei and Enju?"  
  
"Kei believes that she is. I'm unsure about Enju, but Kei is convinced."  
  
Cid grunted and then stopped fidgeting. "How dependent is magic on   
believing yourself capable of it?"  
  
Xu blinked at the sudden change of topics. The answer was one that he'd   
drilled into all his students. "Very, you can't do it if you don't have faith   
in your ability."  
  
"Allow me to make a few skips in logic then. You and Kei *believe* that   
you are capable of greater 'magics' and thus are when you push yourselves. Kei   
believed that Enju was capable of the same leap and became frustrated when he   
resisted her instruction."  
  
Her head cocked slightly at his bending of the perceived facts. She   
abruptly straightened up. "Yes, that sounds about right," she agreed.  
  
"And so, Kei was simply instructing Enju via rigorous training. The   
damage to the Training Center is unfortunate, but we do make allowances for   
such occurrences in the budget."  
  
"As you say, sir."  
  
Cid couldn't be justifying their actions! What good did having some   
cooked up reason do them?  
  
"Very good. If anyone asks about the Training Center, it was a training   
accident. I will speak with both of them after they have recovered further. A   
second occurrence of such," he paused as he searched for the appropriate word,   
"destructive practices cannot be allowed."  
  
"I'll get back to the Center. The workers were still building the   
temporary supports when I left," she saluted him then retreated from his   
domain.  
  
A Shumi entered his office as Xu showed herself out. Cid held up his hand   
to stop it from saying anything. "I'm coming, allow me a moment to finish this   
report."  
  
The Shumi took up a position by the door to patiently wait for Cid. 'Too   
bad the one we're going to see isn't nearly as forgiving,' Cid thought darkly   
as he penned a few final notes regarding this recent issue.  
  
*****  
  
Kei dug her head back into her pillow. For the first time in her life she   
wished that her beloved cousin would go away. Xu visited her every noontime   
between class sessions to have lunch with her.  
  
Her cousin wasn't annoying; Xu was never like that. In fact, she was   
quite attentive to Kei's every need. But what disturbed her was exactly that.   
Xu shouldn't be so nice to her, not after what she did to destroy Xu's Training   
Center. Kei knew how many late nights Xu put in to get it up to her high   
standards. How many late nights her temper blithely wasted in a moment of   
anger.  
  
"Is there anything I can get you?" Xu asked, nudging Kei's legs aside so   
that she could sit on the edge of her bed.  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"What would you like for lunch?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Xu gave her a warning look. If there was one thing Xu was anal about, it   
was maintaining a healthy diet. This quirk was usually restricted to her own   
diet, but since Kei was injured and 'couldn't take care of herself' Xu took   
over her meal planning. Not eating wasn't an option in Xu's book unless there   
wasn't anything available. Whenever Kei skipped a meal and Xu found out about   
it, she was faced with her cousin's lectures about the need to maintain a high   
calorie diet in their line of work and whatnot. Xu could be such a mother hen.  
  
"I'll have whatever you're having," Kei amended to stem off the lecture   
before it started. Xu nodded in agreement of her wise choice and left briefly   
to get their meal.  
  
What to do? The guilt was eating away at her. Why wouldn't Xu just yell   
at her? Get angry and pound on her or something!  
  
Kei sighed. That wasn't Xu's style. She was more sophisticated than   
that, more in control of her emotions. She would have never lowered herself to   
such a juvenile stunt as picking a fight with a cadet.  
  
Xu returned with a tray between her hands. She curled up to make room for   
her cousin on the end of the bed. They ate in silence. Moments stretched on   
into minutes and Kei became restless.  
  
"What's going to happen to us?"  
  
"Hum? You and Enju?" Xu glanced up from her plate with a questioning   
look. "You won't be publicly reprimanded, though you certainly deserve it.   
I'm not sure what Cid's decided your punishment should be. I think he's   
leaning towards drafting the two of you into the reconstruction efforts."  
  
Kei frowned, then nodded. "That's only fair."  
  
"More than fair."  
  
The conversation lapsed into another awkward pause. Well, awkward for   
her. Xu didn't seem the least bit uncomfortable as she chewed on her greens.  
  
"Why aren't we being busted publicly?"  
  
Xu swallowed hastily, "It'd look bad for SeeD. Best to keep such matters   
in house, you know?"  
  
"Yes, I suppose so."  
  
Another pause.  
  
"Why did you do it?" Xu broke the silence this time, watching her cousin   
intently -- the tray across her lap forgotten.  
  
"I-" she stopped, then laughed. Xu's eyebrows arched at this unexpected   
response. "I can't explain. To steal one of your lines, it just felt right."  
  
Xu tweaked her foot. "I've already laid claim to that excuse, think of   
your own. Come clean. What on earth were you thinking?"  
  
"I wasn't thinking. That's what it boils down to. I shouldn't have let   
him goad me on as he did. I lost my temper. It was incredibly unprofessional   
of me and I'm sorry. I can only imagine how disappointed the Headmaster must   
be with me right now. But that seems almost trivial when I think of how   
disappointed *you* must be."  
  
Xu ducked her head. "I won't comfort you on that count. You fouled up   
and are getting off easier than you should."  
  
"I know."  
  
Xu stood up and collect their plates. "Get some rest. Cid's going to   
visit you this evening. I'll come by after he has if you'd like?"  
  
She knew that he would stop by her quarters eventually to reprimand her.   
Xu would offer her a shoulder for that. Even if it would take a while to mend   
the breach between them on other counts. "Please."  
  
Her cousin paused to give her foot a squeeze. "Good luck."  
  
  
  
Kei wasn't Xu's only stop. She had the other duelist to visit before she   
returned for the afternoon training sessions.  
  
Enju wearily lifted his stomach off the bed. His eyes let the image of Xu   
come into focus. Upon seeing who it was, he sighed and lay back down. "Oh, it's   
just you."  
  
"You don't seem happy to see me," Xu said, making sure to keep her voice   
calm. The explosive display he and Kei had produced was something beyond what   
either of them was normally capable of. Enju especially wasn't the type to go   
into wielding magic; maybe he really was a Spirit after all...  
  
Wincing slightly, Enju rolled onto his side. "I was hoping for Quistis,"   
he admitted. "Maybe even Myn or Nym -- though those two would only be bringing   
me homework."  
  
The markings on his back were hurting a lot more than he had ever known   
them to. Doctor Kadowaki had found slight traces of burn marks from magic,   
probably due to Diablos' rather dramatic invocation. As a result, he was   
spending most of his recovery time on his stomach.  
  
Xu sat herself down on the small stood that was next to his bed for that   
purpose. The silence between them stretched on for minutes before Xu spoke   
again.  
  
"I didn't know you had Diablos," she said finally.  
  
"It's a long story, one I usually don't like telling people. Even Cid   
doesn't know the finer points of it," Enju said. "When I first became Death's   
Angel, I came across a small lamp from a SeeD I had killed."  
  
Xu snapped her head up, eyes locking right on his. He had killed a SeeD in   
the past? How many others had he killed? This struck a personal chord in her;   
Balamb had been her home and family for so long. To think someone like him, who   
was now a part of her world, could do something like that. Yet on the other   
hand, SeeDs were required to set personal ties aside in favor of duty.  
  
But Enju showed no regret over the memory at all. He spoke of the tale   
quietly, with great nonchalance. "Imagine my unpleasant surprise when I touched   
the lamp, and out came a very irate Diablos. He decided to vent himself out on   
me. The only thing that has ever given me that much trouble in a fight outside   
of Diablos has been Kei. He flung me around a number of times, banged me up   
pretty badly. I wouldn't exactly call it a fight, though; sure, Diablos enjoyed   
taking a few choice swats at me, but his heart didn't seem to be in it."  
  
He scowled. "I'd almost go so far as to think the Guardian Force let me   
win, just so he could tag along with me. Don't know why a GF -- Diablos   
especially -- would want that. In the end, he retreated back into his lamp, and   
made it a point that if I left him there he'd come back and kick my ass again.   
I limped out from that battle, but Diablos was right. He's only appeared when I   
was in extreme danger, or sorely pissed off. When I get that way, I barely   
remember what happened."  
  
Enju rolled onto his stomach again, enjoying the feel of the cool air   
against his tattooed skin. Ever since he had been in Balamb, this sort of   
luxury was one he couldn't afford. But with the burns on his back, he needed   
all the fresh air he could get.  
  
Thankfully, his secrecy wasn't really an issue. Outside of Myn, Nym and   
Quistis, he had very few friends in the Garden. And after the damage he and Kei   
had wreaked, very few cadets would want to see him.  
  
"One time I unleashed Diablos and blacked out. When I regained   
consciousness, the bar I was in had been reduced to a smoking crater and debris   
field. Over fifteen people were killed. Only two had started the fight with   
me."  
  
Enju rolled his head on his pillowed arms to catch a look at Xu's face.   
Her stoic 'SeeD face' disguised what she was thinking. Much effort must have   
gone into having that firm of control over her expressions. He added that to   
the list of traits to admire Xu for. She was already leagues ahead of Kei, who   
had long ago gone into the negative by his count.  
  
"Why are you telling me this?" she asked. "Why leave me with your secrets,   
even though you keep them from a man who has trusted and done so much for you?"  
  
She was referring to Cid. The Headmaster has given him much. A new start   
on life was just the beginning of Cid's generosity. He encouraged Enju to   
continue learning his craft, clothed and fed him, and provided an honest means   
for him to earn a living. It was a deal that was almost too good to be true.  
  
What the Headmaster wanted in return seemed to be a simple thing; loyalty   
being the first and foremost request. Honesty wasn't far behind that, but he   
couldn't come clean with Cid. His past was so pitted that a small part of him   
feared that Cid would turn him away if he knew the depth of Enju's   
transgressions.  
  
As he's had time to lay here and think, Cid's greatest gift was one he   
never thought he would enjoy: companionship with those who *understood* him.   
Admittedly, no one would be a complete match, but many could relate to one   
aspect or another of his life. That was something he valued in his   
relationship with Xu.  
  
"Because we're the same, you and I," he answered solemnly.  
  
Xu stared at Enju in surprise. She'd pointed out their similarities   
before, but he was speaking of more than fighting techniques. There was a link   
between them that he was finally ready to admit.  
  
"I've had a lot of time on my own to think it over," he said. "As much as   
I hate to give her credit, Kei's been right about a lot. Only when I came to   
Balamb did I find something that actually felt right, like I had a purpose to   
my life. Anyone can take life, Mistress Xu, but it only a few find something   
worthwhile to do with a life, namely their own."  
  
"That's an astute observation," Xu agreed softly.  
  
There were more observations to go along with it, but now wasn't the time   
for them to come to light. The seedlings of ideas were still growing in his   
mind, not yet ready for harvest. Xu continued to watch him politely as he   
worked through his own thoughts. She had something else for him to consider   
(as if he didn't have enough).  
  
"What is your relationship with Quistis?" she asked, though her tone of   
voice made it sound like a rational demand.  
  
For the first time in their conversation, Enju deliberately avoided her   
gaze. "I wish I knew," he said finally. "There's a lot about our lives that   
would make anything beyond a friendship difficult. She doesn't know about my   
past -- not to mention that she's still a kid. As for me... I don't exactly   
make the ideal boyfriend."  
  
He laughed darkly.  
  
Xu glanced over at the small stack of textbooks on Enju's bedside table.   
"Maybe you should find out where the two of you stand. Quistis is a fragile   
spirit, Enju; she doesn't know what to make of you, especially in light of what   
happened between you and Kei."  
  
He didn't answer her.  
  
"You're going to have to answer for your actions. She won't be put off   
forever and once she starts asking questions, she rarely stops. Her insatiable   
appetite for knowledge may be your undoing. I'd advise you to carefully   
consider where you want to stand with her," Xu paused, then stood up abruptly.  
  
"I have a class to teach and you're not the one expecting a lecture," she   
stretched before walking to the door. She stopped to address him once more   
before leaving. "Quistis considers you to be a close friend." That said, she   
left the room.  
  
Enju waited for her to close the door before murmuring to himself, "The   
feeling is mutual."  
  
The silent truth was that he didn't want to tell Quistis. He feared her   
knowing everything. For if she did, he chanced losing his sense of mission once   
again, and would be left an aimless wanderer. He had been there once before,   
not so long ago. But now after tasking something that might have been called   
destiny, he felt uncomfortable about returning to the way he was. Strange that   
it had to take a beating from Kei and her damned GF to get him to admit to   
that.  
  
That wasn't the only place his thoughts took him. "When I first came here,   
it was because Balamb was a convenient place to hide out and work at my   
fighting skills. Now I'm finding myself wanting to stay because I have   
purpose... and friends."  
  
No one heard the heartfelt admission, but if they had they would have   
assured him that he was a welcome member of the family -- flaws and all.  
  
"I owe you one, Cid." Enju settled into the bedding and drifted back to   
sleep.  
  
*****  
  
Kei and Enju were given a bill of clean health a few days later. Both   
'volunteered' to aid in the repairs of the Training Center. Xu wasn't certain   
if she was thankful for their help or if they were being foisted off on her   
because Cid couldn't think of a more suitable punishment. She'd be content if   
they just kept from underfoot.  
  
They couldn't afford to have the Center closed for the two weeks estimated   
it would take for repairs. The monsters presented the real difficulty. Chasing   
them down every day to pin them up for eight hours while repair crews worked   
wasn't an option. And the eight hours the crews wanted to work were in the   
middle of the day when students were scheduled to train. The situation was   
dismal all around. The best solution she could think of was to keep the area   
sectioned off and have either SeeDs or cadets posted to guard the workers.  
  
As it turned out, Kei and Enju did find a way to make themselves useful.   
Neither of them could swing a hammer worth a damn, but they did have other   
skills that came in handy. Enju (and more specifically, Diablos) had a way for   
persuading the monsters to keep away from him and those he was with. Enju   
found himself spending a lot of time with the repair crews performing simple   
tasks. Perhaps he would learn a skill that wasn't directly related to killing   
something after all...  
  
Kei made herself useful by aiding Xu in the training room. As much as Xu   
loved Kei, she was certain her cousin would only get in the way. Much to her   
surprise, Kei didn't. In fact, Xu had more need for an assistant than she   
realized. Kei would take the cadets through the warm up exercises and   
stretches before turning them over to Xu's gentle mercies. She also sorted the   
weapons locker. That was a feat Xu wouldn't have thought her capable of   
considering the disorganization of her quarters. In short, Kei took up the   
small tasks so that Xu was freed up for more important things.  
  
Xu kept waiting -- hoping, really -- that Quistis would approach her to   
discuss her feelings about Enju. There was as much of a breech between those   
two as there was between her and Kei. Enju hadn't spoken with her since their   
talk in the Infirmary. Someone had to start talking soon or she was going to   
burst!  
  
Enju was the one to finally give, but not in a way Xu would have expected.   
He arrived at one of their training sessions without any weapons. When she   
asked if he wanted to practice hand-to-hand skills or borrow a weapon he shook   
his head.  
  
"I need to know what you do about Guardian Forces." There was more tension   
in his voice than she would have never expected to find there. Something was   
disturbing him greatly.  
  
She bobbed her head in acknowledge of his request. "What would you like to   
know?"  
  
"Why Diablos won't let me sleep," he answered promptly.  
  
Xu carefully concealed her startled surprise. "He won't let you sleep?   
Have you asked him why?"  
  
Enju's frowned only deepened. "He won't answer me. 'Not here,' he says.   
Do you know of another way to speak with Guardian Forces?"  
  
"Yes..." she allowed slowly, "but the technique seems to be dependant upon   
how strong you are magically. I can't guarantee your success, but we can give   
it a try."  
  
She sat down on the mat and invited him to sit down across from her. Once   
they were both settled she took his hands into her own and began the mind   
clearing exercises for a Puzzle Stone. The idea of teaching him it hadn't even   
crossed her mind. Enju didn't strike her as one who would make a habit of   
consulting outside sources for advice.  
  
There was an inaudible pop and Xu found herself in her own work area with   
Carbuncle watching her from its perch on the bench. Where was Enju? She   
looked around and didn't see him. Looking back at Carbuncle, the Guardian   
Force was cleaning behind an ear with a forepaw. It'd never happened this way   
before, where was Enju?  
  
A soft glow could be seen off in the distance. Xu recognized it as   
another person's work area that she was welcome to visit. Was Kei here right   
now? She bundled Carbuncle up in her arms and walked towards the light. Her   
work area melted away behind her, as the light grew brighter. It was another   
work area, but unlike one she'd ever seen before. Instead of the shelves of   
puzzles and a workbench, this one was a workout salle with racks of bladed   
weapons lining the walls.  
  
'Of course it's full of weapons,' Xu chided herself as she glanced around   
Enju's space. The man himself touched her lightly on the shoulder, seeming   
completely at ease with his surroundings.  
  
He motioned around himself, "What do you think?"  
  
"You need to get out more," she shook her head.  
  
A deep throated rumble came from behind her. She turned around to find   
herself toe-to-claw with the towering demon Diablos. She sucked in her breath   
as he bore into her with his glowing eyes. He was over two and a half meters   
tall, which gave him a staggering height advantage. A part of her regretted   
not fighting Diablos earlier in her SeeD career so that she wouldn't be so   
intimidated by him. The other part of her was scared shitless.  
  
The demon roared again. Enju answered him sternly, "No, Diablos. Don't   
even!"  
  
Diablos leaned down to get a closer look at Xu and Carbuncle. The   
Guardian Force in her arms was squirming vigorously and bristling angrily at   
the demon glaring down at them.  
  
"You are not going to eat the GF, and definitely not Xu. So just drop it,   
okay? Don't make me kick your ass!" Enju said with a firmness that would make   
him a prime candidate for being an Instructor.  
  
Xu broke free of her fear and backed away from the demon with as much   
dignity as she could cling to. Carbuncle squeaked its protests as she took   
them to the corner furthest away from the other GF.  
  
"Cute Guardian Force, does it do tricks?" Enju crossed his arms and   
smirked.  
  
"Don't press your luck," Xu said defensively. This was *not* how she   
wanted to conduct their session. She should have left Carbuncle back in her   
work area. The small creature began protesting against that idea until she   
assured it that she wouldn't leave it behind.  
  
"Did you have a chance to speak with Diablos?" She asked once everyone   
seemed to be calmed down.  
  
Enju nodded. "I felt like we've be here for hours talking. I was   
beginning to wonder what happened to you. I opened my eyes and I was here with   
him waiting for me. Quite a trip, let me tell ya."  
  
"Time passes differently here for some reason. But it seems like   
everything you do has to be unusual. This room doesn't look like any other   
I've ever been in. And him," she jutted her chin over at Diablos, who had   
taken up a perch on a stool and remained as still as a gargoyle.  
  
Enju smirked again. "I won't be trained like a dog nor lumped into a   
category like a specimen. Has it ever occurred to you that the reason you see   
everything the same way was because that's how you were raised? Even Kei is a   
slave to her upbringing. *I've* broken free of the chains others threw around   
me."  
  
"You may have a point," she admitted. Now that she thought about it,   
she'd never been in the work area of a Puzzle Stone with someone who *wasn't*   
trained in the Anshin method. To think that Enju could produce something so   
very different... She tucked that idea away for later consideration.  
  
"I doubt the need to explain this to you, but I will any ways. Diablos is   
a part of you, an inseparable part. You've stumbled into that already and have   
an understanding of the implications that I'm still trying to grasp myself. He   
influences you and you him, but to what degree is something that needs to be   
explored." Xu petted Carbuncle as it rested contently in her lap. It loved the   
attention Xu lavished on it regularly. If there was such a thing as a spoiled   
GF, Carbuncle was it.  
  
Diablos growled something from his corner. Enju nodded his head in   
agreement, then spoke. "He says that we are one, even if we are of two bodies.   
I sense that there's a deeper meaning behind that statement, but I don't   
understand."  
  
"That's the feeling I get from Carbuncle. I don't understand it either."  
  
"Xu..." A voice reverberated around them. Xu stood up abruptly, tumbling   
the surprised Carbuncle to the mat. Oh no, now wasn't the time! Xu's name was   
called out again.  
  
"Kei?" Enju cocked his head slightly as he tried to identify the voice.  
  
"Yes, Kei," Xu walked a few steps into the darkness. "She must have been   
working with her Puzzle Stone and saw that I was also. We're close enough to   
each other that we can tell when the other is here. We sometimes work on   
puzzles together," her voice trailed off as she walked further into the   
darkness.  
  
A moment later she returned to her corner with Carbuncle. Kei was several   
steps behind her. "I finally found you! I wanted you to meet..."  
  
"Alexander," Enju growled as Diablos roared with outrage. Alexander   
followed Kei into the workout salle (which was expanding in size to accommodate   
the extra bodies).  
  
Kei choked on her own protest as Alexander regarded the dark elemental   
with blind eyes. "It's good to see you as well, brother," he gave a brief bow   
to the demon then took up a position near a wall.  
  
Kei continued to clench and unclench her left fist, deciding if she wanted   
to mix it up with Enju or not. She seemed to have simmered down regarding the   
entire destiny / Spirit argument. Her latest crux with him was that he wasn't   
remorseful enough for his part in destroying the Training Center. As Xu saw   
it, Enju could do not right in Kei's eyes. A sentiment Enju seemed to agree   
with in regards to Kei.  
  
"Are you going to hit me or not?" Enju taunted, ready for a fight.  
  
A low snarl came from Kei as she physically shook herself. "I'm not fool   
enough to fight you where you have the advantage," she encompassed the area   
they stood in with a gesture. "And I won't fight you out *there* where I might   
cause more grief for others. So consider yourself off the hook until I find an   
alternative arena."  
  
Enju smirked as he let his shades slip down his nose so that he could   
regard her with his blue eyes. Kei sniffed indignantly and crossed her arms,   
taking up a position near Alexander.  
  
Xu let out a slow breath as the room settled back into an uncomfortable   
silence. At least no one was actively trying to hurt someone else. Once the   
chill thawed an interesting conversation (stemming from an argument Enju   
started with Kei) took shape. Xu didn't know if Kei and Enju would ever be   
able to consider the other a friend, but they were willing to set aside their   
natural repulsion long enough to learn from the other.  
  
All three of them were caught in the same situation of being different in   
a way that they couldn't define, but was significant nonetheless. Did they   
really have destinies? Enju was quite vocal in his denial, while Kei seemed   
certain. Xu wasn't sure what to think. The only thing certain in her mind was   
that she had a purpose greater than just teaching students. There's something   
more important for her to accomplish, even if she didn't understand what that   
thing was right now. Some day she would discover the meaning of the relentless   
drive that propelled her forward and then she would do what she must to quell   
it.  
  
When Xu brought herself out of her meditations it was well past midnight.   
Enju flopped back on the practice mat from where he was seated across from her.   
"I'll escort you to your room if you want or you can do what I intend to and   
pull up a piece of mat to sleep on," she invited.   
  
Her training with Pan taught her to appreciate the luxury of even having   
the practice mats to sleep on. Her keeping a couple of blankets stashed away   
in a locker was a bonus. She also kept a few changes of clothes in the same   
locker for occasions such as this -- when she was too beat to drag herself back   
to her quarters to catch a few hours of sleep before going at it again. She   
could shower, change in the locker room, and be ready for another day of   
training in under ten minutes.  
  
Enju took her up on her invitation to sleep in the training room. If   
appearances were to be believed, he was as tired as she felt.  
  
He took off his kote and covered himself up with the offered blanket. He   
curled up around his kote like one would a stuffed toy. "G'night, Mistress,   
thank you," he mumbled sleepily before dropping off.  
  
Xu smiled to herself, certain that his thanks weren't only for the blanket   
and the place to sleep.  
  
*****  
  
"Where were you last night?" Myn demanded of Enju after he sat down at   
their table for breakfast. Enju's hair was still slicked back from the shower   
he took in the locker room. Like Xu, he made a habit of keeping a spare   
uniform stashed in a locker just in case.  
  
"Late night training session. I slept where I dropped," he shrugged   
nonchalantly. Quistis raised a questioning eyebrow. "Honest," he added,   
holding up his hands innocently.  
  
"You, Xu, and Kei all disappeared last night," Nym noted. "What'd you do,   
have a kiss and make up session?"  
  
Enju spluttered some at her choice of words, then grinned impishly. "You   
could call it that."  
  
Quistis didn't comment, instead turning her attention back to her meal.   
Enju noticed this and nudged her in the ribs. "Our session is next," he said   
playfully. A blush colored her cheeks because of his teasing.  
  
"Could we go for a walk after classes today?" He asked with all   
seriousness once she had regained her composure. She ducked her head in   
agreement, then picked up her tray and left for her first class.  
  
"A half hour early," Myn noted. "You must have really gotten to her   
today."  
  
Enju didn't hear him, his thoughts following the young woman who just left   
the Cafeteria.  
  
  
  
Quistis brushed aside a braid of hair that trailed along the side of her   
face before falling in step beside Enju. He (and every other male on campus)   
took notice when Nym brought Quistis under her wing for lessons on how to drive   
them nuts. The cadet had the natural looks to accomplish that end without any   
extra effort on her part, but with Nym coaching her the guys didn't stand a   
chance. Nym seemed fond of experimenting with ways to put up Quistis' long   
blonde hair. Today's style involved a complex weave of braids that must have   
taken them at least an hour to construct. For what it was worth, he was fond   
of the style that left a few tresses of hair framing either side of her face   
while the rest was pulled back.   
  
'But then again, what do I know?' He thought with a bemused grin.  
  
They walked in amiable silence to the courtyard Quistis frequented when   
she wanted to spend some time thinking. It was one of the first places Enju   
looked whenever he was seeking her out. The wide variety of plant-life was the   
apparent draw for her. Quistis loved studying the characteristics of something   
that she couldn't find in a book to the detail she wanted. Pictures only went   
so far, especially when the real thing was within walking distance.  
  
"What did you want to talk about?" She asked after sitting herself   
comfortably on the edge of a planter. She seemed to almost dread speaking with   
him. Was she afraid for some reason? He shoved that thought aside. There was   
no reason for her to fear him.  
  
"About us," he answered truthfully, casually sitting down next to her.   
When he placed an arm around her shoulders she tensed briefly, but didn't   
withdraw.  
  
'Please let her not hate me after this...' he pled wordlessly to any deity   
that might happen to be listening. "I want to tell you some things about   
myself that I think you should know. You may hate me afterwards. I'm ready to   
accept that consequence, but I ask that you at least give me the chance to   
explain."  
  
Quistis blinked and looked up at him. This conversation wasn't going the   
direction she thought it would. In fact, it went many places that she would   
have never expected. She listened with rapt attention as Enju outlined his   
life for her before he came to Balamb. Part of her took it in stride, seeing   
now how the 'off' pieces of the puzzle that was Enju suddenly snapped into   
place. The rest of her felt like she had been betrayed, like the person she   
knew before was a lie or that *he'd* be killed and replaced with this Enju.  
  
He didn't go into any details when describing his crimes except to admit   
that he'd committed them. What was a criminal doing in Balamb Garden? Should   
she turn him into the authorities?  
  
"Why are you here?" She asked when he paused in his story.  
  
"Why? For the same reason you are, to start a new life. Everyone here   
has a history. I'm convinced that we're all here to escape one thing or   
another -- a fate we didn't want to face. I can apologize for the   
transgressions of the past, but that won't erase them. Nor will I have   
'reformed' since I intend to use my particular skills for the benefit of SeeD."  
  
Quistis closed her eyes and pursed her lips with thought. What he said is   
true. He can't undo that past and his future appeared to hold more of the   
same. The difference being that now he was accountable to someone. He   
willingly put himself in the service of SeeD in return for their protection   
from his past. Her mind idly wondered who got the better end of the deal.  
  
"Cid has a soft heart for lost kittens," Enju noted.  
  
The image of the kitten she and Nym were searching for flashed through her   
mind. Whatever happened to it? She doubted very much that Cid did anything   
bad. She'd have to ask him sometime...  
  
"I don't hate Kei either, despite what it may look like," he continued.   
"We disagree on many points and we're both hot tempered enough to lose control.   
One of the things we disagree on the most is you, Quistis."  
  
"Wha-?" She didn't want to be a reason for them to fight!  
  
He tightened his arm around her. "We both love you in our own way. We   
both want to see you succeed in reaching for whatever star tickles your fancy.   
We'll do everything we can to help you get there, but we don't agree on the   
route to take," he laughed mirthlessly to himself. "It's a personality   
conflict that we're coming to understand and accept. We'll never be friends,   
but we'll work past our differences to accomplish our common goal: helping you   
succeed."  
  
"Does she know your past?"  
  
He nodded, "As does Xu, Kadowaki, and Cid. I trust you not to discuss it   
with others since it's something that can put me and the Garden at risk." He   
paused to scowl, "I've earned enough enemies that having them chase me down   
here to cause havoc wouldn't be out of the way."  
  
"I understand," she agreed. It wasn't a matter of just protecting Enju   
she was also protecting the Garden with her silence.  
  
A bird landed near their feet, explored the nearby ground, and then took   
off again as they watched it. Enju waited anxiously to hear her verdict of   
him. Quistis seemed content to watch the birds as they flitted from tree to   
tree, singing their song.  
  
She rose off the ledge of the planter and turned around to address him.   
Wordlessly she leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. He resisted   
the urge to take her into his arms and turn the kiss of friendship into   
something more. Now wasn't the time to be testing her trust of him. She broke   
free and began down the path they'd arrived by.  
  
"Quistis?" He called out, rising to his feet.  
  
She paused in her retreat long enough to salute him, then turned the   
corner around the hedge and was gone. He stood in stunned silence before   
slowly returning the salute. They may not be friends to the degree that his   
hormones would like, but they were friends nonetheless.  
  
*****  
  
"Come on, Xu!"  
  
It had been years since Xu had last seen her stoic cousin as near giddy as   
she was presently. Curiosity was reason enough to keep Xu on Kei's heels.   
When Kei came rushing into Xu's office with a cat-who-finally-got-the-bird   
sized grin on her face, the only thing she could think of was that Kei had put   
an end to Enju. Once she was assured that Enju was still among the living, Kei   
nearly dragged her into the Training Center.  
  
"What's gotten into you?!" Xu demanded again with a hint of concern.   
Kei's behavior was anything but normal.  
  
"I want to show you my Limit," Kei finally admitted with a broad grin on   
her face. Hungrily her eyes searched around them for a monster strong enough   
to knock her down to the level of desperation needed to practice her Skill.  
  
"But I've seen your Limit," her cousin protested weakly. They used to   
practice them together when they were cadets. Kei's Limit was named 'Dragon   
Claw'. In a near berserker state she would charge at the target and slash away   
with her katana. Her carefully honed technique gave way to getting in as many   
strikes as possible before her stamina gave out.  
  
Three Grats near one of the fallen trees was the best they could do. Xu   
really didn't want to take on a T-Rexaur no matter *how* pumped up Kei was   
feeling. Dissuaded from seeking out larger prey, Kei took on all three of them   
while Xu maintained her guard. If Kei got in over her head Xu was ready to   
haul her out.  
  
The telltale glow of Limit energy began to form around Kei as she knelt on   
the ground. The Grats hadn't taken kindly to her challenge and beat her down   
thusly. After using her sword to lever herself back to her feet Kei stepped   
forward and held her katana above her head with her left hand. A blue mist   
condensed onto the blade and in an instant it was encased in ice.  
  
"BLUE DRAGON!" She yelled at the top of her voice while swinging the sword   
towards them. The ice on her blade shattered and flew with frightening speed   
at the target. They were caught in a hail of ice shards that tore deep into   
their flesh.  
  
Pushed back, but not defeated, the Grats swung at the two of them with   
renewed outrage. Xu jumped forward to cover Kei. She didn't want her cousin   
to push herself too far into desperation. Limits were a dangerous game to   
play. The chances of building one up reduced when you knew that you were safe.   
If you were trying for them, you wanted to be in as much danger as possible.   
That was a fine edge to walk during a practice session.  
  
It did take Kei longer to gather a second Limit. Once it was ready, Xu   
moved back and let Kei take center stage again. This time her sword caught on   
fire before she announced "RUBY DRAGON!" and incinerated the Grats in a stroke.   
They didn't stand a chance after being hit with the pair of powerful attacks.  
  
"You learned a new trick I see." Xu cast a spell to heal Kei's wounds.  
  
"Alexander taught me." The significance of that didn't sink in   
immediately with Xu. Not until she asked *how* he'd taught her. As Kei   
described it, it was as though his hand was also on the hilt of the sword as it   
was being charged with elemental energy. He was as much a part of the Limit as   
Kei was.  
  
"Have you tried your Limit since picking up the furball?" Kei questioned.  
  
Xu wrinkled her nose in a disagreeable fashion. "Carbuncle is *not* a   
furball. And no, I haven't."  
  
Kei smirked at having teased Xu. Unlike Kei, Xu *liked* having Carbuncle   
comfortably curled up in her thoughts. Kei's nickname for her companion was   
one that wasn't appreciated.  
  
They continued roaming the Center to find a group of monsters suitable for   
testing Xu. There hadn't been a reason in quite some time for Xu to use her   
Limit. It wasn't something she thought to exercise as often as she did her   
regular combat skills.  
  
The two of them engaged a pair of Grats near the same ledge where she'd   
first unlocked her Limit years ago. It was with a touch of irony that fate   
found them there again.  
  
Xu allowed herself to be beaten down until she felt her body begin to turn   
hot. Focus. Focus. She stood upright as her feet began to lift off of the   
ground. The familiar iridescent shell took shape around her. Lifting her head   
up along with her voice she cried out "RUBY OF HEAVEN!" The expected energy   
burst out from her to crush the Grats up against the ledge. Though she was   
startled to find Carbuncle combining its energy with hers, not to increase the   
power of her attack, but to cast the spells of Protect and Shell on herself and   
Kei. Those two spells would increase their resistance to physical and magical   
attacks.  
  
Her energy spent, Xu's weaken condition caused her to collapse back to the   
ground. Kei quickly dispatched the monsters. It didn't take more than a   
couple hits each to finish them off.  
  
"Carbuncle..." Xu gasped between haggard breaths. Sometimes it felt as   
though her Limit was almost worse than continuing the fight without performing   
it. This time it drained her far more than she wished to admit. Kei returned   
her earlier kindness by healing her wounds, though Xu was still exhausted.  
  
"It was like... it was me... and it was *us*..." Xu grasped for the words   
to explain the feeling. Carbuncle *did* influence her Limit. It added its own   
twist that made the Limit all the more powerful without Xu's prompting. It was   
as though they were a single entity performing the Limit. Two people working   
in perfect sync couldn't have the closeness that they possessed in that moment.  
  
Kei nodded sympathetically, likewise at a loss for a way to describe it,   
but knowing to what Xu referred. "I haven't told the Headmaster yet. I wanted   
to see if yours was changed as well. There's no denying that they've added   
quite a powerful punch to both of our Limits. But at the same time I can't   
help but feel..."  
  
"Scared?" Xu offered. That was how she was feeling. One of her worst   
fears was that she would lose control. She had to trust Carbuncle, but her   
faith in it wasn't something that she had volunteered. The situation forced   
her to trust Carbuncle and that always left the way open for lingering doubts.  
  
"Among other things. I'm excited by the growth they offer us. Scared   
that I'm no longer *me*. But I have to wonder if I was 'me' before this   
happened or if I've only just recently discovered myself..?"  
  
They made their way back to the Training Center entrance. Xu rolled Kei's   
words around in her mind. Who was she before her clan merrily turned her life   
upside down? A cadet striving successfully towards defining herself within the   
organization. Who is she now? A SeeD with the same goals. Or did she only   
think she was..? This discovery certainly lent weight to the argument that her   
life wouldn't be nearly as simple as she had once thought.  
  
These things were too complicated for her to consider. She could tie her   
brain into a knot trying to sort out destiny versus a stubborn desire to make   
her own path. She was no longer the woman she once was. That much was clear.  
  
-----  
Please visit our website at www.centragarden.net  



	12. Part 12

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 12   
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans   
with His lordship Chaos   
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8   
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C.   
  
  
  
With complete disregard for recent chaotic events, the school year pressed   
onward. Most students were prepared as the end of the term approached. Xu was   
not. She was caught off guard when Cid he asked her to help administer this   
term's field exam. She'd done it at Galbadia Garden, certainly, but she was so   
wrapped up in the restoration of things within her own realm that she wasn't   
expecting the duty to fall on her.   
  
Myn and Nym were ready. It came as no surprise when they easily passed   
the written exam. That was anticipated. They'd been well trained at Trabia,   
and then shined to a polish by the teaching staff at Balamb. The true test   
would be in three days. Cid already had the contract lined up.   
  
Cid went over Balamb's graduation requirements with her since they did   
vary from Galbadia's on several points. It took her a day to psyche herself   
into the proper hard ass state of mind required for this exam. She must grade   
the students harsher than she would under any other circumstances. It was for   
their own good as much as for the honor of Garden and SeeD.   
  
There were only five cadets testing this term. The small number seemed   
appropriate for the exacting mission Cid had lined up for them. They traveled   
to the Galbadian continent to land near Mandy Beach. The assignment itself   
took place in a rural region on the outskirts of Timber's capital.   
  
An item of undisclosed nature (to the cadets) was stolen a week ago from   
the Galbadia government. The perpetrators of the crime were tracked down to   
this remote location. Their choice in venue was a good one. The Timber   
resistance factions would see any movement by Galbadian forces within the   
region as an attack. Galbadia wanted their property back, but at the same time   
didn't want to add fuel to a situation that had cooled down for the time being.   
That's where SeeD came in.   
  
The mission had two objectives. The first was to retrieve the item. The   
second was to eliminate any of the suspected criminals that were encountered.   
There would be no trial to establish their innocence. That would likewise stir   
up the situation in the region. Galbadia felt safe with the assumption that   
anyone found on the grounds were somehow linked to the crime.   
  
Xu had mixed feeling about requiring the second objective of the cadets.   
It was a hefty demand to make of someone who is just starting out, but by the   
same token it was the nature of their profession.   
  
A land transport carried them from the beach to the remote farmhouse that   
the targets used as a base of operations. From SeeD's research, these people   
had claimed responsibility for many crimes committed against Galbadia. They   
didn't pretend to have a noble cause such as freeing Timber. They were crooks,   
plain and simple, and never tried to portray themselves as anything else.   
Galbadia couldn't go after them as long as they were hiding in Timber   
territory, but SeeD could.   
  
"The cadets will be spilt into two teams. Squad A will back up the SeeD   
operatives, who will retrieve the stolen item. They will be responsible for   
clearing the immediate area of threats," Cid explained to the five cadets   
ranged along the wall seats of the land transport. "Cadets Myn and Nym will   
make up Squad B. They will clear a path for the extraction of their comrades   
once the item is within our possession.   
  
"In addition to these roles, both squads are to eliminate any targets that   
they encounter. Admittedly, this is the most difficult part of the mission,   
but it is a true test of your mettle. Be strong. Be thorough. Be the next   
generation of SeeD."   
  
Cid met each of their eyes before nodding to himself and retracting the   
wall display where a map of the target area had been displayed. Even Xu was   
feeling inspired after that speech and she wasn't the one being tested. Maybe   
Balamb would have its first field exam with one hundred percent graduation? It   
was a lofty goal, but she felt that they had a real chance of succeeding this   
time around.   
  
Squad A penetrated the farmhouse first with the SeeD operatives. Myn and   
Nym lagged behind to secure a safe passage for retreat. By the time they came   
through, the hallways were already lined with bodies. Nym swallowed down the   
bile that rose up in her throat and cut off that part of her mind from their   
immediate reality. SeeD trained them for this. They knew that there would be   
bodies -- that there would be dead eyes watching them as they went about their   
work.   
  
Neither twin spoke, instead using hand gestures to convey their   
intentions. Nym heard a noise come from a room off of the hallway they were   
in. She motioned for Myn to back her up while she investigated. A stack of   
boxes tumbled over as soon as she eased the door open. A child no older than   
twelve looked at her with round eyes. He then darted to an adjoining room.   
Nym rushed after him with Myn a step behind her.   
  
The kid was crawling out a window when she entered the room. The cuff of   
his pant leg was caught on something and he couldn't free himself fast enough.   
It would be an easy shot for her to pin him down with her darts. Instead, she   
hesitated, thus allowing him to tear free and fall out the window. That   
snapped her back to reality. She ran up to the window, where she still had a   
clear throw. With a sad look on her face she watched as he ran as fast as his   
legs would carry him. Ten meters, fifteen, twenty, and out of her throwing   
range.   
  
"Nym?" Her twin questioned, reaching the window once it was too late.   
There was nothing he could do to catch the kid, or to carry out their orders.   
It was entirely in her hands and she let him slip by.   
  
Nym shook her head firmly then went back out the way they came. There   
were more rooms to be searched and secured.   
  
Xu watched Nym intently from her hidden position. She had thought it   
ironic that she drew Squad B as the one for her to observe. Now the irony   
twisted into a moral dilemma.   
  
Nym knowingly and purposefully disregarded an order. The way the contract   
was written, it didn't matter that it was a child she released. If Galbadia   
learned of this, they could argue that the contract was breached and refuse   
payment. It wasn't likely, but that wasn't really the point.   
  
What to do? Xu could follow Nym's lead and turn a blind eye to her   
transgression. Even a paid killer needed a sense of mercy, didn't they? There   
was little chance that a mere child was involved with the crime. But by the   
same token, she shouldn't underestimate someone simply because of their youth.   
The Garden was a good enough example of unassuming packages containing nasty   
surprises.   
  
Xu sighed. What an uncomfortable position to be in.   
  
A half-hour passed and SeeD was already well underway in returning to the   
Garden. SeeD prided itself on its quick execution of its contracts. There was   
no clean up to be done of the site once it was secured. That wasn't their   
responsibility. The item they came for was successfully retrieved and in the   
Headmaster's possession for delivery to the Galbadia government upon receiving   
payment for SeeD's services.   
  
Xu submitted her recommendations for graduation and then sulked back to   
her quarters. Slime wasn't low enough to describe how she felt. She carried   
out the task placed before her as fairly as possible. And after careful   
consideration the report she submitted passed Myn and failed Nym.   
  
The graduation ball was at 2000 hours. She didn't want to go. She   
*really* didn't want to go and see Myn there but not Nym. Why was this so   
difficult? She'd failed students before, but it seemed wrong to split them up.   
  
As she changed into her best uniform she shook the feeling off. It wasn't   
like Nym was out of luck. She could retake the field exam next term and pass.   
She was just a term behind her twin; that was all.   
  
"Good evening, Xu," Cid greeted her outside of the large auditorium. He   
gave her an appraising look then frowned slightly. "Your eyes betray you.   
What's on your mind?"   
  
"Nothing, I'm just not feeling up to tonight's festivities," she hedged.   
It wouldn't do to admit the doubt she felt about her own decision.   
  
He accepted her answer with a slight bob of the head. "Perhaps retiring   
for the evening after you've greeted the new SeeDs would be for the best?"   
  
"Yes, that's likely what I'll do."   
  
They entered the cavernous room together. Her eyes immediately scanned   
the growing mass of bodies for the graduates being honored tonight. The sooner   
she got social obligations out of the way, the sooner she could leave. A   
server came by and presented them with a tray of glasses containing wine. Cid   
took one of the offered drinks while Xu declined. She didn't plan on sticking   
around long enough to finish it.   
  
"Headmaster!" A man pressed his way through the crowd to meet up with   
them. Xu's heart sank to her knees when she recognized Myn looking sharp in   
his newly acquired SeeD uniform. "Instructor Xu," he greeted her once he had   
joined their small group.   
  
"You're looking well, SeeD Myn," Cid gave him a friendly squeeze on the   
shoulder. "Enjoy tonight, the real work begins tomorrow."   
  
Myn squirmed under his kind words. Xu's guilt ebbed away enough to add to   
the conversation. "He said the same thing to me and two days later I found   
myself in Galbadia. Heed the Headmaster's warning."   
  
A bark of laughter answered her. "That I will, Instructor!"   
  
"About time you listened to someone. You're lucky she never kicked your   
butt!" A familiar voice teased from behind Xu. She spun around to see Nym   
proudly sporting a SeeD uniform and her favorite beret atop her head.   
  
"Congratulations to you as well, SeeD Nym," Cid lifted his glass in toast   
to her. She blushed slightly; a warm smile lighting up her entire face.   
  
"Thank you, Headmaster. I couldn't have done it without Instructor Xu's   
help. She got my magic casting back on track."   
  
Xu kept the confusion she felt from reaching her expression. How is this   
possible? She shot the Headmaster a questioning look. A slight wink was her   
answer as another server came around with an offering of drinks. She accepted   
one this time, suddenly feeling the gloom around her spirit lifting.   
  
After an enjoyable evening Xu meandered back to her quarters. One of the   
cadets hadn't passed the exam, but it wasn't the one she thought. She didn't   
want to bring the subject up with Cid, but was still curious.   
  
Only a dim desk lamp illuminated the main room of her quarters. Even in   
the Dormitory wing she could hear that faint sounds of the revelry that was   
still ongoing in the auditorium. Tired hands undid her necktie and set her   
neatly folded tunic across the back of a chair. Despite her weariness, she   
wasn't quite ready to call it an evening, so she turned on her desk terminal to   
see if she had any messages come in.   
  
Much to her surprise there was one from the Headmaster. Why would he send   
her a message when she'd seen him no more than an hour earlier? She opened the   
message. It was brief and to the point:   
  
'I value your evaluation of the students greatly, but the final decision   
regarding graduation is mine alone. Consider this evening a respite from the   
day when your decisions will be final. You've done as you ought and I thank   
you for your diligence. --Cid Kramer'   
  
Xu sagged back in her seat. The Headmaster went against her   
recommendation and graduated Nym. Was she that far off base from this Garden's   
precepts? No. It wouldn't do to doubt her ability to judge. Besides, Cid did   
say that she'd done as she ought. That brought her some small comfort. Things   
would work out for the best in the end, or so she hoped.   
  
*****   
  
Nym pulled a book out of the duffel then placed it on the shelf above her   
desk. Along with the SeeD rank and title came quarters all her own. Honestly,   
she wasn't against remaining Quistis' roommate; it was regulations that   
insisted she move out. Those same regulations put the SeeD quarters on the   
other side of the Dormitory block from the cadet's with the Instructor's acting   
as a buffer between the two.   
  
Her bed was covered with items that she'd dumped out of a bag so that she   
could go back to her old room and get more. That was the bag she was currently   
unloading. Quistis saw what she was doing and volunteered to help bring her   
stuff over. It was kind of her to offer, but Nym should have learned not to be   
a packrat in the first place.   
  
On the good side, Myn's new room wasn't too far away from hers. He   
started moving earlier in the day while she was still groggy from being up   
until the pre-dawn hours. The joy she felt at graduating flooded her again.   
It was hard to put it into words -- the feeling of accomplishment -- it was so   
sweet. If this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up.   
  
Tap, tap.   
  
Nym snapped out of her reflections and then noticed that Enju was leaned   
against the frame of the open doorway.   
  
"Congratulations," he said simply, inviting himself in. "I wanted to say   
that last night, but I hear you were a party animal at the ball or something   
like that. You know how Myn always paints you in the harshest light of   
reality." He let his sunglasses slip down his nose slightly with an impish   
smile on his face.   
  
"Troublemaker. Don't you have somewhere else you need to be? Guarding a   
few workers perhaps?" She picked up another book to shelve it. Before she   
realized what he was doing, he had his hand around her wrist.   
  
"I offer my sincerest congratulations and you brush me off? I came here   
to give you what you've always wanted."   
  
She favored him with an annoyed look. "And what's that?"   
  
His smile grew, "A kiss."   
  
Nym didn't answer. A flood of thoughts and feelings rushed through her.   
He'd made his pursuit of Quistis a public one; to have him here flirting with   
her was a new card for him. As he traced his hand along her cheek, she felt   
herself leaning into that caress. But she couldn't. This wasn't something she   
could have or even long for.   
  
She pulled away from him. "We can't do this, it's against regulations."   
  
Enju sighed softly and withdrew his hands. "Everything fun is against   
regulations."   
  
"Including getting the crap beaten out of you by a SeeD?"   
  
Her barb regarding his fight with Kei was well placed. His nostrils   
flared slightly before he pulled his temper back into check. That infallible   
smile of his returned. "How did you know I enjoyed that?"   
  
Nym shook her head and returned to her books. Enju watched her for a   
moment then leaned forward to whisper into her ear. "I owe you one," he   
breathed. He moved over to her bed and began placing the items that belonged   
with her desk on it.   
  
His sudden admittance of defeat made no sense until Quistis came through   
the doorway with another load of stuff. She set it on the floor by the closet   
then waved jauntily to Enju. "Got roped into helping her too?"   
  
He gave her a look of sad resignation. "You'd figure that since the twins   
had each other they wouldn't need outside help, but they seem to need it more   
than us orphans!"   
  
Quistis giggled and bantered with Enju for a few minutes before heading   
off again. As they spoke, Nym couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty. Those   
two really did have something special between them... but was it love? Damn   
Enju for coming onto her like that. She didn't want anything to come between   
her friendship with Quistis, especially a man!   
  
*****   
  
Xu remained vigilant as she escorted Cid around the Training Center to   
inspect the recently completed repairs. The Headmaster seemed unconcerned   
about the threat of monsters. With his whistle, he had very little to fear.   
Despite that, she was still wary, knowing how crafty the T-Rexaurs could be.   
  
"Hum..." was all Cid offered as he examined the re-enforced supports   
carefully. He took a step back and examined the job as a whole. "I thought   
all the trees were being removed?"   
  
"They were going to, but I thought that they might add a new element to   
the Center. The original environment couldn't be restored completely, so it   
was changed into something that was comparable," she explained. She refrained   
from mentioning how much time would have had to be put into the removal of   
those huge trees. If the workers brought their trucks into the Center, they   
could have done it in a couple of days at the cost of compounding the damage.   
If they sectioned the trees into pieces that could be removed by more   
traditional methods it would have taken a month. It wasn't worth it in her   
opinion, so she told them to leave the fallen trees where they were.   
  
"Are you satisfied with the repairs that were done?" He continued to look   
around himself with hawk-like eyes. If something was out of order, he was   
certain to catch it.   
  
"Completely, the contractor was easy to work with. He seemed to have a   
good idea of what I wanted accomplished and kept to it." That was the truth.   
The Garden hired a contractor out of Balamb to conduct the repairs. She wasn't   
expecting much because of the unusual nature of the job. After all, it's not   
every day that you're asked to restore a monster habitat, but he and his   
workers took it in stride.   
  
Some seemed to be wary of the idea when they first entered the Center, but   
once their safety was assured, they quickly got to work. Having just Enju   
around was enough to protect them, but at the Foreman's suggestion she kept a   
few extra SeeDs posted to provide visual reassurance to the workers. It was   
with a look of bemusement that he explained his workers couldn't understand how   
a single cadet was protecting them. Xu was privately surprised when the   
Foreman turned out to be well read on matters such as magic and Guardian   
Forces. He knew what the GFs were capable of and the importance of restoring   
the Garden's training grounds.   
  
"My wife is fascinated by the Sorceresses," he explained once while they   
observed the reconstruction efforts. "They've got quite a history behind them.   
She could probably teach a class about it for as much as she knows. I have to   
keep up on the subject myself if I want to have anything to talk with her about   
over dinner!"   
  
The Sorceresses were a subject that never held much interest for Xu. In a   
way it was ironic since the people of Centra and the Sorceresses both claim   
ties that go back to the beginning of known time. When it got right down to   
it, Xu didn't care about what happened 4000 years ago. She wasn't there to   
witness the foundation of mankind, magic, or any of the other world shaping   
events. Trying to sort them out in her mind usually left her feeling even more   
confused than when she started. Today and tomorrow were the only things she   
had influence over, thus they were all she concerned herself with.   
  
"Now that this is complete, do you think Kei could cover for you for a few   
weeks?" The Headmaster's question snapped her back from her ponderings. She   
tried to make sense of his inquiry, but ended up having to ask him to repeat   
it.   
  
"I have an assignment that requires a very specific type of SeeD and   
you're the only one stationed here that would be willing and qualified. Do you   
think Kei is capable of covering for you while you're gone?" He watched her   
with the same intense look that he'd inspected the structure with.   
  
She considered his question carefully before answering. Would Kei be all   
right if she was left to teach the students for a few weeks? She'd proven   
herself capable, if not a bit strict when she worked under Xu's guidance.   
"Leaving her on her own probably wouldn't be a good idea. If a Faculty member   
paired up with her, they'd be okay. As it is, the start of the term is pretty   
easy stuff with no advanced techniques being taught until week four."   
  
He acknowledged her suggestion with a nod, then continued moving deeper   
into the Center. "Headmaster?" She caught up to him.   
  
"I'd have rather sent Kei. I don't want to lose you for as long as this   
may take, but she would vehemently disagree with the nature of the assignment,"   
he said more to himself than to her.   
  
"What do you mean, sir?"   
  
Cid stopped in his tracks abruptly to face her. "How do you feel about   
selling your body?"   
  
Xu couldn't keep her jaw from dropping open. Kei would be fit to be tied   
if Cid even joked about that to her, and would likely blow a gasket if she knew   
that he had suggested it to Xu.   
  
"Not for real, of course. Though I'd be curious to see what kind of price   
you could fetch in that line of work." His face creased into a mischievous   
smile. He was enjoying her indignant shock entirely too much.   
  
"Explain, please," she managed to keep her request in the realm of polite   
-- somehow.   
  
He motioned for her to walk with him as he spoke. "Dollet has been trying   
to crack a child smuggling ring for some time now. The children they've stolen   
away were forced into their organization or sold off as slave labor. The   
Dollet authorities have had mix results in fouling their plans, but haven't   
stopped them. SeeD has been co-operating with Dollet to help find the weakness   
that will bring these rogues to justice once and for all. I can say with a   
small measure relief that we're close, but Dollet is still missing one very   
crucial piece of evidence."   
  
"Which is?" She asked, her anger at him draining away instantly. By the   
Spirits, that was a monstrous thing to do. Her upbringing taught her to accept   
those deaths that were at a monster's claw, but she would never accept fate as   
a slave to a human. Even monsters had more respect for life than that by   
taking it.   
  
"The names of a few key members. The smugglers have done well to conceal   
their identities. We're fairly certain that they are led by people well placed   
within the Dollet government, but lack the evidence to prove it.   
  
"The most promising chance we've had in years at getting this information   
has recently presented itself, but it will require some things I wouldn't ask   
many of my SeeDs. The person who holds the names we need has a few less savory   
habits. Booze is one of them. Hookers are another."   
  
Xu was beginning to see where this was going, but waited for Cid to   
confirm it before letting her mind race ahead to the possibilities.   
  
"He's becoming bored with the usual fair and is clamoring loudly for   
something of more exotic origin," Cid paused again to regard her with an amused   
grin. "I apologize, I shouldn't find humor in this situation, but it's with   
anticipation that I see you delivering the hammer blow that will crush these   
scoundrels. It makes me appreciate the diversity of the Garden all the more."   
  
Xu shook her head with resignation. Kei would definitely not play along,   
even if she were more 'exotic' than Xu was. Xu had enough Anshin blood in her   
to give her most of the clan's characteristic traits; dark almond shaped eyes,   
a narrow frame and dark hair, though it wasn't black, as most of them tended to   
have. Her strong build made her shapely, if not too much so. There were ways   
to soften her hardened appearance, she was certain.   
  
"Specifics will be given to you by Dollet's agents once you arrive," Cid   
continued. "I'm sorry that I can't give you more than an outline of their   
plan."   
  
"What is their plan, sir?"   
  
Cid scratched the back of his head nervously before smirking again.   
"You're to seduce him. Keep after him until you've gotten the names we need."   
  
Xu continued roaming the Center after Cid bid her a good day. Her   
feelings regarding the assignment were mixed. She would do it. If for no   
other reason than because of orders, but she didn't have to enjoy it. The part   
of her that saw the brighter side of the situation reminded her that she could   
be doing something worse. Then again, she couldn't pin down exactly what   
'worse' would be, but was confident that there was such a thing out there that   
she could be doing instead.   
  
"There you are," Enju's voice broke her free of her thoughts. She   
followed the source to find him sitting on a tree limb above her. "You realize   
that you've circled this tree more than a half dozen times in the last hour?"   
  
Xu blinked, then scratched the back of her head with embarrassment at   
being caught. Enju slipped off the branch to land lightly next to her. "When   
you didn't show for our training session I decided to go looking for you.   
Something's come up I take it?"   
  
"Ah, yes. I'm sorry, but we'll have to take a break from our sessions.   
I'm leaving on assignment tomorrow."   
  
"Is that so?" He shrugged off the news with easy acceptance. "You're a   
highly skilled SeeD. It's a waste to keep you tucked away in the Garden all   
the time."   
  
"... You're right." The pair returned to the main gate slowly. No   
monsters attacked them along the way as they walked wordlessly. Of course,   
Enju could have had a hand in that...   
  
Once they were in the training room proper, Xu made a request. "May I   
borrow one of your kinzoku-sensu until I return?" The fan-like weapon would be   
a welcome part of her disguise. Her skill with it didn't nearly match his, but   
she should be able to use it well enough to protect herself.   
  
Without hesitation he unclipped one from his belt. Handing it to her he   
said, "Please be gentle. It's the sensu's first time with a stranger."   
  
That earned him a small smile. "Thank you, Enju."   
  
*****   
  
The next afternoon found Xu standing in civilian clothing on the train   
platform in Timber. Her contacts had insisted that they pick her up in Timber   
instead of her taking the train to the station outside of Dollet's coastal   
capital. Apparently the ones they were trying to catch by the tail were on to   
them and no precaution was too extreme.   
  
Agents Lockrush and Rosenhall picked her out of the crowd by her stance   
alone.   
  
"We'll have to work on that," Rosenhall noted as she regarded the young   
woman without her knowledge. Rosenhall's brunette hair flowed down her back   
and across her shoulders in waves. She was a woman of classic beauty, poised,   
and well spoken.   
  
"Cid didn't do us any favors," Lockrush complained. "Sure, she's Anshin,   
but she isn't much to look at." Not that he was either, by Rosenhall's   
estimation. Lockrush's tie hung loosely around his neck and his clothes were   
disheveled -- a perpetual state for him.   
  
Rosenhall waved that aside. "Beauty is an illusion. She's got the raw   
characteristics I need to make her into a creature that will turn the head of   
any man."   
  
Lockrush didn't respond. What Rosenhall boasted was the truth. Her skill   
with creating beautiful women was something that had allowed them to get as far   
as they had. Hopefully this would be the last illusion they would have to   
create.   
  
They approached the young woman. "Miss Xu?" She nodded in   
acknowledgement, adjusting the bag slung over her shoulder.   
  
"My companion doesn't believe in such frivolous things as pleasantries, so   
allow me to introduce myself instead. I'm Michelle Rosenhall, I'll be helping   
you prepare for your date," she mouth curved into a smile at the shared joke.   
  
Lockrush wordlessly protested from his position next to her. "Harry   
Lockrush," he grunted. Michelle favored him with a smile for his efforts at   
performing such simple social graces.   
  
"If you'll come with us?" Michelle gestured in the general direction of   
the street. "Harry, be a dear and get her luggage for her, will you?"   
  
Lockrush sighed heavily and held his hand out to take Xu's bag. She   
surrendered it after a moment's hesitation. 'I wonder who I pissed off to keep   
landing on the shit cases,' he thought darkly while following the two women to   
the car.   
  
*****   
  
In his office, Cid greeted a friend he hadn't seen face-to-face in quite   
some time. A man dressed in a plain green tunic and black trousers lounged   
against the edge of Cid's desk.   
  
"It's good to see you again, Master Talasu. May I ask what brings you to   
the Garden?" It was a game the two men played to see if they could discover the   
other's intentions. This time it was Cid's turn to guess Talasu's objective.   
  
The Weapons Master gave Cid a wry smile and shrugged. "There's nothing   
unusual about my visit. I came with hopes of speaking to cadet Enju and   
Mistress Xu. And I must confess a good measure of curiosity when it comes to   
your protege Quistis. The rumors of her keen mind have reached as far as   
Kinzua."   
  
Talasu's compliment of Quistis' intellect was a flattering one. Kinzua   
was the small village where his dojo was located and not much else. With fond   
memories Cid recalled the peaceful wilderness that shielded Talasu's home from   
the rest of the world. It was a wonderful place to meditate. Lately, he   
longed for the opportunity to leave the Garden and visit his friend, but too   
much needed to be done for him to be allowed that luxury.   
  
"As always, you're free to explore the Garden as you wish. Though I'm   
afraid that Xu is on assignment right now," Cid said.   
  
"How unfortunate, I haven't seen her since she became a Master," Talasu   
remarked. "It's a shame that she's away."   
  
"Do you have any idea how long you'll be our guest?" Some may consider the   
question rude, but not Talasu. Cid understood that the Master drifted from   
place to place like a leaf caught in the wind. It was a courtesy to Cid to   
have some idea of Talasu's itinerary.   
  
"I would like to stick around until Mistress Xu returns."   
  
"Will you need lodging?" Cid tapped a few keys on his terminal to see if   
anything was available.   
  
Talasu waved him off. "That won't be necessary. I've rented a room in   
Balamb. I'll let you know before I leave for good again."   
  
"Unlike last time?" A small smile played on Cid's lips.   
  
The Master shrugged with rueful resignation. "There was an emergency that   
called me back. I would have told you that I was leaving if I'd had the time."   
  
Cid chuckled. "You're responsible like that. Please try to enjoy your   
time here and relax."   
  
"As you say, Master," Talasu gave Cid a half-bow before leaving his   
office.   
  
"Intrigue follows you wherever you go. I'm curious to know what brings   
you here," Cid reflected thoughtfully. Despite Talasu's nonchalance, it had to   
be something pressing if he was willing to wait for Xu's return. Once again   
Cid wondered about Talasu's knack for showing up during the calm before the   
storm.   
  
******   
  
Enju was sparring with a few of his classmates in the training room.   
Having noticeably improved on his throws, he was feeling rather good about   
himself and opted to try a fancier over-the-shoulder toss on his sparring   
partner. Sure enough, the cadet was caught off-guard and went flying over her   
head, hitting the mat with an audible but harmless 'whump!'   
  
Enju grinned to himself as he helped her back onto her feet.   
  
That grin suddenly went acrid when he heard a mellow voice challenge his   
accomplishment. "You call that a throw with such sloppy footwork?"   
  
His baby blue eyes narrowed and Enju slowly turned around to face off   
against the only person in the world he knew who had enough nerve to goad him   
on like this. A number of surprised cadets stepped back to reveal Talasu   
standing there on the mats.   
  
Enju suppressed a groan. "What do you want, old man?" he asked, picking up   
the verbal gauntlet he knew his former Master had thrown down.   
  
"To teach you what you've been missing since you left the Guild," came   
Talasu's playfully scathing reply.   
  
Enju's hand pointed to the side of mat to where a sheathed sword laid.   
"Will you face me with a weapon in your hand?" After seeing his former Master   
shake his head, Enju muttered, "Thought not."   
  
Talasu strolled over to Enju as the cadet picked up a tanto sword he had   
intended to practice with after his sparring session was over. "Like old times,   
isn't it?" Talasu remarked. He looked as if he was more enjoying a quiet, sunny   
day rather than challenging a SeeD cadet and then some.   
  
"Nostalgia is overrated," Enju retorted. After reassuring the supervising   
Shumi Instructor that no harm would come to either participant, Enju made his   
opening battle stance. He noted that Talasu stood perfectly relaxed, deviating   
none from Enju's memory of him. There wasn't a single tense muscle in the small   
man's body.   
  
Enju paused momentarily to examine himself in the unique tanto sword's   
blade. The weapon itself was exclusive to the Guild; it had a sword-catching   
secondary blade, as well as finger grips for spinning. There were latches at   
the end so that the sword could be attached to a chain and spun like a whip.   
This particular style of tanto also happened to be the killing weapon he'd   
preferred when acting as Death's Angel.   
  
"Show me what you've learned!" Talasu ordered, suddenly looking every bit   
the hard assed Weapons Master he was known to be.   
  
Enju didn't let himself get baited by the taunt, instead unleashing   
everything he had into a single, focused attack on Talasu. There was no holding   
back of skill, strength or speed. He lashed out with his tanto, spinning the   
weapon by its finger rings before grabbing hold of the grip and raking it down   
where Talasu's face should have been.   
  
However Talasu had already sidestepped the attack and mercilessly brought   
the heel of his foot into Enju's side. Enju was thrown off-balance and stumbled   
a few steps forward. In that moment where his guard was utterly destroyed,   
Talasu grabbed the tanto. Enju righted himself, only to find his former Master   
holding the tip of the blade level with his nose.   
  
An odd smirk was on Talasu's face as he politely asked, "Do you yield?"   
  
The glare in Enju's eyes was unmistakable, but he relented nevertheless.   
"Bastard," he hissed under his breath as he relaxed his guard and turned away.   
"You win," he announced in a louder voice, so the other cadets watching could   
take the hint to mind their own damn business. "You always did."   
  
For a moment Talasu studied Enju's demeanor. He then flipped the tanto   
around so the hilt was offered to Enju, apparently satisfied with something.   
"You've gotten faster since we last met," he remarked.   
  
"I still manage to accomplish jack-all against you." Enju reclaimed his   
sword and then stomped off the mats. Talasu walked alongside him as they cut   
through the other cadets working out. Talasu whistled softly to himself while   
following Enju into the corridor.   
  
The Master stopped whistling to smile at him. "It's been a long time,   
Sarkis," he said. "Far too long between our meetings."   
  
Enju's brow furrowed, and he cautiously looked around the breezeway. They   
were alone, but that did very little to soothe his paranoia. A shadow from his   
past, Master Talasu, leaned against a nearby wall and smiled at him.   
  
"I'd rather you didn't call me that," he said in a low voice. "Sarkis is   
dead. You're talking to SeeD cadet Enju right now."   
  
Talasu smirked. "Interesting vocation."   
  
Enju gave an indifferent shrug and motioned for them to move towards an   
adjacent corridor. Ideally he could get the two of them into the Training   
Centre. Despite the monsters roaming within, it guaranteed a more secure place   
to talk. Besides, he still had his tanto.   
  
"When you're dead, you take what you can get," he replied. "So what do you   
want?"   
  
"I was merely curious about the fate of the Death's Angel."   
  
This time Enju growled. "Be careful who you say that name around."   
  
"Why? You going to kill me?" The amusement on Talasu's face was   
unmistakable. He knew he was one of the few who could tease Enju like this and   
get away with it. Partially due to Enju's respect for him, and the rest due to   
his skill as a Weapons Master.   
  
"I don't have the skill to do that, regrettably," Enju said.   
  
Being an assassin meant he usually dealt with killing people before they   
had the chance to see him. His proficiency had resulted in very few   
hand-to-hand matches. If anything, his targets pulled out some kind of weapon.   
Even then they didn't last long against whatever blade Enju had selected.   
  
Talasu was unusually agreeable when it came to accompanying Enju to the   
Training Centre. He must have something up his sleeve for him to appear all of   
a sudden and then be co-operative. Enju's former master didn't do anything   
without a reason. It was a trait that he and Headmaster shared, only Cid   
wasn't quite as oblique about it. Enju could follow Cid's line of reasoning   
once it was explained to him, while Talasu seemed to work from a base of   
childish and impractical beliefs.   
  
Once they were past the security gates and safely away from other prying   
ears Enju spoke. "So how did you know I was here?"   
  
Talasu shrugged, bent his knees slightly and then made a surprisingly high   
leap onto a low-hanging tree branch. "For starters, there were rumours that   
Death's Angel was alive."   
  
"There were *always* rumours that I was still alive," Enju retorted. Some   
guys with vendettas just couldn't take a hint.   
  
"True," Talasu admitted, his hands in his pockets as he hopped onto   
another branch. His wiry form caused the branch to way under his weight, but it   
did not break and fall. From his perch, he looked around at the Training Centre   
and was dully impressed by what he saw. "A lot of this looks new," he remarked.   
  
"It is," Enju commented, absently twirling his tanto sword with one hand.   
  
"What happened?" Talasu inquired.   
  
Enju shrugged. "Nothing I wouldn't do at your place."   
  
Talasu had to laugh at that. "Somehow that doesn't surprise me. I'm   
impressed to think you managed to do this much damage all by yourself."   
  
"It wasn't just me," Enju replied, the tone in his voice indicating how   
much he seemingly loathed the opponent in question. "A SeeD by the name of Kei   
and I got into fight... and she kicked my ass rather harshly."   
  
Talasu laughed even harder. "You always did have a way with the women."   
  
"Shut up."   
  
A welcome distraction abruptly presented itself as a Grat broke through   
the brush, its jaws snapping at the two. Without saying a word, Enju tossed his   
tanto over to Talasu. He caught it easily and gave it a few twirls to test its   
weight.   
  
Enju pulled out his kinzoku-sensu and unfolded the metal flaps, the   
multitude of slender blades deployed. He gestured for Talasu to engage the Grat   
first.   
  
Between the two of them it was an easy kill.   
  
The Grat didn't know what hit it as Talasu slashed at a fleshy fold   
beneath its mouth, while Enju used the kinzoku-sensu to hack at its tentacles.   
At the climax of the battle, Enju managed to get behind the Grat's back,   
positioned to deliver the perfect deathblow if he had a longer blade. Talasu   
saw the opening and dodged a few feeble strikes made by the monster. He bounded   
up the trunk of a tree and then twisted his body in the air, launching the   
tanto at Enju.   
  
The cadet grabbed hold of the tanto and then twirled the blade so it was   
facing the Grat's weak point. A moment later the Grat was killed, its limbs   
twitching from the tanto being rammed into the core of its nervous system.   
  
"Not bad," Talasu remarked, nodding his approval. He motioned to the   
kinzoku-sensu. "May I see it?"   
  
Enju gave him the fan once any loose droplets of blood had been shaken   
off. Talasu flicked his wrist, and the once retractable blades suddenly   
exploded from the fan. Attached to small wires, the individual blades burrowing   
into whatever unlucky thing happened to be in their trajectory. A number of   
trees and plants had the misfortune of being impaled.   
  
Surprised, Talasu glanced over to Enju. "I see you've made some   
improvements since you became an assassin."   
  
"Saved my life more than once," Enju replied, stepping between some of the   
wires and removing the sensu from Talasu's hand. Another rapid snap of the fan   
had the wires broke off; with something as compact as the sensu, having   
retractable wires was an impossibility. "I don't use that technique here in   
Balamb; it would draw too much attention to me. Not to mention it would kill   
whomever I was sparring against."   
  
He handed Talasu the tanto and began to clean his own weapon. It felt   
somewhat odd with Xu having his other sensu, like he was only half-clothed. But   
he trusted her enough to ensure it wouldn't get lost. At least he had made sure   
to disable the blade-popping mechanism in the fan before giving it to her.   
  
"You could have tried to kill me just now," Talasu remarked idly, watching   
Enju use the jacket sleeve of his uniform to wipe off the remaining gore on the   
metal flaps.   
  
Enju shrugged. "Didn't feel like getting myself killed."   
  
"You always were one of the few who knew when to quit a fight, Sarkis,"   
Talasu said with a grin.   
  
"How many times do I have to tell you there is no Sarkis?" Enju snapped   
irritably. "He died when he left your training hall."   
  
"Enju, then," Talasu said, nodding in compliance. The cadet certainly had   
a way of changing names and lives like some people changed clothes. "But only a   
handful of students have had the wisdom and skill -- and above all, honest   
courage -- to admit when they could not win against me. You tried to spar with   
me many times, but you knew better to yield than to make a stupid and   
mistakenly courageous attack. Very few did that before you, and only one has   
done that since."   
  
"I heard about what you did with Mistress Xu," Enju agreed. "From all   
accounts, the crowd was almost ready to tear you to pieces if you had revoked   
her bid for mastership."   
  
Talasu was momentarily uncomfortable about that. "Oh, I think they   
wouldn't have stopped there." He wiped the tanto blade on some of the larger,   
nearby leaves. Most of the Grat's blood was cleaned off by the effort. "This is   
familiar," he remarked, appraising the weapon. "You took this from my inventory   
when you left, didn't you?"   
  
Enju nodded.   
  
At the time, Talasu hadn't tried to stop him as he left with only six or   
seven of the Master's blades. Everything else were weapons he'd acquired over   
his years of killing; Enju had put a lot of his Guild connections to good use,   
procuring odd and beautiful weapons from craftsmen who only forged blades for   
the Guild.   
  
"Combat is something I excel at," Enju told his former master. "Don't   
think that my yielding in a fight makes me a good and honest soul. I know   
enough about the killing of others to know when my own life is in danger of   
being terminated."   
  
Silently, he admitted that Talasu and Niethe had drilled respect for   
someone with superior skills into his personality. That was why he remained   
very formal with Xu, and grudgingly admired Kei for her own fighting prowess.   
  
Enju wiped the sweat from his face and took a moment to stand beneath the   
shade of a rock outcropping. As his damp body adjusted to the darkness, it   
started to shimmer.   
  
"What's with the skin?" Talasu asked.   
  
Enju glanced down and thoughtfully examined his currently pale status.   
"Magic-induced eugenics. My skin only goes this white when exposed to darkness.   
I had it done after I left the Guild, along with the feather tattoos on my   
arms."   
  
"You certainly have a way with handling puberty," Talasu sighed, spinning   
the tanto around to present its handle to Enju. Enju accepted the weapon's   
return. "You get tattooed and then become an assassin. I don't think I've ever   
met a teen as rebellious as you."   
  
Enju hmph-ed and looked away. "It's not like you're my father."   
  
Talasu gave him a knowing smile before prodded him even further. "You seem   
to be rather enjoying your new life. I'd almost swear you were reliving your   
childhood."   
  
"What childhood?" Enju retorted darkly. "My family was killed when   
Galbadia seized Timber. Out of the entire village, I was the sole survivor." He   
looked away. "You should know, you were the one who found me."   
  
"Do you remember when I took you under my wing for your last two years of   
training?" Talasu asked, sounding very much like the instructor Enju knew as a   
child.   
  
Enju nodded.   
  
By the age of twelve, he had become quite the artist under Mistress   
Niethe's tutelage, and so Talasu had requested that he personally train Enju.   
Niethe had no qualms; Talasu was the one who had dropped 'Sarkis' into her lap   
in the first place. Under Talasu's training, Enju had become an expert in   
wielding almost anything that had some form of edge. What he had never liked   
was all that other material Talasu insisted on teaching him.   
  
"What about it?" Enju asked.   
  
Talasu looked up, and saw the overpass high above the trees and foliage.   
"Do you remember why you left after two years?"   
  
"You told me I would help change the world, that it was my destiny," Enju   
stated. "I left you to make my own future, to change the world my own way and   
not yours."   
  
"And if I recall correctly," Talasu countered solemnly. "I warned you that   
with your skills, you would only become a killer. At fourteen, you were too   
young to understand." His expert eye looked Enju up and down, and Enju bristled   
at the inspection. "I see you can understand that now, but how much blood had   
to be shed by your hands to make you see this?"   
  
Enju stopped cold in his tracks, staring forward. "Too much," he answered   
quietly. "And I still have yet to see your prediction about me come true."   
  
Talasu remained perfectly calm. "Sometimes it's the legacy you leave, and   
not the name," he answered.   
  
Enju's glare melted away into confusion. "What the hell are you talking   
about?"   
  
An enigmatic smile played with Talasu's lips. "You'll understand in time."   
  
With a beleaguered sigh, Enju started walking towards the exit. "You   
always were an tenacious bastard, Master Talasu. Nothing's changed."   
  
"But you have."   
  
"You never did tell me how you knew I was here."   
  
Talasu chuckled. "My dear boy, I have known Cid Kramer long before you   
were born. When he suspected your forged past, I was the one in the Guild he   
contacted."   
  
"Figures."   
  
Enju turned away as he heard a Shumi calling out his cadet title. "The   
Headmaster wishes that cadet Enju report to his office immediately," it stated.   
  
'Please tell me I'm not being coerced into studying under Talasu again,'   
Enju silently prayed to whoever might be listening. That was the last thing he   
wanted right now, period. "Why am I being called?" he asked the Shumi politely.   
  
"Cadet Enju will be taking a leave of absence for a training session in   
Trabia. Headmaster Cid will give you your papers and itinerary."   
  
Enju gave a nod and then turned back to Talasu. However, the immediate   
area was deserted, Talasu having silently vanished without a trace.   
  
That didn't surprise Enju in the slightest.   
  
*****   
  
Lockrush drove the car that took them to Dollet. Along the way Michelle   
maintained an air of casual conversation. Xu wasn't sure how she felt about   
either of them. The woman seemed friendly enough, if not covertly curious to   
know everything Xu was willing to volunteer. Her partner made no bones   
regarding his doubts about Xu's ability to pull off this mission.   
  
Doubts she privately shared. She'd never conducted herself in such a   
manner as to purposefully use her body to manipulate others. Her mind edged   
away from the idea that she might have to pleasure whoever this man was. It   
was one hell of a request to make of a person, but if it were part of her   
duty...   
  
"We're here," Lockrush announced as the car pulled into an underground   
parking garage. The building was unremarkable, unlike its neon clad cousins   
further down the strip. Lockrush took her bag out of the trunk before leading   
them in. On the third story he paused in front of a door to tumble the lock   
with an old fashioned key.   
  
"Make yourself comfortable," Michelle invited as she strolled over to the   
window to look at something through it. Lockrush hit the play button of the   
answering machine since the new message light was blinking a rhythmic red.   
  
"Harry, we want the girl tonight. She damn well better be there by now.   
Our client is becoming impatient with your delays. Have her here by 7   
o'clock." The machine clicked and automatically reset the message.   
  
Lockrush shot Michelle doubtful a look. "This doesn't give us much time.   
Can you do it?"   
  
Michelle flipped her hair over her shoulder and flashed him her winning   
smile. "I'm not the best there is without reason." She pulled a chair out   
from a rickety table, motioning for Xu to take a seat. She placed a finger   
under Xu's chin and angled her face one way and then the other. She pressed   
her lips together slightly as she considered what work needed to be done. She   
ran her fingers through Xu's dark brown hair, then brought her hand down to   
trace along Xu's jaw line.   
  
"Do you trust me?"   
  
"I'll do whatever it takes to complete my mission," Xu answered. The   
private doubts she felt could eat away at her later. Now was the time for   
isolating the part of her that was dedicated to her cause and nothing else.   
She hardened that ball of resolve in her stomach and held tight to it.   
  
Lockrush paced along the back of the room explaining their situation while   
Michelle worked. Xu tried not to think about what Michelle was doing while   
focusing in on Lockrush's words.   
  
"The target's name is Richard Ruze. He's the middleman between those who   
abduct the children and those who fund the operation. Ruze is smart enough not   
to step on the toes of those who could have him killed, but he hasn't gone out   
of his way to make any friends either. We've lulled him into thinking of the   
local pub as a safe haven. The pub's proprietor is co-operating with us in   
exchange for not busting him regarding some minor gambling charges.   
  
"The pub has two levels. The street level is open to the general public.   
The second level holds the proprietor's private Triple Triad tables. Nice   
layout too. There's also a small bar in the back with a barkeep that acts as   
both a 'tender and a bouncer.   
  
"Are you familiar with Triple Triad? Do you drink?" He paused in his   
briefing to ask.   
  
"Yes and occasionally," Xu answered, not wanting to move too much while   
Michelle worked on her face.   
  
"The current rules in this region are Open, Plus, and Trade One. Think   
you can play with that?"   
  
"Yes, sir." She would have never counted on one of her favorite past   
times as coming in useful for an assignment. SeeD worked in mysterious ways.   
  
"Ruze isn't known for being a violent man, but I wouldn't count on that.   
I'm glad that SeeD sent an unarmed combat expert; that makes me feel somewhat   
better. I won't tell you how to get him talking. You'll have to go with your   
gut feelings on that one. The entire place is bugged, so anything said will be   
recorded. Also know that we have someone working on the inside in case you get   
into trouble."   
  
"That makes *me* feel better," she admitted, sharing Lockrush's sense of   
relief. "I've brought a kinzoke-sensu with me. It's a weapon I thought would   
blend in well with the appearance we're trying to create."   
  
Lockrush briefly examined the weapon she presented to him. How such a   
thing could be used in a life taking or saving capacity was lost on him.   
Michelle refrained from comment except to say that it would add to the   
illusion.   
  
The transformation from SeeD Xu to a sensual woman was an involved   
process. Her measurements (normally used for making uniforms) were apparently   
sent ahead of time so that a dress could be prepared with her in mind.   
Michelle was somewhat surprised when she discovered that Xu'd never gotten her   
ears pierced. That was a situation she rectified as part of the metamorphosis.   
As Michelle noted, her hair was well maintained, if little imagination used   
when it came to styling. That left a lot of room for her to work with.   
  
The cheongsam itself was form fitting and ruby red in color. It took   
advantage of Xu's athletic build and muscular thighs. It had no sleeves, but   
did have a high neckline. An aspect of it that puzzled Xu was a triangular cut   
in the fabric that extended down between her shoulder blades. A mischievous   
grin played across Michelle's lips as she explained that exposing one of Xu's   
tattoos would invite a man to discover what else she had hidden beneath the   
fabric. Xu had never thought of it that way.   
  
Michelle was quite skilled in the art of makeup. Xu didn't recognize   
herself in the mirror. Her hair was pulled up onto the top of her head,   
twisted, and held in place with a pair of hairpins. Xu's primary objection   
with the outfit was the high-heeled shoes. They eventually compromised on that   
so that she could wear a pair of soft slippers.   
  
"As you'll notice, you have no pockets in that dress," Lockrush pointed   
out the obvious. "Your coin purse doesn't have much in it either. We were   
told that SeeDs could store magic within themselves. I don't understand how   
you can do that, but I'd recommend that you do else you'll have nothing except   
your hands and that fan of yours if you get into trouble."   
  
"Of course," Xu murmured. Not only did she feel awkward on the outside,   
now she felt awkward on the inside as well. Energy Quanta wasn't one of her   
better skills. The spells she absorbed from the stock she'd brought in bead   
form settled uncomfortably within her. If she did have to do a casting, it   
wouldn't be nearly as strong as if she'd absorbed the spell in the first place.   
Hopefully the fact that she had them 'just in case' would be something that   
wasn't tested.   
  
*****   
  
Xu took a deep breath to calm her nerves before entering the door that she   
was directed to. Michelle's hovering by the window made sense now. They could   
watch the pub from that position.   
  
The owner of the bar, Franco, met her quickly at the door before shuffling   
her up the stairs at the back of the room. Even though it was early in the   
evening, the bar was already thick with the smell of smoke and beer. It came   
as a relief to find that the private rooms were smoke free and significantly   
quieter. Only a few men (who obviously belonged to the upper class) were   
seated around the room.   
  
Franco guided her towards a pair of men at the bar. The one who looked up   
from pouring a drink had to be the bartender Lockrush mentioned. The bartender   
was big enough to fill his other role as bouncer well. The collared shirt and   
bowtie he wore seemed out of place on him, as though one would be more likely   
to find him in scruffy clothing that wouldn't be ruined if he smashed someone's   
face in. He had a full beard of fiery red hair that was neatly trimmed. His   
eyes drilled into her as she approached. Xu demurred by turning her eyes   
towards the floor.   
  
"This is the girl?" He asked, coming around the end of the bar.   
  
"Be nice to our guest, Nick," Franco warned, though it seemed to have   
fallen on deaf ears. Nick held his hand out for Xu's purse and sensu to   
inspect them. The fan fascinated him by its design, but he said nothing. Xu   
had to admit that he was both quick and thorough in patting her down for   
anything concealed. This was a man she'd have to keep an eye on. He grunted   
his approval, then returned to his position behind the bar.   
  
"This is Tsing. You expressed an interest in having something a little   
different," Franco winked at the man seated at the bar who was being served.   
Ruze, Xu was certain. He was of medium build, mid-thirties if she had to   
hazard a guess at his age. His skin was tanned dark and leathery from spending   
too much time in the sun.   
  
His mouth twisted into a smirk as he examined her. Xu was certain that   
'Tsing' was exactly what he was hoping for in a woman. She kept her eyes   
turned respectfully downward with her hands folded before her. Franco stepped   
aside as Ruze paced around her, taking her in from all angles. An eyebrow   
arched when he saw part of a tattoo on her back through a slit in her dress.   
  
It would be a game to see if he could get a look at the rest of the   
tattoo. The hungry look in his eyes made Xu shiver on the inside. This wasn't   
a man she would associate with voluntarily.   
  
"You've done well," he complimented, stroking a hand along Tsing's cheek.   
He idly flicked one of her dangling earrings before placing an arm around her   
shoulders and guided her to his table.   
  
"Are you familiar with the rules of Triple Triad?" He asked, clearing a   
place at the table for her sit on a tall stool.   
  
"I've played it before," she answered softly in a curiously accented   
voice. He smiled to himself for becoming more and more enchanted by this   
foreign girl. Franco had certainly done him right by picking her to be his   
companion for the evening.   
  
"Nick, a drink for the girl," Franco motioned for the bartender to bring   
something for her to the table. Xu swore that she could feel the floorboards   
give some as he stopped next to her and set a wine glass with an amber liquid   
in it on the table. With all three of them watching her, she sipped from the   
glass hesitantly. It was... juice? What the..?   
  
Nick huffed and returned to his bar.   
  
Ruze seemed satisfied and placed a deck of cards on the table. "Play me?"   
He invited.   
  
Xu nodded. He dealt them both cards from his deck after giving it a good   
shuffle. Without any cards of her own to play with, she would have to borrow   
his. Their first match went to him. She didn't try to lose; she simply didn't   
have the cards needed to win. The next match was more even, and he had to play   
skillfully to come out on top. He arched an eyebrow at her and she smiled.   
She wasn't going to let him win without a fight.   
  
"Tell me about yourself, Tsing. Where are you from?" Ruze didn't look up   
from his cards. Glancing over at the bar, Nick glowered at them. Franco had   
returned downstairs to keep an eye on things there.   
  
"The Anshin clan," she answered in a thickened accent. Nervousness alone   
made it easier to slip into the speech patterns of her childhood. It adding   
weight to her story was a welcome bonus.   
  
"I've been down south to the Serengetti Plains a few times myself. Damn   
Thrustaevis's are as thick as mud."   
  
Xu cocked her head to the side with confusion. "Thrustaevis's aren't   
native to the Plains. Where did you encounter them?"   
  
Upon seeing Ruze's shark-like grin she realized that she'd passed his   
test. Thrustaevis were so common on the Galbadian continent that it would be   
easy to assume that they lived everywhere else as well.   
  
He pulled her closer to him, sliding his hand along the exposed skin of   
her back. "You're a full grown Anshin, eh?" The bartender watched with   
disinterest as Ruze tried to get a better look at her tattoo. "What position   
within the clan did you escape to be my companion for the evening?"   
  
Xu looked down at her hands folded in her lap. Whoever this man was, he   
knew more than most. His knowledge was something he was trying to use to force   
Xu into a submissive position. There was no way he could know the meaning of   
her tattoos, so she was free to lie as she saw fit.   
  
"Hum... too ashamed to tell me?" He mistook her silence. "That's okay.   
I'll bring some value to your directionless life," he came in close to give her   
ear a lick. Against her better judgment she leaned against him, tracing her   
fingers along his cheek. The grin returned, pleased that they each understood   
their roles within the relationship.   
  
Nick abruptly set a glass in front each of them. Xu jumped, startled by   
his sudden appearance. Ruze sighed heavily and returned to the game. "When   
will your boss be back up? I want to play a few matches against him."   
  
"He'll be up when he's finished downstairs," Nick picked up their emptied   
glasses and returned to his bar.   
  
"Damn ape," Ruze growled low enough that the man in question wouldn't hear   
him.   
  
Four hours later and Xu was more than ready to call it a night. She'd   
always considered herself a serious Triple Triad player, but this was testing   
the limits of her interest in the game. Franco and Ruze played with ferocity   
as Nick kept the drinks coming. She never asked why he kept bringing her   
juice.   
  
Ruze's tolerance for alcohol was a high one, but he did have a limit. By   
1am his speech was significantly slurred and his movements sluggish. He   
nuzzled against her, sliding his hand through the slit in the back of her dress   
to caress her shoulder blades. Xu didn't flinch, though she wanted to. He was   
creeping her out.   
  
"Let's go to bed," he pushed himself away from the table. Xu caught his   
arm before he slid too far backwards. Nick came around from the bar to assist,   
but Ruze waved him off.   
  
Ruze led the way through a side door. This opened up to a hallway that   
had four doors along it and a stairway leading down at the end. The door   
furthest along the hall on the right opened up to a small room with a bed and a   
table lamp.   
  
He flopped down on the bed, not bothering to remove his shoes first. Xu   
sighed to herself and took the hint; he expected her to undress him. She took   
off his shoes and socks, and massaged his feet with strong fingers. Impatient   
with her slow pace, he pulled her onto the bed with him.   
  
Wordlessly, she unbuttoned his shirt and slid her hands along his chest,   
stroking him, stimulating him. He laid back, letting her do all the work. The   
shirt was discard. She then worked on removing his pant. Stupid man. This   
was one area where women had the advantage in her opinion. It took zero effort   
to slip a skirt off versus considerable tugging to yank his legs free of his   
pants.   
  
"C'mon, Tsing, stop teasing me!" He slurred, his head lolling from side to   
side on the pillow.   
  
What to do? Even if she did give him what he wanted, he'd likely fall   
asleep midway through. Hum... She'd do him a favor by pushing him over the   
edge of consciousness (and get herself out of this situation). She crawled on   
the bed beside him, trailing a finger along his skin. He took hold of her   
hand, grasping it weakly.   
  
She leaned her face close to his, smiling as she kissed him. Their eyes   
closed as their lips met. Hers opened after a moment. His did not. Xu smiled   
at her handiwork. In his drunken condition, he was incredibly vulnerable to   
Sleep spells. Maybe keeping some magic within herself at all times wasn't such   
a bad idea.   
  
Xu eased the door closed behind her as she left, suddenly concerned that   
her movements may wake him. Her hand along the banister guided her down the   
darkened staircase. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, her eyes were   
adjusted to the darkness of the room. Even so, she didn't see the person who   
pulled her back with his large hand over her mouth before it happened. She   
couldn't scream. If she did, Ruze would surely be woken by it.   
  
She bit down on the fingers blocking her mouth in an effort to free   
herself. It had to be the bartender. He was the only one big enough to have   
her outsized like this.   
  
"Calm yourself," he whispered harshly into her ear. His breath tickled as   
he continued, "When you leave go down two blocks and then turn left into the   
alley. The third door on the right opens up to a stairwell. Go up and let   
yourself into the apartment at the top. The door's unlocked. I'll be there   
shortly."   
  
He released her suddenly and she fought to regain her footing without   
hitting the floor. She looked behind her where he was standing, but he'd   
already melted back into the shadows.   
  
What was going on here? Why should she go where he told her? Did he want   
to have some 'fun' with her now that Ruze was done? Her heart froze at that   
thought. She could easily refuse his request by not showing up. But if she   
did, would he become an obstacle between her and Ruze? She couldn't allow that   
to happen.   
  
Crisp, cool air greeted her at the door. She took a deep breath; only now   
realizing just how stuffy the pub was in comparison. A bright moon and a   
handful of flickering streetlights guided her way along the sidewalk. Michelle   
and Lockrush hadn't discussed what to do once she was finished for the evening.   
She didn't even have a number to call to ask them to pick her up.   
  
Would it really hurt to go to Nick's apartment and see what he wanted?   
The cautious part of her reasserted itself. He was a big man. He'd have no   
difficulty pinning her to a bed and having his way with her. As far as he   
knew, she was a hooker, and thus someone to be taken advantage of.   
  
She found herself standing outside the door he directed her to. 'Door'   
was a generous description of the battered piece of framed screen that   
separated the stairwell from the alley. Xu took in her surroundings and   
quickly decided that this definitely wasn't one of the better parts of town. A   
cat looked back at her from its spot atop a lidded trashcan. It'd been eating   
from the can next to it.   
  
The possibilities ran through her mind once more. If worse came to worst,   
she could kill him. But that would throw away *years* of other people's work.   
Or she could roll with the punches and hope she wasn't hit too hard.   
  
Slipping through the doorway she walked up the stairs. This could be a   
trap. But she had to go *somewhere* tonight. He could rape her. But she   
accepted the mission knowing that rape was a definite risk. For all she knew,   
he could be one of the criminals they were trying to catch.   
  
The heavy wooden door that opened to the apartment was out of place in its   
surroundings. She pushed it open to stand in the entryway of a studio   
apartment. Under her feet was a small throw rug. She couldn't see much   
further into the apartment than that, the light from the overhead lamp midway   
up the stairs behind her didn't penetrate that far into the room's darkness.   
  
She waited in the doorway for Nick to arrive. He didn't come in the way   
she expected him to. Some rustling in the kitchen and a lamp being turned on   
in the living room indicated that there was more than one entrance to the   
apartment. He strode out to the entryway and regarded her as she stood there   
feeling dumbfounded.   
  
"Please close the door behind you. Now, would you like something to eat?   
Take a shower perhaps? Go to bed?" He asked while undoing his tie and dress   
shirt.   
  
She complied with his request, but didn't answer because she was thrown   
off by his unexpected questions.   
  
His regarded her with returned confusion and then stroked his chin   
thoughtfully. "It's the beard, isn't it? Don't tell me it's the kilos I've   
put on, I plan on losing those as soon as possible."   
  
Xu renewed her efforts to place him. Admitting defeat, she finally asked.   
  
He held his left hand out to her, palm facing. "I'm Quistis' brother,   
Eugene. I heard a lot about you from Sean. I'm sorry we didn't get to know   
each other better before he passed away, and afterwards."   
  
She reached her right hand out and laced her fingers through his. He   
squeezed her hand, and pulled her into a comforting hug. Never before had she   
been in a situation where so much was on the line. The stress of not just   
failing, but also having to conduct herself in a way that she found repulsive   
wore on her spirit.   
  
"Are we safe here?" She whispered, wanting more than anything else to   
lower her guard for a while. Remaining on her toes constantly was a drain.   
  
"As safe as we are anywhere," he answered honestly. "You can rest. No   
one will come for you."   
  
She pulled herself away. "I think I'll take you up on your offer of a   
shower."   
  
"I've already laid some night clothes out in the bathroom. You'll swim in   
them, but I think the only thing I have in your size is a sock you could use as   
a shirt." She laughed at his good-natured jab. "I'll make you something to eat   
while you clean up."   
  
The shower did much to refresh her -- and not just physically. She felt   
better for stripping off the persona of someone so shallow that they'd sell   
their body for money. Once the costume was gone, she felt like she was free to   
revert back to her normal self.   
  
Eugene didn't comment on how long she was in the shower. It felt so good   
to just let the water flow over her that she indulged the desire to lean her   
head against the tiled wall and rest. A bowl of fresh fruit and a tossed salad   
for each of them sat on the small table that was the centerpiece of his living   
room.   
  
His apartment wasn't large by any means. She didn't want to think about   
how cramped it must feel for someone of his size. Maybe her memory was   
slipping, but he seemed to be taller than she remembered. The showerhead was   
high enough that it sprayed down on her. It was low enough that it must hit   
him squarely in the chest.   
  
When she mentioned this, he laughed. "That is one disadvantage of being   
big," he agreed. "It doesn't surprise me that you couldn't place me. As you   
guessed, I had a growth spurt after graduating. It's probably the farm boy in   
me. They grow the boys large where I'm from."   
  
"You're well suited to the job of bouncer. How'd you get to this point?"   
  
He idly munched on a carrot while reciting his story. "Technically I'm   
still on my first assignment as a SeeD. I was sent to Centra to track down a   
missing archeologist who was exploring the ruins. Over the course of a   
half-year I've been led back to Balamb, then southern Galbadia, and finally   
Dollet. Once I made Dollet it became obvious that I was sniffing the same   
trail as the local authorities. SeeD's contract was renegotiated and I was   
assigned to help the government track down the child smugglers.   
  
"The break we needed in the case came with Ruze. I got a job at the pub   
knowing that he frequented the place. Catching the owner by the tail gave the   
local law enforcement the last bit of leverage they needed and meant I no   
longer had to wear bugs when I went to work. Franco doesn't know that I work   
for SeeD. He does know that you're a government plant, but that's all." Eugene   
paused to chuckle lightly. "He'd have a shit if he knew that two SeeDs were in   
his pub. He may not respect the local laws, but he has a definite fear of us."   
  
"Franco isn't the one I'm concerned with. It doesn't seem like they got   
the information they needed tonight," Xu frowned slightly. Ruze didn't say   
anything that Xu would consider to be incriminating or pointing to his   
accomplices.   
  
"We won't know until morning. Why don't you curl up on the couch and   
rest? I'm sure we'll get a call with further orders."   
  
"Do they know that I'm with you?" Xu asked.   
  
He shrugged. "I'd guess so. They keep the pub under close surveillance.   
You were looking sexy enough that whatever schmuck they have keeping an eye on   
the place wouldn't miss you," he grinned impishly.   
  
She couldn't stop her cheeks from flushing. "Don't tease me."   
  
"I'm sorry. Sean would be disappointed if I didn't take the opportunity."   
He chuckled at her discomfort as he took their plates to the kitchen. It'd   
been years since she'd spoken with someone who knew Sean as intimately as she   
did. She stretched out on the couch and closed her eyes to think. No, she   
wanted to avoid thinking. Avoid feeling the pang of loss that hit her every   
time she thought about him...   
  
Eugene turned the lights off, then settled down on a chair to sleep. The   
apartment lacked a separate bedroom. It was kind of him to offer her the couch   
he usually slept on.   
  
Xu's sleep was restless, her dreams were mottled with still images of Sean   
laced heavily with overtones she tended to shy away from. She wanted... No,   
what she wanted wasn't right. It was selfish of her. But what she was doing   
now was even worse, acting like a whore. Sean wouldn't want that. He'd   
understand the situation, but would still be disappointed that she wasn't... or   
that he wasn't...   
  
She opened her eyes slowly. Through the open window she could tell that   
the sun hadn't risen yet. False dawn had only recently started. She could   
rest for a bit longer if she wanted, but her dreams would be waiting for her.   
It was time to get up. She walked out to the kitchen and started a pot of   
coffee.   
  
"Would you like a cup?" She called back to the living room.   
  
Eugene snorted, then opened his eyes. "Sure. How did you know that I was   
awake?"   
  
"I could feel it."   
  
He snorted again before getting up. Xu winced as he stretched out, his   
joints popping loudly in protest.   
  
The phone call Eugene had predicted came sooner than Xu would have   
expected. Not many people would dare call someone before sunrise. He used an   
old fashioned telephone with a hand unit. Xu reminded herself that she was   
spoiled at the Garden by having access to data terminals and visual   
communication links.   
  
"Yes, she's here with me." He paused. "I'm sorry to hear that. Again   
tonight? Let me ask." He cupped his hand over the receiver and gave her a   
questioning look. She nodded. "She's willing. Ha! What else would you   
expect from a SeeD? We're professionals after all. Yes, I understand. Very   
well. Bye."   
  
After he hung up, she spoke. "Am I to assume that I'll be playing the   
part of bait again tonight?"   
  
"Yes. I usually leave in the morning to run errands and am at work by   
3pm. A courier will bring you another dress sometime today. Don't leave the   
apartment unless you're called for. Don't pick up the phone unless the ID says   
it's from our contacts."   
  
"In other words, I'll be hiding out here until it's time for Tsing to make   
another appearance?" Xu summarized.   
  
"That's the short of it, yes," he gave her a sympathetic look. "I'll go   
by the market today and pick up some things to eat that are more agreeable to   
you. On the other hand, you might not be able to pull last night's   
disappearing act again."   
  
"I know," she conceded. "Oh, what was with you serving me juice   
yesterday?"   
  
"Heh, what was with you bringing a kinzoku-sensu?" He asked in turn.   
"We're both practicing the art of deception. What you may not know is that the   
juice I served you bears a striking resemblance to a type of wine that is   
commonly found around the Lake Obel area. The only way to tell the difference   
is to taste it."   
  
"Things aren't always what they seem," she agreed readily.   
  
Eugene left an hour later and Xu contented herself with waiting. He   
didn't have a terminal for accessing the newslinks with and reading materials   
were scarce. She worked with her Puzzle Stone to pass the time, slipping far   
enough into a trance to be involved, but not so much so that she couldn't break   
free easily.   
  
In the early afternoon there was a knocking on the door. A man dressed in   
a courier's uniform tapped his foot impatiently waiting for the door to be   
opened.   
  
"Xu Anshin?" He asked, reading off of a clipboard.   
  
She bit back the urge to correct him. The package he had for her was   
signed for and unwrapped on the table by the time he made it to the foot of the   
stairs. A dress made of midnight blue velvet laid before her. It was   
beautiful, just like the first one, and made to her measurements.   
  
"I hate to think of how much they're spending on dresses alone," she said   
dryly to herself.   
  
"The costs are worth it if we succeed," came the unexpected answer. Xu   
spun around to see Michelle standing behind her. The front door was bolted   
shut. She must have entered through the same way Eugene had last night.   
  
"I suppose so."   
  
Michelle set a pouch she'd brought with her on the table. "I thought you   
might like some help getting ready for this evening. By the end of this, you   
may be ready to take over my job."   
  
Xu shook her head with resignation. "No offense, but I sincerely hope   
not."   
  
*****   
  
Boredom prompted Quistis to walk around the Garden. She could have sworn   
that she saw a man dressed in green and black watching her intently from the   
bench he sat on. But when she looked away and back again, he was gone.   
Feeling somewhat disturbed by this she quickly continued on her way.   
  
It had been a long time since she was last left on her own. Xu was on   
assignment. The twins were on their first mission. And now Enju was on a   
training mission. Everyone she cared to spend time with was out of the Garden   
right now.   
  
Well, not everyone. There was one person left that she wouldn't mind   
spending the evening with, but the feeling might not be mutual. That left her   
reluctant as she walked through the Instructor's wing to enter the SeeD's wing   
in the dorms. There was Myn's room. Down that corridor and to the right was   
Nym's. She abruptly stopped in front of a door seemingly at random. She'd   
never actually been to this room before, but knew where it was because of Xu.   
  
Quistis took a deep breath, then knocked hesitantly. Kei opened the door.   
She didn't look amused to say the least. "Yes?"   
  
"Um... Are you busy?"   
  
Kei crossed her arms and continued to give her a level look. Or, more   
precisely, looked up to her to give her a level look. Quistis had passed by   
Kei's height a couple months ago and showed no signs of stopping there. "Why?"   
  
"Well... Xu's gone, and so are the twins, and Enju," she ticked the people   
off on her fingers.   
  
"You're lonely and want someone to keep you company?" Kei offered dryly.   
She'd seen the signs often enough in her cousin to recognize them in the cadet   
standing before her.   
  
She blushed, then nodded her head. Abruptly, Kei returned to her room,   
leaving the door open for Quistis to follow her in.   
  
Kei's quarters were in a state of disarray, to put it politely. Books --   
many of them crossword puzzle -- and papers occupied her bed. Odds and ends   
were tucked away in the strangest of places. Kei was like the anti-Xu when it   
came to living space maintenance. Even so, Quistis couldn't say that the room   
was a mess; it just wasn't organized using any form of reason that she   
understood.   
  
"Did you have something in mind?"   
  
Quistis paused in her examination of the room to think. She hadn't   
expected to get this far, and thus didn't have any ideas on what to do next.   
"Triple Triad?"   
  
"Why not play something that uses your mind?" Kei retorted sarcastically.   
Belatedly Quistis remembered Xu mentioning her cousin's dislike of the game.   
  
"Like what?"   
  
"Like this," Kei pulled a thin square box down from a shelf occupied by   
bits of electronics. The box was set onto the table (after space was cleared   
by conveniently swiping her arm across its surface) and a square, checked board   
was placed between them. In the box were many wooden tiles with letters etched   
into them.   
  
"The object of the game is to score points by putting down words built off   
of ones already on the board. We each have a rack of tiles to work with.   
Whoever has the most points after the tiles are used wins."   
  
"Simple enough." Quistis sat herself on a chair across from Kei, who was   
busily making sure the backs of all the tiles were facing. Apparently they'd   
be drawing them at random during the game.   
  
"When Xu and I were still beginners to the language we played this game a   
lot. An evening a week was spent testing our skills against Cid. After a word   
was placed on the board, he'd ask us both to use it in a sentence to test our   
understanding." Kei confided while finishing the setup. "It's a great way to   
build vocabulary and spelling skills."   
  
"It sounds interesting. I wonder why Xu never taught me it?"   
  
Kei laughed. "Xu doesn't like this game any more than I like Triple   
Triad."   
  
"Why's that?"   
  
Kei rubbed her thumb up against her nose. "Hmm... Let me ask you this;   
when Xu was away in Galbadia did she send you letters?"   
  
"Of course!"   
  
"Were any of them handwritten?"   
  
Quistis tried to recall. Now that Kei mentioned it, none of them were.   
They were always sent via HD or, if Xu sent a physical letter, it was typed out   
and then signed. "That's odd, Xu has very pretty handwriting."   
  
"Pretty handwriting doesn't make up for the fact that she can't spell   
worth a damn," Kei smirked. "The terminal's spell checker is overworked when   
Xu's the one writing the letter. Her dictionary is the most worn book she   
owns."   
  
Quistis couldn't deny this, remembering the condition of the book Kei was   
referring to. She thought about it and Kei was right, Xu did seem to make   
heavy use of it.   
  
Kei laid down the first word, demonstrating how scoring worked and then   
showed how Quistis would go about laying down her own word. The concept was   
deceptively simple. She spent more time thinking about what she could lay than   
she would have liked. And once she did have a word to put down she didn't get   
many points for it.   
  
As soon as she was finished with her turn, Kei put her word down for   
double-digit points. Quistis groaned to herself. She was already getting   
stomped and the game just started.   
  
Quistis bit her lip as she considered her next move. She laid the tiles   
down, but Kei protested with a chuckle. "The word you built works, but it   
crosses these other letters and *that* isn't a word in the standard language."   
  
Quistis' frown deepened. "If it's not a word in standard, what language   
is it a word in?" She asked off handedly as she reconsidered her move.   
  
"Anshin."   
  
"What does it mean?"   
  
Kei shook her head ruefully. "Xu would hurt me for teaching you foul   
language."   
  
"Oh..." Quistis put down her tiles. Kei thought for a moment before   
pouncing on the opportunity. It was almost like she was setting Kei up for   
these high scoring words. No matter, she would figure out the strategy for   
this game soon enough.   
  
"Why don't you talk about it?" Quistis asked, plotting out her next move.   
  
"About what?"   
  
"The Anshin, your life before Garden, any of that. Xu won't answer my   
questions. Not that you will either, will you?" She sighed heavily.   
  
Kei didn't snap at her, as she would have expected. "Why are you   
curious?"   
  
"I want to know about my friends," she admitted sheepishly.   
  
Kei hummed to herself softly as she put down her tiles. "You haven't   
answered those same questions about yourself. Why should I volunteer that sort   
of information?"   
  
Quistis flushed. She didn't want Kei to think of her as a hypocrite. No   
one had asked her about her past. It was almost taboo to speak about it.   
Everyone at the Garden wanted to look forward, not back.   
  
"My life before Garden wasn't very exciting. I was born in Cottage Grove,   
which is part of the territory seized by Galbadia when they took Timber. That   
makes me Galbadian, I guess. My parents died when I was five and I was sent to   
an orphanage in Deling City. Matron took me to her orphanage in Centra not   
long afterwards. I stayed there for a little while, and then went to live with   
a foster family. Things didn't work out well. That's when I came to the   
Garden. Pretty boring, huh?"   
  
Kei blinked. She never expected Quistis to outline her pre-Garden life   
for her like that, but that wasn't even the bombshell. "You lived in Centra?"   
  
She nodded. "Matron's orphanage was on the Cape of Good Hope near a light   
house. It was a nice place." Quistis smiled fondly at the memory. "Going out   
the back door led to the ocean itself. We all loved playing on the beach.   
Fields of wild flowers surrounded the area around the orphanage. That was   
another favorite spot."   
  
"Thank you for sharing," Kei replied softly. Quistis could tell that she   
was sincere in her thanks by the softness of her tone. For as brash as Kei   
was, she also knew when to mellow.   
  
"It's not something I purposefully hide. You don't have to tell me   
anything in return if you don't want." She understood that there was a good   
reason for them not talking about their homeland.   
  
"Hmm..." Kei laid down the last tiles to bring their game to an end.   
"Come back tomorrow. We'll play again."   
  
Quistis stood up and bowed quickly. "Thank you."   
  
*****   
  
Xu eased the door closed to Ruze's room. He was more persistent tonight,   
but she'd managed to slip by without doing anything that she'd later regret.   
Damn pervert. If his idea of sex was the norm, then she'd sooner live as a   
virgin.   
  
*****   
  
Kei had made more space for them to play her word game tonight. The table   
was cleared of all superfluous objects and the board already set out.   
  
"Are you ready to challenge me again?" Kei smirked as Quistis settled   
herself comfortably across from her.   
  
"I'll give it my best."   
  
The smile didn't leave Kei's face at her answer.   
  
Kei's domination continued from last night. Quistis had expected as much.   
What she didn't expect was when Kei asked her what she would like to know. The   
prospect of having her questions answered so startled her that she didn't know   
what to ask.   
  
"Um... What's my name in Anshin?" It was a lame question, but it was the   
only thing that came to mind.   
  
"Tch, you'd have to ask something difficult like that, wouldn't you?" Kei   
complained good-naturedly. "Your name translates about as well as Xu's does --   
which is to say that it doesn't. The closest I could come is 'KwisTwis'. It'd   
be written like this," Kei pulled a sheet free of the tablet she was using to   
keep score to write it out. Quistis held the sheet in her hand as she examined   
it closer. It looked like a few squiggles to her. Was that what standard   
looked like to the Anshin?   
  
"No," Kei replied when she voiced the question. "We learn both languages   
in school, though the clan's proficiency is lacking as Xu and I discovered.   
You have to be able to read and write standard if you want to communicate with   
the rest of the world. Speaking is an entirely different matter."   
  
"Then why not switch to standard?"   
  
Kei leaned back into her seat before answering. "That'd make sense.   
Unfortunately, Anshin rarely do things that are sensible," she shrugged. "We   
didn't gain a reputation for being stubborn and unreasonable for nothing, you   
know."   
  
Quistis wasn't about to question the validity of that statement.   
Especially not when Kei was proof enough of its truth. She returned her   
attention to the game they were playing. It'd been her turn for some time now.   
  
They played the rest of the evening without Quistis asking another   
Anshin-related question. When the game was finished, Quistis stood and bowed   
to Kei. "May I return tomorrow night?"   
  
Kei nodded. "We'll play again."   
  
*****   
  
Eugene offered Xu something a bit stiffer than the juice he'd been giving   
her while 'on duty'. The bitter liquid in the glass couldn't make her problems   
go away, but it'd loosen the tension in her shoulders some.   
  
Things weren't going as well as she'd hoped, despite Eugene's assurances   
to the contrary. Ruze didn't seem inclined towards talking about anything   
except cards, liquor, and women. The last one made Xu irritable, which was to   
be expected considering that she was the woman he continually talked about.   
Last night he managed to get her fully unclothed before she knocked him out.   
The more she got to know him, the more she didn't want to give him what he   
wanted. How could someone do this type of work on a day-to-day basis?   
  
"Don't let your heart get involved," Eugene advised, taking a sip from his   
own glass. "I don't know about you, but I've done plenty of things that I   
found to be repulsive. Just turn off your mind and do it. Like an autopilot."   
  
Xu bit back her retort that this was different. He knew that already and   
was trying to offer some condolence. It just irked her to have Ruze bragging   
about his dominance of her when they hadn't actually *done* anything... yet.   
The yet scared her. If he was this bad now, how insufferable would he be once   
he pinned her down?   
  
Eugene was helping her as much as he could. Sleep powder was added to   
Ruze's drinks as the night wore on. Hopefully, by the time he got her alone,   
he'd be close enough to sleep on his own that she could gently nudge him there   
the rest of the way. It'd worked up to this point, but their ploy couldn't be   
maintained on a long-term basis without him becoming suspicious. What they   
needed was a break.   
  
Xu looked at her glass again and sighed heavily. Quistis' fifteenth   
birthday was in a couple days and she wouldn't be there to celebrate it. Given   
the nature of the mission, she couldn't even risk sending a card or giving her   
a call. Xu had really wanted to be there. This was one of the final barriers   
standing between Quistis and graduation.   
  
'Happy birthday, Quistis,' Xu thought silently.   
  
*****   
  
Quistis crowed with delight at coming within a hundred points of Kei's   
winning score. Every bit of skill she had and a few lucky breaks made this   
their closest game yet. Victory was close enough that she could taste it.   
  
But beating Kei was second to gleaning what kernels of information she   
could from the SeeD. That was the true game they were playing. Quistis had to   
figure out what questions to ask to get the highest return in answer. Asking   
stupid things like she did their second night of playing wouldn't get her very   
far.   
  
The more she learned about the Anshin, the more curious she became. It   
was like she didn't know Xu at all judging by the feel she got from Kei. A   
small part of Quistis feared that was the truth and Xu was just humoring her   
all this time. No, Xu really was her friend, her best friend. There was still   
a lot to learn about each other. The prospect was something to look forward to   
as the years go by.   
  
Shaking the grip of insecurity off, Quistis presented her question for the   
evening. "Have you ever asked yourself what you would be if you weren't a   
SeeD?"   
  
"I've wondered that from time to time. For me the question is 'what would   
have happened if I hadn't ran away?' That's a question I don't know the answer   
to except to say that I wouldn't like it," Kei paused to laugh at herself.   
"Ambiguous, no? Like Xu, I can't see myself doing anything else.   
  
"Oh, if were back home, I would have likely been married off by now if   
Father could find a mate willing to take me. It would have been amusing, at   
least in part, to watch him try. Xu... She's good-natured enough that her   
father would have no problems."   
  
"Marriages are arranged?" Quistis tried to not let her horror show. Being   
denied such an important life decision deeply disturbed her. She'd be inclined   
towards escaping herself if she was born into a tradition like that.   
  
Kei shrugged. "They can be if the person in question isn't moving fast   
enough to find a mate. Settling down and forming a family is an important part   
of Anshin life. Not many of us 'wander' away from the clan. The family bonds   
are so tight that they're constricting in my opinion, but many take comfort in   
them."   
  
Quistis thought about it carefully while she prepared her next move.   
There was something she wanted to ask, but she needed to be sure of her wording   
for fear of offending Kei. "You left home to escape strong family bonds, but   
aren't those bonds just as strong here between the students and SeeDs?"   
  
Kei shot her a surprised look. "You've got me. There's more behind my   
leaving than escaping my family, but it is part of the reason. The rest... I   
can't discuss. I'm sorry."   
  
The cadet shook her head. "No, thank you. I've learned a lot."   
  
"I'd prefer if you didn't go blathering this around the Garden. It's   
something I would only discuss with a few people."   
  
"Of course," Quistis nodded her agreement as her curiosity continued to   
grow.   
  
*****   
  
Ruze kept his hand on Xu's thigh beneath the edge of the felt covered   
table. She didn't protest his feeling her up. With a charming smile she   
leaned in closer to speak softly with him.   
  
"You've never told me what you do for a living. It must be something   
profitable if you can afford to come here every night," she noted. Her sweet   
smile was meant to disarm him and hopefully pry something useful out of him.   
  
Unexpectedly, he switched over to the Anshin language to answer her. "I   
sell things."   
  
Xu took the change in stride. The most important thing right now was to   
keep him talking.   
  
Laughing lightly she traced a pattern on his chest with a fingertip.   
"Things? That's a rather broad term."   
  
He caught her hand, smiling at her as he brought it to his lips for a   
kiss. "I've always liked Anshin girls. The ones I find wandering in the   
desert are too young for my tastes. It's a welcome change to finally catch one   
who's all grown up."   
  
She somehow maintained her coy act as her mind reeled. If he was a child   
smuggler, then did that mean he was kidnapping children who were sent out on   
their coming of age? The chilling realization froze her heart. Anshin   
tradition was the perfect setup for them. The possibility of not all the   
children returning from the trial was easily accepted. They could steal a few   
away and no one would miss them. How *dare* those bastards intrude upon their   
rite of passage!   
  
"I'm glad to be of service to you," she purred.   
  
"I know you are. Anshin revel in their placidity. Non-aggressive to a   
fault," his eyes laughed at her -- laughed at what it meant to be her. She'd   
never before felt so passionate about defending the honor of her clan. And   
yet, she couldn't. Not without blowing her cover. She swallowed her pride and   
continued to cater to his delusions of her weakness.   
  
Switching back to standard he continued as he stood up, "It's stuffy in   
here. Let's go somewhere quiet."   
  
Xu obediently laced her arm through his and followed him down the stairs.   
She shot a quick glance over her shoulder at Eugene. The expression on his   
face was deadly serious. He wasn't happy that they were about to leave the   
safe zone he'd established for her.   
  
Xu clinched tightly to the kinzoku-sensu in her hand as they walked the   
street together. Overhead lights flicked on and off, unsure as to which state   
they wished to maintain. The neon signs of the businesses they passed   
highlighted Ruze's profile in a variety of unflattering colors.   
  
No longer able to control his urges, he pushed her against a brick   
building and kissed hungrily along the neck. Xu forced her hands to reach up   
around his neck and pull him into her. She wanted to fight him. She wanted to   
kick him so hard in the groin that he'd never have children.   
  
The communicator that hung off his belt beeped. He tried to resist its   
persistent summons by concentrating on her more, but in the end he had to   
answer.   
  
"What is it?" He hissed. "I'm busy right now!"   
  
There was a pause. Anger clouded Ruze's face. "They got the entire   
shipment?! Where were you idiots, away from the dock drunk? You've done it   
this time. I'm going to look like a real fucking genius when I approach   
Travers and tell him that our rivals stole another boatload out from under us."   
  
Xu's ears perked up, though she continued the act of disinterest. She   
looked at her reflection in a nearby window as it was cast by the neon lights   
behind her. Hum... if she wasn't mistaken, Denis Travers was the Minister of   
Foreign Affairs for Dollet. He would have the authority to sign off on people   
entering and leaving the country -- a useful link to have if you were dealing   
in international crime.   
  
She wasn't sure who the 'rivals' could be. As far as she knew, there was   
only one ring that needed to be broken up.   
  
"Oh, you think he'll understand, do you? I'll be sure to let him know   
that it was your smart ass that didn't guard the port they were due in. You   
were confused? There's only one port on the entire northern coast! Not even   
you could mess that up."   
  
'Only one port on the northern coast'..? That was likely Centra. The   
Anshin were the only ones to maintain a port there that sea craft could moor   
at. Not that it was much of a port, but it was the best around for hundreds of   
kilometers.   
  
"I'll take care of it in the morning. Yeah, say your prayers and maybe   
you'll have an ass to sit on by this time tomorrow. Whatever," he clicked the   
comm off. "What a bunch of dumb asses..."   
  
With a soft sigh he turned his attention back to her. "Now, where were   
we?" He slipped his arms around her to resume satiating his lust.   
  
What to do? She could hit him and run, but under SeeD's contract she was   
to use any means necessary to secure the information they needed from Ruze --   
even if it means having sex with him. Would it increase the mission's chances   
of success if she gave into him? She could only see the chance of failure   
rising if she refused. What if he found out -- or even suspected -- that she   
was a spy? It'd be damn near impossible to get this close to them again. They   
could go silent and slip away. That was the last thing she wanted, especially   
after learning about the kidnapping of her clansmen.   
  
Ruze nudged them into an alley where their indiscretion would be more   
private. He unzipped the back of her dress, slipping his hand inside to stroke   
her soft skin. Xu closed her eyes. More than anything she wanted to resist,   
but she also knew the potential consequences if she did.   
  
Carbuncle exclaimed a startled warning in the back of her mind. Xu's   
first thought was that her companion was reacting to Ruze's advances. She   
opened her mouth to say something, but no words came forth. Dawning   
realization that someone had cast Silence happened a moment before Ruze pushed   
away from her in startled surprise at being unable to speak. He'd obviously   
never been hit with the spell before.   
  
Out of the shadows a figure dressed in all black with a red sash tied   
around his waist slashed across Ruze's torso from shoulder to hip with a   
katana. The assassin then spun around and lopped his head off effortlessly.   
The impact of Ruze's body hitting the ground broke the deep cut open the rest   
of the way to allow his innards to flow freely across the sidewalk.   
  
Xu didn't scream, she couldn't if she had wanted to. Training kicked into   
overdrive as she flicked open her kinzoku-sensu. The advantage was definitely   
in the katana's favor, but if she could disarm the assailant...   
  
He pulled a small object from a fold in his outfit's cloth and flicked it   
at her. The sensu dropped to the ground as a shuriken slammed into her biceps,   
rendering the arm limp. A heartbeat later she followed the sensu downward when   
a second shuriken dug into her thigh. Valiantly, she pulled herself back to   
her feet, though she was in no condition to fight. SeeDs didn't go down that   
easily.   
  
"You fucking bastard!" Eugene roared from behind Xu. He charged between   
her and the assassin, his parasol already arcing through a wild swing. Their   
adversary easily avoided his attack and lashed out with his katana. The   
parasol clattered to the ground. He'd caught the SeeD across the forearm with   
flat of his blade.   
  
'How odd...' A detached part of Xu mused. As far as attacks went, it   
wasn't a very powerful one, but would undoubtedly leave a nasty welt behind.   
It was almost as though the assassin wanted them out of the way in a   
non-permanent sense. There was no other reason for the assassin to rotate his   
grip the quarter turn that differentiated between severing the limb and   
creating a bruise.   
  
Loud sirens blared at the end of the alley that intersected the street.   
Their attacker quickly bent down to snatch Xu's purse, then darted off into the   
darkness. Eugene picked up his weapon and began to give chase, but he wasn't   
nearly fast enough to keep up. Returning to Xu's side, he released her from   
the affects of the Silence spell with a casting of Esuna.   
  
"I don't have anything on me that can revive Ruze, do you?"   
  
Xu was obviously shaken by the surprise attack. She gathered her thoughts   
the best she could. "My sai..."   
  
"What?"   
  
"If I had my sai I could have saved him. That's where my life magic is   
stored..." Xu thought longingly of the sai that were still packed away in the   
duffel she'd originally brought with her. She would draw comfort from their   
familiar grip if she had them with her.   
  
"Aww, shit," Eugene half-guided, half-dragged Xu away from the Ruze mess.   
Even with the medics rushing to their position, both realized that it was too   
late for their target. Magic could only do so much and their little katana   
wielding attacker had been thorough by killing him in a manner that would be   
damn near impossible to revive.   
  
The medics realized the hopelessness of Ruze's situation and focused their   
attentions on Xu and Eugene instead. The two shuriken that were still stuck in   
Xu were removed and placed into a bag as evidence. An expertly applied Cura   
spell had her healed up as good as new. Eugene only required a Cure spell to   
place him well underway on the path of recovery, but he'd still need to keep   
ice on his arm for the rest of the night.   
  
Michelle and Lockrush weren't far behind the medics. The local   
authorities focused on securing and documenting the crime scene. The two   
agents wanted to question the witnesses. Michelle led Xu off to a quiet corner   
(relatively quiet considering the sirens that were still blaring) while   
Lockrush pulled Eugene aside.   
  
"Did you get anything?" The urgency in her usually light tone couldn't be   
missed.   
  
Xu nodded between sips of a hot drink the medics gave her to calm her   
nerves. "Ruze received a call right before it happened. I don't know to whom   
he was speaking, but he did mention the name 'Travers'. The person he was   
speaking with seemed to be in a position under him. They called Ruze because a   
'rival' had stolen their 'shipment'. Ruze then indicated that the shipment had   
occurred at 'the only port on the northern coast'."   
  
Xu took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She could feel the tension   
in her back muscles. Michelle was recording their interview with a handheld   
audio recorder for later playback. "Check comm on suspect for record of recent   
use," she spoke into it. "Anything else?"   
  
"Whatever the problem was with Travers, Ruze said that he'd take care of   
it in the morning."   
  
"Hopefully we'll get there before word of Ruze's demise leaks and the   
suspect flees," Michelle said optimistically. "What were you talking about   
earlier in the bar? I'm sure they'll ask you to do a transcription later from   
the recordings, but could you paraphrase for now?"   
  
Xu's fist reflexively tightened. "They've been stealing away children who   
were conducting their first coming of age. The Anshin would then assume that a   
monster got them. In a way, I guess one had," she growled.   
  
Michelle gave Xu a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, I don't understand the   
significance of your 'coming of age', but it's clear that the Anshin have been   
victimized as well. We'll do everything we can to set things right, you can be   
sure of that."   
  
Lockrush waved for Michelle to join him away from both Xu and Eugene.   
They spoke in hushed whispers for several minutes before Michelle returned to   
Xu.   
  
"We've got enough evidence to raid the serpent's nest. It's been a hectic   
night. Go with Eugene and sleep it off, but please don't leave town. We'll   
need to question you further."   
  
For the first time Xu didn't see her as Michelle the Mistress of Beauty   
that she had first been introduced to. In addition to her makeup skills she   
was a serious investigator. Her case broke in an unexpected way and she needed   
to catch the pieces before it shattered to nothing.   
  
*****   
  
Quistis enjoyed the nightly ritual of gaming in Kei's quarters. The SeeD   
still beat her consistently, but that really wasn't why she came by in the   
first place. Kei had a lot to say on a variety of subjects once Quistis got   
her talking.   
  
"I'm glad to have someone to play with. It's been too long since I last   
played regularly," Kei commented while choosing her tiles from the pile spread   
out on the table.   
  
They didn't make it far into their game before the comm beeped. Kei got   
up from her seat and hit the acknowledge button on her terminal. She read the   
message, her face hardening as she did so.   
  
"I'm sorry, but we have to call it a night." She strode over to her   
closet and pulled out a small bag. Quistis recognized it immediately, and what   
it meant. All SeeDs maintained a duffel with a uniform and vital supplies   
(like rations) packed in it. They could mobilize on a moment's notice with   
their duffel, weapon and belt -- which was exactly what Kei was doing. Quistis   
scurried out to the hall with Kei on her heels.   
  
"Be good while I'm gone!" She said over her shoulder already picking the   
pace up to a jog.   
  
"Good luck!" Quistis called to her in Anshin. Kei'd wished her that often   
enough before trouncing her.   
  
Kei stepped into Cid's office and was halfway into her salute before he   
stopped her.   
  
"We haven't the time. Come over here," he motioned for her to come around   
his desk and look at the terminal under its flat surface. There was a picture   
of a man in his late forties displayed.   
  
"You're going to Trabia to find this man, Haf Galker. Your assignment is   
to kill him. Be certain that you don't leave a trail that can be lead back to   
SeeD. Having him die in an 'accident' would work out for the best, I think,"   
Cid regarded the display thoughtfully. "You aren't to make contact with Trabia   
Garden. And to make things even more interesting, you have to get to him   
before the local authorities do. If they capture him first, abort the mission   
and return. Understand?"   
  
She didn't understand why she was doing this, but it wasn't her place to   
ask those sorts of questions. "Understood. When do I leave?"   
  
"Immediately. There's a transport waiting for you in Balamb. Make   
arrangements with them regarding the return trip. I don't expect you to be   
gone for more than a few days at most."   
  
Kei took the file he offered her and left. Cid bit his lower lip, then   
addressed the room's other occupant. "I'd say that I hate doing this, but I   
don't. How long do you think she has?"   
  
Kadowaki moved away from the bookshelf she'd been examining. Kei was so   
intent on going that Kadowaki doubted the SeeD even noticed her. "If your   
source is correct I'd say that it's going be close. You know that Dollet will   
request SeeD's assistance in this matter. Being a world-wide organization does   
have its disadvantages."   
  
Cid sighed heavily. "I know. It's a shame I can't send out the Balamb   
units now, but that would tip our hand. What a relief it will be to finally   
have this matter behind us."   
  
"You've worked hard to bring things to an end. I'm sure everyone will be   
relieved once it's over," Kadowaki agreed.   
  
*****   
  
When government agents broke open the door to Denis Travers uptown   
apartment they were unprepared for the sight that greeted them. Travers was   
draped over his desk, his head leaning against the polished wood at an odd   
angle. Lockrush pushed passed the agents securing the location for a better   
look.   
  
"He hasn't been dead for long," he announced. The knife his hand still   
gripped was plunged up to the guard into his chest. "Think he caught wind of   
Ruze's murder and decided to end his own life before we came for him?"   
  
Michelle ran a finger along her nose thoughtfully. "One would be led to   
believe that, wouldn't they? Even if he did learn of Ruze's death why would   
that prompt him to take his own life? He didn't know that we were   
investigating Ruze or that we were coming."   
  
"Think Ruze's murderer got to him first?" Lockrush grunted and started   
shifting through the papers set out on his desk. "Eugene did mention that the   
guy who came after them had a red sash on. But I can't see the Steelsharks   
being this daring."   
  
"I'm not so sure about that," Michelle reflected. "Apparently they stole   
a shipment of children out from under Ruze's men. If they're willing to make   
that bold of a move, why not go for complete dominance of the market?"   
  
"Huh, this is interesting," Lockrush turned on a desk lamp to better read   
the sheet in his hands. "It's a letter to Travers from the South District   
Governor of Trabia."   
  
"What's so unusual about that? He was the Minister of Foreign Affairs."   
  
"Here, read it," he handed the letter to her. The gasp he was expecting   
came when she read the paragraph that had caught his attention. "If we move   
quickly we can bust this ring up completely. I doubt we can get agents in   
place before the rabbits dart back down their holes. Do you think SeeD would   
be willing to co-operate?"   
  
Michelle glanced over the top of the page. Her eyes held a quiet, deadly   
look to them. "SeeD will co-operate as long as there is money involved. If   
our budget doesn't cover hiring them I'll give them my first born child."   
  
Lockrush gave her a droll look. "Not funny. Let's finish searching this   
location quickly. As much as I'd love to jump on this lead, we still have to   
get an arrest order. If we have SeeD nab the ones out of our reach and don't   
have a warrant to back them -- and us -- up we'll be holding an empty bag."   
  
*****   
  
It was shortly after three in the morning Balamb time when an urgent call   
got Cid out of bed. He managed to turn a small lamp on without fumbling, a   
feat he was not able to repeat when it came to finding his glasses. Whoever   
was calling him on his personal line at this hour would have to accept that he   
was in his pajamas and not looking his best.   
  
"Headmaster Cid," the screen blipped to life. Agent Lockrush from Dollet   
looked as though he hadn't slept in far too many hours judging by his more than   
usual disheveled state. Dark rings were under his eyes. He scratched at them   
wearily, resisting the sleep that beckoned him.   
  
"Agent Lockrush, I can only image you calling me at this hour due to some   
unexpected developments?"   
  
The other man bobbed his head. "We request that SeeD assist us in   
apprehending the following people," he punched a key. A small box appeared in   
the corner of Cid's display with a list of names. "We've attained arrest   
warrants for these suspects. Due to the time-sensitive nature of this matter,   
SeeD -- with its network of Gardens and operatives -- is the only organization   
with personnel in place to conduct the captures."   
  
Cid reviewed the files Lockrush sent him. Dollet worked faster than he   
had anticipated. He had been hoping that they wouldn't have the evidence they   
needed until morning.   
  
"Dollet is willing to pay whatever fee SeeD levies for their services. We   
don't have time to waste negotiating contracts," the agent added. "Please help   
us."   
  
"Negotiation won't be necessary," Cid returned his attention to Lockrush.   
"Our contract was to do whatever it takes to bring these persons to justice.   
I'll mobilize our units immediately."   
  
Lockrush let out the breath he'd been holding in. "Thank you."   
  
The Headmaster nodded. "May I inquire as to the status of the SeeDs you   
already have under your command?"   
  
"There was an incident last night. Both of them sustained minor injuries   
that were treated fully by our medics. We'd like to keep them here for a few   
days more while we question witnesses. Is that all right?"   
  
Again, Cid nodded. "All I ask is that you treat them well. Please keep   
me informed of the status of your investigation. I'll contact you as soon as   
we've made progress on your latest request."   
  
The transmission was terminated and Cid sat back in his chair with a   
thoughtful expression. It was a mask to hide the renewed surge of outrage he   
felt privately. Most of that anger had seeped away as he slept, but not all of   
it.   
  
The smuggler's method was crystal clear to him now. A ringleader on each   
continent was in charge of that region's operations. They'd been tracking the   
Centra ringleader, Ruze, who came north to do business for a week each month.   
Centra was where they stored the children they abducted until they could find a   
buyer. Dollet's Travers gave them the freedom they needed to move 'shipments'   
all over the Galbadian continent without question.   
  
Cid's grip tightened around a stylus reflexively. There was a ringleader   
living in Balamb -- in his backyard! -- that they hadn't known of until   
recently. Placing the stylus aside, he set the plans he'd already drafted for   
capturing her into motion. He would throw every last SeeD currently stationed   
at Balamb Garden after her.   
  
Then there would be justice.   
  
*****   
  
Quistis wandered into the Cafeteria for an early breakfast. Even though   
she'd gotten up a half-hour earlier than usual, the Cafeteria was disturbingly   
quiet. Only a few students eating breakfast gave the room life.   
  
"Good morning," she greeted the Cafeteria lady cheerfully as her breakfast   
was scooped onto a plate for her.   
  
"Good morning, Miss Trepe! Quiet morning, wouldn't you agree?" She handed   
the plate over.   
  
"I was noticing that. Any idea why? Or does the entire Garden get up at   
exactly the same time?" It really was odd that there were so few people around.   
She's gotten up at this hour before and seen more people milling about.   
  
"Aye, I heard a rumor that all the SeeDs were deployed in the middle of   
the night. It would seem to be true since I haven't seen one yet today," she   
leaned across the counter to speak to Quistis privately. "Something is up,   
that it is. Balamb was like a ghost town when I left for work this morning.   
We'll have to wait and see!"   
  
Quistis straightened up. "Thanks for the oatmeal. See ya."   
  
First Kei disappeared in a rush and then the Garden is emptied of its   
SeeDs. Curiouser, and curiouser.   
  
The man in green that had been haunting Quistis lately was seated at a   
table in the corner watching her. Enough was enough. Quistis purposefully set   
her tray across from him and took a seat without invitation.   
  
"Good morning, Miss Trepe," he greeted as though they were acquainted.   
  
"Who are you?" She asked plainly, then belatedly tacked on a 'good   
morning' for manner's sake.   
  
He dipped his head. "Master Talasu of the Weapons Guild."   
  
"Are you watching me?"   
  
"Among others, yes."   
  
Quistis frowned. "Why?"   
  
He pursed his lips together. "Because some interesting things are about   
to happen and I wish to witness them. Would you care to join me?"   
  
She considered his invitation. She didn't know this man, but she knew   
that *something* was going on. If he could give her a clue as to what to watch   
for, the curious part of her could unravel the rest.   
  
"What do I have to do?"   
  
"Nothing you wouldn't usually," he assured her. "Just keep an eye on the   
newslinks. I'm sure it'll make the headlines soon enough."   
  
After finishing her meal, Quistis went to her classroom to follow Talasu's   
advice. She would scum the newslinks to see if they held any clues. There was   
no local news of interest being reported. On the international links their had   
been a recent pair of murders in Dollet. Nothing new there, that place had a   
rougher edge to it. She checked out Trabia news next to see if the Garden was   
in on anything. Nothing was going on at the Garden, but the country was in   
mourning because one of its Governors died in an auto accident. The newslinks   
from Galbadia were devoid of anything except state propaganda. No surprises   
there.   
  
What on earth was going on?   
  
*****   
  
Xu slept until noon before Eugene decided that it was time for her to wake   
up. She had managed to slip out of the dress she was wearing and into some of   
Eugene clothes before falling asleep. A long shower was needed before she was   
feeling ready to face the world again. When she exited the bathroom it was to   
be greeted by a person she didn't know sitting on the couch. The stranger   
stood up and straighten his sports jacket before extending his hand to her.   
  
"I'm Agent Danielson. I was sent by Agent Rosenhall to ask for your   
assistance in completing our transcripts from last night."   
  
"Uh," Xu shook her head to be rid of the dullness in her mind, "okay."   
  
Eugene entered the room and handed her lunch. "You can eat while   
thinking. If you'll excuse me, I have to go to work."   
  
"Work? How can you be thinking about your job at the pub?"   
  
He shrugged. "The pay's good and I don't have anything else to do. I'll   
put in my notice tonight, will that make you feel better?"   
  
Xu waved him off as he left the apartment whistling an off-key tune.   
Danielson coughed discreetly to bring her attention back to him. "Yes,   
translations. Do you have the transcripts with you?"   
  
"Not exactly," he said, pulling a tape recorder out of a briefcase. "We   
didn't have the foggiest idea on how to write out what was said for later   
translation. So you'll need to give it to us both ways if you don't mind. We   
also have various other documents that the suspect had maintained that are   
undecipherable to us. If you would translate those as well..?"   
  
Xu took a bite out of the sandwich Eugene made for her. It was going to   
be a long afternoon.   
  
*****   
  
"Hey sweetie, miss me?" Enju fell into step next to Quistis. She stopped   
walking at his sudden appearance and he came around to greet her face-to-face.   
  
"Yes, when did you get back?"   
  
"This morning," he nudged in closer to her. Most girls would have been   
put off by his boldness, but Quistis was somewhat charmed by this unusual   
playfulness. Truth be told, she *had* missed him while he was gone. She was   
certain that he'd missed her as well.   
  
"How was Trabia?" Because Enju had missed a training mission due to being   
confined to the Infirmary after his fight with Kei he was sent on a mission   
with a group of Trabia students to make up for it.   
  
He took hold of her hand, playing with her fingers as he answered. "Cold.   
If there's one thing I hate about SeeD it's having to camp out in the damn   
snow. Six of us were on Winter Island freezing our butts off all in the name   
of training. I like Balamb better, the climate is much more agreeable." His   
eyes bore into her, suggesting other reasons why the climate was more agreeable   
in Balamb. "Do anything interesting while I was away?"   
  
She leaned her head against the wall they were standing by. Students   
passed by them, then whispered in hushed voices. The rumor mill would have   
more fuel by the end of the day.   
  
"Kei taught me a game. I've been going to her room every night to play   
it."   
  
"Oh?"   
  
Quistis nodded. "I'd show it to you, but I don't have a board or pieces,"   
she frowned slightly.   
  
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure we can find it for you next time we go to   
Balamb," he squeezed her hand affectionately.   
  
They walked together, Quistis leading them to upstairs to the classrooms.   
"Haven't you gotten enough of school for the day?" Enju glibly protested.   
  
"I want to check the newslinks again," she explained. "If you haven't   
noticed, there aren't any SeeDs around."   
  
"I thought I saw more SeeDs than usual at the port when I came in. What   
are they doing?" He sat down next to her at the terminal. She called up a   
search screen and typed in her parameters.   
  
"No idea, but I'm dying to find out." Most of the headlines were the same   
ones as this morning with the exception of the Dollet links. There was more   
news regarding the two murders currently under investigation. Some group   
calling themselves 'Steelsharks' was claiming responsibility.   
  
*****   
  
"I'm sorry, sir, we haven't located her yet. The Balamb traders are   
becoming impatient with our embargo. Local officials are ready to clear the   
ships for departure unless we come up with a good reason not to."   
  
Cid scowled, then stopped, reminding himself that he was lucky that this   
was a voice only transmission. "We can't stop trade forever. Lift the   
embargo, but don't stop the inspections of outbound vessels. The continent   
isn't that big. She has to be here somewhere."   
  
"Yes, sir."   
  
Cid closed the link.   
  
"Take comfort in the fact that Dollet caught the Esthar ringleader in   
Fisherman's Horizon. Who would have thought he'd be desperate, or stupid,   
enough to try to walk across the Horizon Bridge?" Kadowaki offered.   
  
He offered her a forced smile. "I am grateful for that, but I want the one   
that was under my nose!"   
  
"Aren't you taking this too personally?" She asked gently.   
  
"Wouldn't you, considering?"   
  
Kadowaki sighed softly. He was such a passionate man. Once his mind was   
made up, he wasn't willing to let the idea go until it was played through.   
That could be his undoing one of these days. "Don't kick yourself too hard if   
you can't find her. Snakes are difficult to catch when they're intent on   
escaping."   
  
*****   
  
Patience, skill, and a good measure of luck were on Dollet's side in this   
case. After the Steelsharks claimed responsibility for the murders of Richard   
Ruze and Denis Travers a break came in the Steelsharks' case as well. An   
informant presented himself who told them everything needed to crush the   
Steelsharks' ring in exchange for protection and a lesser prison term. This   
good fortune presented the agents with an unexpected problem.   
  
"Thank you for coming," Michelle bowed slightly to the SeeDs. She had   
asked them to meet her at the station she worked from. Technically, they were   
free to leave anytime they saw fit since they'd been cleared of any possible   
wrong doing in Ruze's death, but they stuck around to assist as they could.   
Michelle was grateful for that, especially considering this morning's turn of   
events.   
  
"What can we do for you?" Eugene asked. He seemed to be more protective   
of Xu than social graces allowed. Were the lovers? No, she didn't get that   
impression from how they interacted. They didn't have *that* look in their   
eyes for the other. She had to admit that the last few days had been rather   
draining. Perhaps the strain was taking more out of the small woman than she   
was willing to admit.   
  
"We've had a turn for the better. Fourteen children were retrieved from   
the Steelsharks' storage facilities," she didn't try to moderate the joy she   
felt because of that discovery. "Five of the children we found are Anshin in   
origin. To be honest, we're having a difficult time communicating with them.   
I know that you didn't join SeeD to be a translator, SeeD Xu, but please bear   
with us."   
  
"You found five children? Please let me speak with them!" The dullness   
that was so often found in Xu's eyes as recently lifted at the prospect.   
  
Michelle led them to a room with a one-way mirror between it and the   
adjoining room. A doctor was observing the children as they played when the   
three of them came in.   
  
"How are they?" Michelle asked.   
  
The doctor glanced over her notes briefly before answering. "Physically   
they're in fairly good health, though I'm concerned that they haven't been   
eating well enough. Psychologically I couldn't tell you. Is this the SeeD you   
mentioned?" She indicated Xu with an end of her stylus.   
  
"I'm Xu of the Anshin clan," she introduced. "May I speak with them?"   
  
"By all means. The door is over there," her stylus pointed the way.   
  
As Eugene and the doctor watched from the observation lounge Michelle   
entered the room. The children became very quiet. They became deathly so when   
Xu entered. Xu knelt down and said something softly. The youngest in their   
group whispered a response. Xu repeated what she said and pulled the closest   
one into a hug. They repeated what she said with awe and soon all five of them   
were cuddled around her.   
  
"I wonder what she said..." Eugene mused aloud.   
  
"You can be sure I'll ask her when she comes out," the doctor replied. "I   
should have given her a list of questions to ask them."   
  
"Let her build their confidence up first," he chided. "They're five kids   
who are desperately in need of a hug from what I can tell. And maybe a few   
good meals. Are all the Anshin built on such a small scale?"   
  
Xu asked Michelle to prepare a meal for them, specifying exactly what it   
should consist of. The agent left to carry out the request while on the other   
side of the mirror the doctor was scribbling notes furiously. While Michelle   
was away, Xu stood each child up in front of the mirror and told the doctor on   
the other side what the child's name and age was. The youngest was eleven with   
the oldest being thirteen.   
  
Michelle returned with everything Xu asked for. The kids devoured the   
meal that was offered to them. It was the best they'd eaten in two weeks.   
Once their hunger was satiated, Michelle suggested gentle questions for Xu to   
pose to them. If they could get any more from this vein of investigation, she   
would bleed it dry.   
  
They had left on their coming of age trial roughly two weeks ago. Each of   
them had gone their own way (per tradition). Then men in a large vehicle   
chased them down, tied them up, and hauled them to somewhere near the coast.   
  
"My translation isn't exact," Xu noted ruefully. "There aren't words for   
some of the terms being used. They're using a derogatory term for non-Anshin   
when describing the men who took them. The vehicle they describe is 'flat and   
tank-like'. I'm guessing that they mean a hummer."   
  
"Do they know where the storage facility is?"   
  
Xu asked them if they could describe where they were at all. "Hum... Lots   
of trees. There's only one forested area on the Serengetti Plains. That's   
where I'd start looking."   
  
"If Ruze's men are stupid they may still be there. We'll send a team out   
to investigate after obtaining permission from Anshin authorities," Michelle   
assured.   
  
"That's not necessary. Centra doesn't belong to the Anshin, they belong   
to it. They'll tell you to come and go as you please," Xu replied.   
  
"Dotting my i's and crossing my t's," Michelle smiled. "We should get   
going."   
  
Xu nodded and got up. The kids immediately picked up on the idea that she   
was leaving. It was obvious that they didn't want her to, but social training   
dictated that they remained respectfully silent. "Is it okay if I come back   
tomorrow?"   
  
"Please."   
  
Xu assured them that she would return the next day. The doctor was   
hovering at Xu's elbow as soon as they re-entered the observation room.   
  
"What did you say to reassure them?" She asked insistently. Eugene   
growled under his breath. Xu didn't need to be hounded at a time like this.   
Michelle seemed equally reluctant to test the SeeD's patience.   
  
"'The Spirit of Protection has come to guide them home.' I assume you'll   
be sending them back?" Xu turned to address Michelle.   
  
"Yes, they belong home," she readily agreed.   
  
"We should discuss it with Cid," Xu said.   
  
"You'd be willing to escort them back?" Michelle was privately hoping that   
the SeeD would agree to do it. It would make things so much easier to place   
them in the custody of someone they trusted.   
  
"I'd like to," Xu led the way out. Eugene was on her tail with Michelle   
catching up to walk along side her. She didn't ask why Xu was suddenly so   
adamant about taking charge of the children, but her desire to know was   
obvious. "It's important that *I* do this. Important to the clan, I mean.   
They'd be disappointed if I didn't fill the role."   
  
Michelle didn't press for more of an answer than that. She had to accept   
that there were some things she just couldn't understand. Xu would remain as   
one of those enigmatic personalities to be fascinated by.   
  
*****   
  
Kei tossed her travel bag aside as she entered her quarters. She was too   
tired to bother repacking it right this minute. The game she and Quistis had   
been playing was still set up on her table. There weren't any messages waiting   
for her, despite being gone for nearly a week. Once her mission in Trabia was   
complete, she joined the forces searching the smaller islands and Trabia's   
southern coast for the Balamb suspect.   
  
She checked the directory of which SeeDs were on assignment and saw that   
Xu was still out. What in the hell was she doing that took so long?   
  
Cid had scheduled a debriefing with her in the morning. She was hoping he   
had more to tell her than she had to tell him. It didn't take long to figure   
out that SeeD was tracking down members of the child smuggling ring that was   
all over the newslinks as of late. It was a story of international   
proportions. Kei was fairly certain that the person Cid sent her after was   
linked to the ring, but didn't understand how.   
  
This was all so confusing. She would have to just trust that Cid was   
acting honorably. There was little else she could do.   
  
*****   
  
It was raining the afternoon the SeeDs were set to leave Dollet with their   
Anshin charges in tow. Paperwork had delayed their departure longer than   
expected. Eugene thought they were dragging their feet so that they could be   
absolutely certain that neither he nor Xu had killed Ruze. Such inquiries   
couldn't be made up front without offense being taken, so they had to mole   
around -- which always took more time.   
  
Michelle drove them to the train platform outside of Dollet's capital.   
They would change trains at Timber before arriving in Balamb in time for   
dinner. Time zones had a knack for making funny things like that possible.   
  
"I'm sorry that I didn't have the chance to get to know you better,"   
Michelle apologized as they waited on the platform for the train to come in.   
Eugene brought up the rear of their own little train of bodies with Xu and   
Michelle in the lead.   
  
Xu wasn't sure how to respond. Michelle smiled after a minute of awkward   
pause sat between them. "Here," she handed Xu a small box. "Thank you again   
for all your help."   
  
The train slowed to a stop. Five pairs of wide eyes admired the gleaming   
machine before them. They'd never seen a train before and the prospect of   
getting to ride on one was thrilling.   
  
"Leave here knowing that you have friends in Dollet and don't become a   
stranger," Michelle said. The group headed for Balamb boarded the train and   
they were gone.   
  
-----   
Please visit our website at www.centragarden.net


	13. Part 13

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 13   
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans   
with His lordship Chaos   
edited by Helen Fong   
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8   
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C.   
  
  
  
At the Headmaster's request, Kei was the one to greet the Dollet party   
when that arrived at Balamb station. The children recognized her at first   
sight and immediately paid their respects. For her part, Kei was polite   
(except for rolling her eyes at her cousin while the children were bowed at the   
waist to her). Eugene and the kids piled into the passenger compartment of the   
transport Kei drove while the cousins took the cab. It gave them the   
opportunity to speak privately.   
  
"Be nice, Kei," Xu warned once they were settled and underway.   
  
Kei arched an eyebrow, "Aren't I always nice?" She glanced over long   
enough to catch Xu giving her The Look. Kei scowled and tightened her grip on   
the wheel. "You want me to humor them, don't you?"   
  
"I do. They have exacting expectations of us. Whether we want to be or   
not, to them we're role models."   
  
"You don't need to scold me. I always act professionally as a SeeD," Kei   
replied. That earned her another look. Admittedly, her not so long forgotten   
scuffle with Enju came to mind. But that wasn't to what Xu was referring. Xu   
expected her to act like an Anshin role model.   
  
The grimace on Kei's face only deepened. Instead of answering Xu, she   
guided the conversation elsewhere. "Living arrangements have been made for the   
children. They'll be paired up with cadets who are further along in their   
training and have a room to themselves. Five people have already volunteered   
to act as hosts, including Quistis. Their partners will escort them and   
provide all the assistance they can. You might want to give our volunteers an   
additional crash course in Anshin etiquette once we get back. I covered the   
basics, but you know that manners were never my strong suit."   
  
The concern that had clouded Xu's face lifted some. It was obviously a   
subject she'd wanted to discuss, but hadn't breached yet. "Do you know how   
long we'll be laid over at Balamb before returning them?"   
  
"A week, possibly more. A lot's happened in a very short period of time.   
Things need to be sorted out before we start mixing it up again, don't you   
agree?"   
  
For once, Xu was the one wishing to rush ahead and finish this matter, but   
she could see the prudence behind delaying their return. There were still   
threads of the investigation that were ongoing. Dollet may wish to question   
the witnesses further, especially with regards to the criminal prosecution of   
those ring members they had apprehended.   
  
A row of five uniformed cadets stood at attention with Cid at their head   
to welcome the newcomers. The Anshin by upbringing appreciated rigidly defined   
structures; a military greeting would make an impression on the children and   
create less stress than the informal affair Cid would have preferred.   
  
As the children piled out of the transport, Xu quickly appraised their   
hosts. She noted that Quistis was the youngest of them, but looked to be the   
same age as those she stood with. Each of them was a good choice for the task   
at hand. Their Anshin guests gawked at their surroundings. If the Parking   
Garage impressed them, the rest of the Garden would leave them speechless.   
  
Their reception went as well as it could have. The children were   
reluctant to pair off with the cadets. What made the situation even worse was   
that there were an unmatched number of males to females. Cid arbitrarily   
decided that the extra Anshin boy would pair up with Quistis. No one protested   
the pairing, though Kei had half a mind to. If she didn't know her own clan   
well enough to realize that he wouldn't make a move on Quistis without first   
getting her father's permission, she'd have protested.   
  
"Eugene and Xu, you're free to get settled. If you'd join me in my office   
when you're finished, Xu, I would appreciate it. Eugene, we'll speak in the   
morning. Kei is going to take our guests on a tour of the Garden," Cid gave   
them all a measured look before heading off.   
  
"Will you be all right?" Xu asked her cousin once the Headmaster was gone.   
  
Kei nodded. "Don't worry, I'll behave," she smirked.   
  
Quistis and her charge looked each other over. He was one of the older   
ones if she didn't miss her guess. Even still, he was shorter than she was.   
His long black hair was pulled back into a loose braid that was kept forward   
over his left shoulder.   
  
"Kren," he said, patting his chest with his right hand.   
  
"Quistis," she answered, mimicking his gesture.   
  
He fumbled trying to repeat her name. After several attempts that were   
more amusing than insulting Quistis offered Kei's solution. He grasped to the   
pronunciation and repeated it easily.   
  
"Kwis okay?"   
  
"Ah..." she wasn't used to having anyone shorten her name. Her   
personality was definitely that of a Quistis, not 'Quisty' nor 'Quis'. But,   
she was willing to make an exception in this case and nodded her approval.   
  
The tour Kei led them on was thorough if not somewhat exhaustive. She   
maintained a constant stream of explanation in both standard and Anshin, though   
her comments leaned more towards being in standard. The group stopped at the   
requisition room during their tour to order some clothes for their guests.   
They would be wearing uniforms like their counterparts since there were plenty   
of those on hand for immediate use.   
  
Quistis purposefully ignored the looks Kren stole out of the corner of his   
eye. To someone who had always seen the same type of people, she must be   
utterly fascinating with blonde hair, blue eyes, and extra centimeters.   
Perhaps she looked as exotic to him as he looked to her? Carefully she hid a   
smile.   
  
Rooming together should prove to be interesting.   
  
*****   
  
The meeting with Cid was meant to be an informal one. Xu's post-mission   
report couldn't possibly be finished yet. Once they were both seated with a   
cup of hot tea in hand, he begun. "You've done well, much better than I would   
have expected. Agent Lockrush has yet to stop singing the praises of you and   
Eugene. To say that our relations with Dollet have been improved would be an   
understatement."   
  
"Thank you, sir," she said modestly. Personally, she felt as though she   
had failed to some degree by not protecting Ruze. There was no way she could   
have saved him in that situation. She had replayed the gruesome scene in her   
mind countless times feeding the demons of 'what if', but there was no 'what   
if' to indulge. There was no other end that could have resulted considering   
the scenario.   
  
"Setting that matter aside for the time being, I wish to discuss who you   
will be taking with you when you return the Anshin children. You'll be going,   
of course, and I would feel better if you took Kei as well," he said.   
  
"That's what I was going to ask for. Do we need to bring anyone else?"   
She asked.   
  
He shrugged slightly. "I don't know. If I were you, I would keep my   
options open and discuss the possibilities with my team member."   
  
Was Cid trying to tell her something obliquely? Did Kei present some   
ideas to the Headmaster regarding this and now he wants her to get the   
suggestions from the source?   
  
"I'll speak with Kei," Xu agreed. "Anything else?"   
  
"Yes. Things haven't gone as I had hoped with you taking over as the   
Garden's Weapons Master. This is no fault of your own I must emphasize. I see   
now that you were correct when you said that you couldn't do it all. So I've   
made a request of the Weapons Guild for a Master to come instruct here. Having   
another Master will give me the freedom to assign you elsewhere if need be."   
  
Xu held her breath as he spoke. She tried not to take that personally.   
  
He stretched a hand out to give hers a firm squeeze. "You're more   
valuable to me than I realized. I want to keep my options with you as open as   
possible. Your talents shouldn't be tied down to a training room any more than   
they should be tied down to a classroom. If I need to play my ace, I want to   
have it up my sleeve instead of already down on the table!"   
  
"That makes sense," she allowed. It did in a twisted logic sort of way.   
Then again, Cid Kramer's form of logic was one she was still learning how to   
follow.   
  
"Good! Along that same idea, Balamb is going to start sending more SeeDs   
to Galbadia for Instructor's training. I have nothing against the Shumi, mind   
you, but I want to diversify my teaching staff."   
  
It seemed to her that he was up to reshuffling the infrastructure of the   
Garden. All his moves within the last couple of months were with the intent of   
changing how things were currently done. Was it time for a review of how   
Garden conducted its business or was there something motivating him that she   
couldn't see? Already she could tell that she would have much to think about   
tonight. Maybe she should put off talking with Kei until she'd digested what   
Cid had to say...   
  
"There is one more matter I would like to cover," he gestured to a stack   
of papers sitting on the corner of his desk. "These are the applications for   
prospective students. You know what sort of qualities we look for in a   
potential SeeD. I'd like you to weed out the unfavorable ones and turn in the   
ones you think deserve further consideration. The Shumi already have a   
rotation in place for covering your teaching obligations, so I would like you   
to focus on getting this done before you leave again."   
  
"Ah, yes sir." Xu eyeballed the tall stack of applications and sighed   
inwardly. It was just as well that they were being delayed a week, that's how   
long it will take her to sort these applications.   
  
"I appreciate your help. It always takes me so long to work through the   
applications. Having you do the initial cut should shorten the process   
considerably," he beamed at her. Reluctantly Xu returned his smile. There was   
no rest for the weary.   
  
*****   
  
Enju watched Quistis and her new friend out of the corner of his eye.   
They were sitting together, eating lunch, and laughing at something. He knew   
that the guy was one of the Anshin kids that were rescued. Cid placed them   
into the same classes as their partner. The Garden was supposed to treat them   
like they would any other new sprout.   
  
Enju wanted to kick his ass.   
  
He shook the idea off and focused on his meal. It wasn't Quistis' fault   
that the guy was hanging off of her. It wasn't Enju's fault that it made him   
more jealous than he wished to admit. The guy wouldn't be around for long. He   
just had to avoid making an ass of himself while the Anshin were here and   
Quistis would be none the wiser.   
  
  
  
Unaware of the attention being directed their way, Quistis continued to   
show Kren the illustrated guide to Balamb's monsters. At first he protested   
even looking through the book. It didn't seem as though he was afraid of the   
monsters as it was some sort of taboo against looking at them.   
  
Once Kren was coaxed into looking at the pictures, he was hooked. He had   
his 'favorites' like Quistis did when she was younger and didn't have to fight   
them. The Glacial Eyes where what fascinated him. Admittedly, they were   
interesting enough to cause anyone not caught in the heat of battle to pause   
and take a longer look.   
  
Having Kren here was a treat for several reasons. He had a thirst for   
knowledge that matched her own and was as curious to learn about her and she   
was to learn about him. The only barrier standing between them was language.   
In Quistis' opinion they understood each other better than the other pairings   
did (he knew some very basic standard), but it still wasn't enough. Both of   
them worked vigorously to bridge the lingual gap between them.   
  
*****   
  
Xu was so intent on the application she was reviewing that she didn't hear   
the knocking on her door until it had become a solid pounding. The rhythm of   
the pounding could only be Kei. Few people knew the secret knock to get into   
their childhood hideout..   
  
"If you're so bent on seeing me why not let yourself in?" Xu chided after   
opening the door.   
  
"That would be rude," Kei replied smugly. Xu didn't bother pointing out   
how her pounding on the door could be considered rude in and of itself.   
  
Kei sat herself down on a corner of the small couch that was free of   
papers. There were many neat stacks of them on the table in front of the couch   
and on the cushions themselves.   
  
"I see that you're hard at work here. You should come out once in a while   
and visit the rest of us. Quistis is all grown up now and has had her first   
child," Kei teased.   
  
"Funny," Xu intoned while carefully relocating a stack of papers so Kei   
would have a place to sit.   
  
"You think I'm kidding?" Kei grinned mischievously. "Okay, she may not   
have had her first child yet, but things are heating up. Kren is completely   
heads over heels for her -- won't shut up, in fact. Last I heard he was trying   
to figure out who her guardian was since her parents are dead."   
  
"You seem to be amused by the situation. Did Quistis find a guy you   
approve of?" Xu commented wryly. There was no question that Kei would need to   
approve of the choice or she would make said male's life a living hell (Enju   
being a case in point to the extreme). The fact that Kei was taking an Anshin   
courting Quistis with any sort of good humor was out of character.   
  
"Of course I don't approve," Kei replied lightly. "But I don't have to   
scare him off because of the rod stuck up his butt. For once tradition has   
saved me a bit of work."   
  
Xu crossed her arms and glared. "All you'd have to do is tell him to lay   
off and he would. He respects you as a Spirit. You don't have to manipulate   
the system to make it work."   
  
The insufferable grin didn't leave Kei's face. She was enjoying the   
current situation far more than she ought. Xu sighed and began massaging the   
bridge of her nose. "Did you have some other reason to disturb me besides   
rumor mongering?"   
  
"Yes, I wanted to discuss who you would be taking with us when we go to   
Centra. I know that Cid said the decisions regarding the mission were yours to   
make, but I'd like to offer some suggestions."   
  
Xu gestured for her to keep talking.   
  
"I think Enju should come along."   
  
Xu was visibly startled by the suggestion. That was the last thing she   
would have expected out of Kei. "Are you playing a game with me? That's the   
second unheard of comment you've made. Next you're going to ask to borrow one   
of my dresses, aren't you?"   
  
Kei shook her head. "I'm serious. I think he should speak with the   
elders like we did. He's like us and we both know it. Maybe they'll have a   
few words of wisdom for him or something like that. At the very least we could   
figure out what he's the Spirit of."   
  
"That's a reasonable suggestion," Xu conceded. "I'll consider it.   
Anything else?"   
  
Her cousin wasn't as quick with her next recommendation. "I think we   
should bring Quistis along as well."   
  
"That's four people escorting five. One could do the job, two is nice,   
three is pushing it but can still be justified. What's your reasoning for   
having her tag along."   
  
Kei paused a moment to gather her arguments. She knew justifying Quistis'   
involvement would be the toughest part. "I can't give you as logical of reason   
as I can for Enju," she admitted slowly. "She wants to know about us so much,   
it's like that cadet you had me escort. I don't think the Headmaster would   
object and she would learn a lot from the opportunity."   
  
"This is the third surprise then, you advocating for Quistis." Xu smiled   
softly. "I'll think about it and let you know."   
  
*****   
  
At Enju's request Xu agreed to a private training session like the ones   
they enjoyed before she went on assignment. It'd been weeks since she'd last   
gotten a good workout. The prospect of aching muscles after such a long pause   
in training wasn't one she looked forward to. But by the same token, she very   
much wanted to return to her old routine.   
  
Enju was already there when she arrived. Xu locked the door before going   
into the locker room to change. When she came out, he was still standing on   
the main mat in his cadet uniform.   
  
"Aren't you going to change?" She asked, stretching her arms out as she   
walked towards him.   
  
"Later." Enju slowly removed the sunglasses from over his eyes, unzipped   
his overshirt and tucked them into an inner pocket. His hand remained, and then   
pulled a small object out. "I respect you too much to keep a secret from you,"   
he said, solemnly looking down at the item instead of looking at Xu.   
  
Abruptly he lifted his head and tossed it to her.   
  
"Here. I believe this belongs to you."   
  
Quick reflexes snatched the item from the air before it hit the ground.   
The blood drained from Xu's face as she saw what it was.   
  
"This is... Tsing's purse... from the night Ruze was murdered." Dawning   
realization told her who Ruze's killer was.   
  
She looked at the cadet standing before her. She didn't want to believe   
that it was Enju.   
A dark smile played at his lips, viciously betraying his   
role. "It's rather humorous, actually. I merely dressed up in the gang colors   
of the Steelsharks. They claimed to have murdered Ruze all by themselves, even   
when they knew it was someone else. Only an idiot would lay claim to something   
that can lead to a prison sentence."   
  
Xu wanted to deafen herself to the words he was speaking. For perhaps the   
first time ever, she was clearly seeing him as the Angel of Death. And it   
frightened her. All of her efforts to build up trust between them were gone,   
washed away in a crimson tide that had been Ruze's blood. Her eyes begged him   
to tell her that he'd come by the purse by some other means. Spirits, please   
let it not be him!   
  
Enju broke free of her pleading eyes to stare firmly at the mat. "I won't   
apologize for killing him, Mistress Xu. Like you, I was doing what I was   
ordered." An odd laugh came from him. "Strange. Even here I cannot escape what   
I do best. The clients always change, but the contract never does."   
  
His gaze returned to her.   
  
"I am sorry for attacking you, though. I wouldn't have bothered disabling   
you except that I have a justifiable fear of your ability to kill me." He   
paused to frown. "That other SeeD wasn't supposed to be there. But the   
encounter turned out as well as it could have, I suppose."   
  
Xu let her weak knees lower her to the mat. She sat with her head held   
between her hands as his version of events sunk in. "Who ordered you to kill   
Ruze?"   
  
"There's only one man I take orders from now," Enju pointed out. "I owe   
him a lot, and when he approached me about this mission, I seized it. Killing   
Ruze -- among others that night -- was my first chance to repay the debt I   
still owe him."   
  
Xu's head snapped up in sudden revelation. "You... You killed Travers   
too."   
  
"It's harder to make a murder look like suicide. Difficult, but not   
impossible," Enju remarked with an indifferent shrug. "His position granted him   
diplomatic immunity; all evidence against him would be rendered useless.   
Nothing short of death would have delivered Travers into the hands of justice."   
  
Her stomach knotted even further. "Why are you telling me this? Why are   
you doing this to me?" She demanded. It was all she could to keep herself from   
shouting at him.   
  
Enju was so damned cool about what had happened.   
  
Like it meant nothing!   
  
"As I said before, Mistress Xu, I respect you too much to keep a secret   
like this from you. I've been watching you ever since you came back; what   
happened that night still has you shaken up. The last thing I want is to be the   
cause for you losing your edge.   
  
"I honestly can't understand why you're so upset. If anything, you should   
be thanking me for killing Ruze. That slimy fuck was about to take you right   
there in the alley, and you would have let him. You would have lost your-"   
  
"Shut up!" Xu exclaimed. She'd never yelled at anyone like that before,   
especially a student. But the truth of Enju's words struck too close to home.   
  
He stiffened in sensing he'd tread one step too far. His shark-like eyes   
watched her body tense up. Watched her own eyes drill at him. Inwardly he swore   
at himself for having crossed the line and not realized it sooner. "I   
apologize," he offered, his voice quieter. "But I'm not asking for forgiveness.   
I can live with what I did that night. You should speak with the Headmaster;   
he's the one who arranged this entire mission. If anyone can put all the pieces   
together, it's you."   
  
Xu turned away, waving him off. "Go. We'll do your training session   
another time."   
  
He bowed as respectfully as one could to a Master before leaving. Even   
though he could hide it well enough from others, Xu saw the hurt in his eyes at   
her dismissal of him.   
  
Purposefully she pushed herself up from the mat and went to her office.   
She put a call in to Cid's office to find out if the Headmaster was in and   
available to speak with her. He agreed immediately to see her.   
  
She spent several long moments with her head leaned up against the broad   
double doors of Cid's office that separated her and the Headmaster before   
having the nerve to enter. He looked up from the papers he was reading, then   
came around the desk to greet her. Inwardly, she felt as though she was going   
to be ill.   
  
"You wished to see me? You couldn't have possibly finished reviewing   
those applications yet. Do you have some question regarding them?" His head   
bobbed and arms moved in all the little gestures she'd come to recognize as   
being part of Cid Kramer's ebullient personality.   
  
"Please," she pulled away from him.   
  
Concern instantly registered on his face as he withdrew from her. "What is   
it Xu?"   
  
She took a deep breath to forestall the nausea that threatened to overtake   
her. "Why did Enju kill Ruze? Why did you betray my mission?" She did choke   
on the second question.   
  
"Sit," he directed her towards one of the chairs before his desk. He   
paced behind his own chair as he explained slowly. "There is a history behind   
my actions you don't know about. These criminals have been a long-standing   
obstacle to SeeD's success. After years of helplessness I finally had the   
opportunity to exact the punishment they so richly deserved."   
  
Xu swallowed the persistent lump in her throat. "You didn't have to do   
anything. I had the names they needed. Dollet could bring them to justice   
without you lifting a finger," she protested.   
  
"So you say," he murmured softly. "This isn't the first time we've had   
them. The last time I let the inefficient government handle the matter.   
Corruption was rooted as deeply then as it was this time and they got off with   
only a slap on the wrists. They returned to their pits and continued their   
illegal activities, taking more care to cover their tracks. I learned from my   
mistake. If it was within my means, they wouldn't be allowed to escape twice."   
  
He gave her a long, thoughtful look. "Again, I commend your actions   
during your assignment. You did better than I could have ever hoped."   
  
He stopped his pacing altogether. When his eyes met hers they were not   
the kind eyes of the bumbling Headmaster Balamb loved. They were of a man who   
had a very calculating mind and the means to carry out the carefully crafted   
plans it devised.   
  
"Your mission was to give SeeD plausible deniability in this matter. If   
one of our own were injured when Ruze was murdered, it would direct the   
accusatory finger elsewhere. You so won the trust of the Dollet agents that   
they didn't even give the possibility a second thought."   
  
Any shred of stoicism Xu had left was obliterated. He used her as a decoy   
to keep the blame from falling onto SeeD. A part of her had to concede that   
the plan was genius, but it didn't make her feel any better.   
  
"Despite our best efforts, one person remains at large. I can take some   
comfort in knowing that the weeds have been knocked back, but I realize they'll   
keep returning until we crush them entirely." Cid edged his glasses further up   
his nose with a fingertip.   
  
"I still don't see how child smugglers could be such a threat to SeeD,"   
she admitted. No one wanted to see children being kidnapped and abused, but   
wouldn't something like Galbadia's military pose a greater threat?   
  
"Someday, Xu, let me tell you about my children," he sighed heavily. The   
conversation was taking as much out of him as it was from her. "Being   
mercenaries is well and good, but SeeD has a greater calling than this. I'm   
not satisfied with where we are now and I won't rest until we've answered our   
calling."   
  
"Which is..?"   
  
The Headmaster's mouth quirked into a slight smile and he shrugged. "Do   
you know what your calling is? Are you able to identify that one thing that   
drives you to be the person that you are? What is that voice that whispers in   
the back of your mind telling you that you can't rest yet?   
  
"Discontentment is as much a motivator as that unidentifiable quality   
which pressures all the SeeDs here to be better than the average military   
grunt. I don't think I'm wrong when I say that it's a quality you possess in a   
generous amount. That's why I challenge you, use you, perhaps even abuse you   
to some extent. In the end, it's with the hope of helping you be everything   
you can and more."   
  
Xu sat very still with her hands folded in her lap and her head bowed.   
What he spoke of... It was like finally having someone understand her. Her   
father didn't understand what she could only explain in child's terms. How Cid   
explained it was like that of an adult clarifying the matter for her.   
  
"I'm going to think on it," she stood up.   
  
He gave her a sympathetic nod. "If you want to talking about things   
further, you know where to find me. I remind you not to discuss these matters   
with others."   
  
"Of course, sir," she left his office feeling sufficiently drained. When   
she returned to her room she ignored the blinking light on her terminal   
indicating that she had a message. Instead she stripped down and fell into   
bed. No one saw her again until class the next morning.   
  
*****   
  
Enju shuffled off to his secluded locker in the corner of the guy's locker   
room. No one ever came back to speak with him as he prepared for the day's   
lesson. Long ago he'd discouraged them from either including him in the locker   
room gossip or the juvenile pranks they indulged in. That didn't mean neither   
of them took place. Just that he wasn't a part of it.   
  
"Hey, didja see Quistis with that Anshin boy?" A voice behind a row of   
lockers called over to someone across the room from him. Where Enju was, he   
couldn't see the person speaking or the person he was hoping to get a response   
from.   
  
"Yeah man, my heart's breaking. With all these good looking fellows here   
she'd have to fall for a foreigner." Came the reply.   
  
"Don't let Kei hear you say that," a third chimed in. "I hear that she's   
endorsing them. Of course, she'd favor anyone over Enju's advances."   
  
The first laughed. "No kidding and not that I blame her. Quistis   
deserves someone who isn't a ruffian. She could easily do better than him for   
a boyfriend."   
  
"You're assuming they were a couple to begin with!" The third crowed.   
  
"That's what Enju would like to believe." The guy at the far end of the   
room agreed.   
  
It was the first workout session of the day, and thus it was too early in   
the morning for this shit. Enju tugged on his sweat pants before pulling the   
drawstring tight and tucking his shirt in. The urge to smash their faces into   
their lockers was tempting, but he'd already played the 'rough 'em up' card   
once. He wouldn't get away with that again.   
  
With his head held high he strode to the workout area. The instigator met   
his eyes and smirk. Damn him! He knew Enju was back there and was   
purposefully egging him on. Enju didn't respond to him. The locker room   
wasn't the place for mixing it up. Not when he could justifiably smear him in   
the next room.   
  
It was the first time in nearly three weeks that Xu had taught the class   
instead of a Shumi. Her lesson focused on unarmed combat. The subject was one   
he'd gone to great pains (both literally and figuratively) to improve in.   
  
When it came time for sparring, he enthusiastically volunteered to be the   
instigator's partner when Xu was matching them up. If she give him an odd look   
for his unusual exuberance to fight someone, he paid it no heed. His   
challenger smirked, knowing the true reason for his enthusiasm.   
  
Enju made no moves beyond the scope of the lesson. Diligently he   
practiced the punch kick combo that they were taught without putting undue   
force behind his strikes. Xu came around to watch them for a moment, adjusted   
his footing slightly, and then continued making her rounds of the students.   
  
"It's rather cheeky of you to speak of Quistis like you do," Enju said   
lightly between movements.   
  
His partner kept up his guard. "At least I don't hound her like a dog."   
  
"Quistis is my girl," Enju replied evenly.   
  
"Perhaps you should tell her that?" His opponent smirked.   
  
The smirk was quickly displaced as his training partner 'accidentally' let   
his guard slip and Enju's punch went through his defense. He coughed, trying   
to get the wind back in his lungs after a solid punch that lifted him up off of   
his feet.   
  
"I don't have to," Enju whispered harshly, withdrawing from his partner   
when Xu came over to see what happened. She sent his partner to the benches to   
catch his breath and called someone else over to practice against him.   
  
The red haired cadet crackled his knuckles before leaning back into a   
guarded stance. "You being a smart ass today?"   
  
Enju's lips spread into a thin smile. "What do you mean? This is me   
playing nice," he replied. That was nothing short of the truth, he reflected.   
Not long ago he would have killed his instigator without so much as a second   
thought. Now he sent his message home without even being reprimanded. School   
was a place for learning new tricks, after all.   
  
  
  
Xu taught one more class after the one Enju attended. She needed a break   
from the monotony of the task Cid set about her. She needed to get her mind   
off of other things. The training room was where she felt the most   
comfortable. It was her sanctuary from the demands of the rest of the world.   
  
Duty required that she leave that haven sooner than she would have   
preferred. There were countless applications for her to review still. Most of   
them fell into the undesirable category. A few were borderline and a meager   
handful had passed her strict judgment.   
  
She worked for an hour before a knocking at her door interrupted her.   
Checking the chronometer she noted that it was nearly lunchtime. Perhaps Kei   
had taken it upon herself to drag Xu away from her work for a bite to eat.   
  
It came as no small surprise when Doctor Kadowaki greeted her. Xu tried   
to recall the last time she'd seen the Doctor outside of the Infirmary and   
couldn't. She knew that Kadowaki maintained quarters at the Garden when she   
didn't return to her home in Balamb, but she'd never seen the Doctor wandering   
around like students tended to after their day was done.   
  
"Doctor, may I help you?" Xu asked politely, unable to fathom what could   
have drawn Kadowaki from her den.   
  
"May I come in?" She asked in turn. Xu stepped aside to allow her   
passage. Kadowaki spent a few moments taking in her surroundings while Xu   
cleared her a spot to sit. The applications had been moved aside so many times   
already that once more wouldn't hurt.   
  
"Truth be told, it was I who was hoping to help you," the elder woman   
said. The number of fine wrinkles around her mouth increased as she frowned   
slightly. "I keep telling Cid not to abuse his star pupils. I'm afraid that   
he's out done himself this time. I wouldn't blame you -- nor would he -- if   
you were thoroughly enraged with him after what he's done." Her tone was that   
of a grandmother who was weary from scolding an oft-rebellious grandson.   
  
"Why would I be angry with him?" Xu asked carefully. She could think of a   
few reasons, but she didn't want to tip her hand until she knew exactly where   
Kadowaki was going with this.   
Kadowaki's eyes nearly creased shut as she   
regarded the SeeD over a pair of half-framed spectacles. "You're too generous,   
child. Cid violated your trust in him. He's worried sick that when you return   
home with the children that you won't come back. That's why he asked me to   
speak with you... in hopes of mending the breech."   
  
"Oh," Xu flopped down on the couch and sighed. "There really isn't much   
more to be said on that matter. I was given my orders. I carried them out.   
Everything happened as he planned. SeeD's reputation for getting the job done   
is strengthened. The end."   
  
Kadowaki's frown only deepened at Xu's easy dismissal of the issue. "Let   
me tell you a story. Once there was an Anshin girl wandering the streets of   
Dollet's capital. Upon discovery she was brought to the Headmaster's   
attention."   
  
Xu nodded, already knowing the story. Kadowaki was talking about Kei.   
What she hadn't known came next.   
  
"Cid thought that she must have been a victim of the smugglers. How else   
would she manage to stray so far away from home? His first impulse was to send   
her back from whence she came, but the child seemed to resist the idea. It was   
Balamb Garden's first year of operation and he was desperate for students.   
Against better judgment he admitted her into his school.   
  
"Bluntly put, Kei did horribly. She was barely able to keep up with the   
conversation when someone spoke to her, never mind her studies that required   
reading and writing. Cid was quite put out by this apparent failure."   
  
Xu knew that Kei had a hard time during her first year at Balamb, but not   
that it was so memorably bad. From how Kadowaki described it she must have   
been at the bottom of her class.   
  
"When Cid received an application for admittance from an Anshin girl the   
following year he was prepared to refuse it outright. He was having enough   
problems breaking down the language barrier with one Anshin. The last thing he   
needed was to have two on his hands. What promise could the girl possibly hold   
for becoming a SeeD? She was raised in a tradition that was completely at odds   
with what he was trying to create. The Anshin were too foreign, and too   
different to fit in with the Garden philosophy. Despite that line of reasoning   
he took a chance on the long shot."   
  
Xu didn't answer. She'd spent so much time fighting to succeed at Balamb   
that she never realized what a risk Cid had taken by even admitting her. When   
she looked at it from the perspective Kadowaki presented, no person in their   
right mind would have taken her into a military academy. Not when she had only   
the most cursory knowledge of the country's language and came from a place that   
frowns upon aggressive interactions.   
  
Kadowaki paused to take Xu's hand up in her own. "The day he admitted   
you, he took a gamble that paid off handsomely. When it came to defeating the   
smugglers, he put his most valued SeeD on the line and hoped that his luck   
would hold out. He did accomplish his ends, but the price they came at is one   
that is still being determined.   
  
"I can't tell you how to think or feel, but I can tell you what I know.   
You weren't here a month before Cid had his eye on you for 'bigger and better'   
things, as he put it. He's watched you grow with the enthusiasm of a gardener   
tending a prized plant. You continue to surpass his expectations for you.   
Whenever you present him with a new achievement he's like a proud father   
wanting to show off his daughter. That actually might be the best way to   
describe it." Kadowaki tapped a fingertip against her lips thoughtfully as she   
considered it.   
  
"Even so, Cid isn't so proud as to not admit when he's done something   
wrong."   
  
The Doctor stopped. "I'm sorry, I've babbled on and you've hardly said   
anything since I arrived."   
  
"No," Xu shook off her apology. "You've given me a lot to think about."   
  
Kadowaki gave her hand one final pat before standing. "Indeed I have.   
Don't neglect getting something for lunch."   
  
Xu nodded. Before the Doctor could leave Xu asked a final question.   
"Where do you see me being in ten years?"   
  
Kadowaki paused. "In ten years? If you aren't running the place, you'll   
be running around it trying to keep Cid out of mischief."   
  
"So much for things getting easier," Xu quipped with a half-smile.   
  
Kadowaki returned the gesture. "That's the spirit."   
  
  
  
After her talk with Kadowaki, Xu decided to take a walk. It had been far   
too long since the last time she wandered around the Garden to simply admire   
its beauty. She was acutely aware of being guilty of taking such things for   
granted. She sat down at one of the many benches lining the fountain that   
circled the inner circumference of the 'gear'. From the position she took she   
could watch the comings and goings of the Garden's populous without drawing   
attention to herself.   
  
When did the school admit all these students? She arrived during its   
second year, when there were barely enough people to justify having an 'older'   
student and 'younger' student division in the classes. Her mind recalled a   
time when the Cafeteria was only open during a very narrow window of   
opportunity. Back then, it *was* an extra effort to have foods available that   
she and Kei could eat (unlike now when they weren't the only vegetarians).   
  
She watched her hand as she ran it along the smooth wood surface of the   
bench. She then slid it under the lip and ran it to a familiar place.   
Distastefully she withdrew her hand when she found the glob of dried chewing   
gum that Kei placed there years ago. Every student left their mark on this   
place -- be it a piece of gum the janitors never found, or by the echoes of   
their legacy.   
  
What sort of mark did she leave on the Garden? She'd always taken things   
so seriously... Maybe she was too serious to appreciate the finer points of   
Garden life. Or perhaps it was her drive that set an example to the students   
to never give up.   
  
Even if she didn't leave a legacy as a student, she had ample opportunity   
to mold the future of SeeD through the training of its members. Being an   
Instructor was the most daunting, yet humbling task Cid could have given her.   
These people's lives depended upon her ability to train them well. The   
Headmaster gave her charge of shaping part of SeeD's foundation. Was there no   
more important duty than to prepare the next generation?   
  
That's what he had done by taking the actions that he did. It was clear   
to her now that Cid directed the murder of Ruze and Travers. The coincidental   
death of Galker shortly before Dollet issued a warrant for his arrest was   
likely Cid's doing as well, though she couldn't prove that. He systematically   
eliminated those people who he saw as a threat to children -- as a threat to   
the future.   
  
Having an assassin of Enju's caliber in his debt meant that the task would   
be all too easy. The Steelsharks foolishly played into the trap that was set   
for others. Their desire to destroy the competition lead to their own undoing.   
  
Another thought occurred to her. Kadowaki mentioned that they thought Kei   
was one of the smuggled children. That would mean this has been going on for   
nine years, if not longer. How many other Anshin had be kidnapped during that   
time and taken from their homeland? Were Anshin her age out there who lived   
the life of a slave? The trial to earn a name was never meant to have such an   
edge to it!   
  
"Yo," Kei gently nudged the toe of Xu's loafers with her boots to get her   
attention. "You've been staring straight at my chest without seeing me for the   
last few minutes. If you're going to meditate, you should do it in your room."   
She scolded lightly.   
  
Xu gave her head a shake to clear her mind. "I was just thinking."   
  
"Oh... About what?"   
  
"About... everything. About us... The Garden... SeeD..." her voice   
trailed off as she observed Quistis at the far end of the corridor. She was   
breaking up an argument between those two boys that Xu had banished from the   
training room a few months back. Once they had been properly reprimanded,   
Quistis turned her attention back to Kren. He seemed puzzled by what had just   
occurred and tried valiantly to understand as Quistis explained it to him.   
They walked away from where Xu and Kei were seated, disappearing around a   
corner.   
  
"She's going to be the Garden's legacy," Xu murmured thoughtfully.   
  
"Who, Quistis? We've all done our best to give her every chance to excel,   
but she wouldn't have gotten nearly as far as she has without the desire to   
succeed. You can give a man a book, but you can't make him read it. In her   
case, it was more the problem of finding a book to give her that she hadn't   
read yet."   
  
"Where do you think she learned that -- her desire to succeed?"   
  
Kei hummed and leaned back onto the bench with her arms crossed over her   
chest. "That's a tough one. You can teach someone the tools to succeed, but I   
believe that you have to possess the desire to use them in the first place.   
With time, a person may learn to desire success, but that's a case of the seed   
being planted and just not growing. Kind of like it wasn't coaxed out of the   
ground until some external event gave it reason to grow. It could be water,   
maybe a nice warm sunbeam, or perhaps the gardener put a fertilizer spike in   
next to it. Whatever the case, the seed has to be there in the first place."   
  
Her cousin leaned forward and was now watching people as intently as Xu   
had been a few minutes earlier. "Everyone here has the potential. You can see   
it in how they carry themselves purposefully. Their days aren't empty vessels   
of an unfulfilled life. And you're like that gardener; you draw the seed out   
of them.   
  
"For as good as Quistis is, I doubt she'd be quite as sharp if it weren't   
for your example. Did you know that she gives you full credit for teaching her   
good study habits? In turn, that's the example she sets with her study   
groups."   
  
Kei dragged her attention back from the people watching to regard Xu. "It   
didn't surprise me one bit when Cid sent you to Galbadia. Pissed me off, yes,   
surprised me, no. You needed the tools for being a gardener -- an Instructor.   
It's a position that suits you well."   
  
"Usually it's me who's advising you. When did you get to be so wise?" Xu   
gave her cousin a playful hip shot.   
  
With a rare display of public affection Kei pulled Xu into a warm hug.   
"I'm just a wise ass who has a few shining moments."   
  
"Thanks Kei," Xu returned the hug with interest. She was feeling better   
about herself already.   
  
  
  
When Kei and Xu decided to eat dinner together later that evening they   
discovered that the Cafeteria was already packed with hungry cadets. This   
wasn't an unusual occurrence. When it did happen, they tended to get their   
meals and then return to one or the other's quarters to eat. With trays in   
hand and heading out the door, someone called for them to wait. In the back   
corner of the room several tables had been pulled together to form a large   
island of tables that cadets vied for space at.   
  
"Won't you join us?" The cadet invited, while his classmates packed in   
even closer together to make room.   
  
The five Anshin and their escorts were at the island along with several   
other cadets. The Anshin seemed anxious to have their elders join the group.   
Kei shrugged and sat herself down at a cleared spot. Xu wound up sitting at   
the opposite corner from her. Quistis and Kren were near Kei.   
  
"Where's Enju?" Xu asked the nearest person to her who might know after a   
quick survey of who was present showed him to be missing in action.   
  
The cadet shrugged. "Haven't seen him since lunch. He seemed real   
uptight about something."   
  
"Maybe he overslept?" Another offered. It was common knowledge that he   
took afternoon naps when his schedule allowed. Twenty minutes of downtime and   
he snapped right back up again ready to take on whatever was tossed his way.   
Some students had taken to mimicking his sleeping schedule after being   
convinced that it increased productivity.   
  
Xu was reassured by how her clansmen weren't shying away from taking part   
in the conversation. True, what they had to say may be broken and come out   
slowly, but they were trying. What surprised her was the amount of Anshin and   
standard that was being mixed together. The hybrid was being used on both   
sides to facilitate communications. A bemused smile touched her lips as she   
recalled a time when she couldn't form complete sentences in standard, so she   
supplemented them with her native language. Kei was also smiling, likely   
thinking the same thing.   
  
Xu discreetly watched Quistis and Kren interact. Of all the pairings they   
had hit it off the most. Glancing over to Kei, Xu saw that she was also   
watching the pair from the corner of her eye. Quistis was old enough to make   
her own decisions regarding relationships. If she wanted advice, Xu was   
confident that she would seek it out.   
  
Unfortunately, Quistis was in such a position that she wouldn't be allowed   
the luxury of making the decisions on her own. Kei will make her opinion known   
on the matter whether it was solicited or not. And Xu didn't even want to   
think about what Enju would do if he were presented with serious competition   
for Quistis' attentions.   
  
It really was odd for him to miss a meal. Where was he?   
  
  
  
One thing Xu always found comforting about the end of the day was the   
shower she usually took then. The ritual began with her physical training   
schedule and the need to wash after her last session was over. Lately, she   
hadn't the need since her daily routine was so disrupted, but she still sought   
out the hot waters cascading down on her -- especially after a day like this   
one.   
  
After a relaxing shower she dressed herself in a light, loose fitting   
robe. She prepared herself a cup of tea and was quite content to spend the   
rest of the evening curled up in bed with a book. Once the lights were out   
except for a small reading lamp a shadow in the main room caught her attention.   
Caution inserted itself as she peered through the half open door of her   
bedroom. Something or someone was out there, she could *feel* them.   
  
She drew a sai from its pouch and held it against her inner forearm.   
Quietly she slipped into the other room, keeping herself in a guarded stance.   
The presence she felt stiffened, knowing that it was about to be discovered.   
  
It tried to blend further back into the darkness, but Xu had a lock on its   
position now. She lunged forward, knocking one of the intruder's wrists with   
the prongs of her sai. She felt the sai strike something hard, a metallic   
sound echoing as her attack was quickly deflected. However, that left Xu's   
other hand free to wrap around the person's throat. Her iron grip clenched   
their windpipe, daring them to move if they wished to continue living.   
  
"Is this the way you greet all your guests, Mistress?" a rough voice   
managed to choke out.   
  
Xu recognized its owner immediately and withdrew her hand. "Dammit,   
Enju," she growled while flipping on the lights. "I almost killed you."   
  
"So I noticed," he coughed, rubbing his throat. It wasn't often that   
someone got the jump on him. Then again, for once he wasn't sneaking into a   
residence to kill. Yet Xu had certainly given him a scare by digging her   
strong fingers into his throat.   
  
"How did you get in here?" she demanded.   
  
"I wanted to talk with you, but I didn't think you'd be willing to see me   
after..."   
  
His voice drifted off in uncomfortable silence. "Well, you know. A simple   
lock has never stopped me before. Breaking in here was the best thing I could   
think of on such short notice."   
  
"You need a better strategy. Next time, try knocking."   
  
"I'll keep that mind."   
  
Xu gave a sigh of exasperation then got him a glass of water to sip from.   
  
Enju made himself comfortable on a chair. Tonight he was dressed the part   
of the assassin in all black. He had even brought some kind of curious sword   
-- though much to Xu's relief she noted the blades were wrapped in protective   
covers. Enju removed the outer shirt he wore and folded it neatly before   
placing it on the table between them. His feather markings were faintly seen   
due to the glare of the overhead lighting. This time, it was he who was   
reaching the olive branch out to her. And that visibly unnerved him.   
  
"Our last encounter ended on a harsher note than I would have preferred.   
I'm not so stubborn as to deny I overstepped my boundaries, and I apologize for   
offending you. But I'm here to offer an explanation -- if you'll hear it."   
  
"Please continue," she invited.   
  
"You know I'm not a pure and honest soul. Any innocence I had died in   
Timber. All that remained was a bloody legacy of Death's Angel."   
  
Xu knew he was right. She had seen him in action at Galbadia and didn't   
want to have to see him like that ever again. But now he was telling her   
something he probably had told no one else in his life: his past, leaving   
nothing out.   
  
Enju laid the tanto sword across his lap. "Before Enju, before Death's   
Angel, there was a child named Sarkis. When he was around two years old,   
invading Galbadian forces wiped out his village in Timber. Of his entire   
village Sarkis alone survived. He was found by a wandering Weapons Master and   
then taken into the Guild."   
  
He stopped talking and looked at random things in the room. It wasn't   
difficult to see he was still tense about telling her this, about exposing   
himself and his weaknesses. Enju was finding that he was not reopening old   
wounds, but discovering that those old wounds had never been closed and given   
the chance to heal.   
  
"When I was Sarkis, I fought against fate vigorously. The idea that   
someone or something could dictate the direction of my life frustrated me. I   
refused to believe that my family was supposed to die; in light of that, I felt   
powerless. Lacking control over any situation was a maddening feeling. And so I   
accepted the Guild as my chance to reclaim what fate had stolen from me. Sarkis   
was out to prove fate wrong.   
  
"The Weapons Guild provided stability but not necessarily order.   
Especially not while I was an apprentice to a certain Master named Talasu. The   
Master's outlook on life was completely contradictory to my own. Where I would   
try to change the path of a stream, Talasu would flow with it."   
  
He smiled in spite of himself, in spite of the way he felt as if a   
steel-toed boot had kicked in his stomach. "Talasu's lessons were woefully   
lacking in combat training. Instead he taught history, math, science and many   
other academic pursuits. Talasu's lessons on philosophy always degenerated into   
matches to see who could out-stubborn the other. He always had this half   
cocked idea that I had a calling in life greater than being an apprentice, and   
took it upon himself to goad his lazy student into learning."   
  
Enju paused to shake his head.   
  
"Death's Angel was born when Sarkis died at age fourteen. I can still   
remember why I left two years after I became Talasu's protege, and now more   
than ever I find it haunting me. Talasu told me I would help change the world,   
that it was my destiny. I left him to make my own future, to change the world   
my own way and not his."   
  
He stopped, his voice choked on the bitter pill that was his past. "Before   
I left... Talasu warned me that with my skills, I could only become a killer.   
At fourteen, I was too young to understand... How much blood had to be shed by   
my hands to make me see this?"   
  
Enju looked back down at the tanto sword in his hand, and then tossed it   
in Xu's direction. She knew it wasn't aimed at her, and didn't flinch as the   
covered blade lifted into the air before harmless falling to the floor at her   
feet.   
  
"Take it," he said. "I don't want that weapon anymore; it reminds me too   
much of what I once was. Maybe you can put it to better use here in the   
Garden."   
  
Xu bent over and picked up the sword. Examining it could be left for   
another time. She set the bundle on the cushion next to her. "I'll keep it   
for you until you're ready to reclaim it."   
  
He snorted, then continued.   
  
"The killer known as Death's Angel took great pains to ensure that no one   
would find him unless he wished to be found. A persona was built up, along with   
a reputation for getting the job done. He took on these markings--" He lifted   
his pale arms, indigo feathers seemingly floating down his skin. "--as part of   
that lethal persona.   
  
"Death's Angel cared for nothing beyond the money and the knowledge that   
he was defying fate. Now I wonder if he even cared for either of those. He   
lived day-by-day, by his own rules, as he pleased with no apologies to anyone.   
  
"When the issues of his profession became personal, he resigned as only an   
assassin can: death. Enju was born that day. Yet while I dropped the life of   
the Angel of Death, I maintained many of his perceptions on life regarding its   
worth. 'Enju' was born at a disadvantage since he had never worked in an   
'honest' trade. I refused to return to the Guild Sarkis had forsaken, or take   
up the sword left behind by Death's Angel. The only military organization   
recruiting for someone with my experience was SeeD, but someone like 'Enju' was   
less than desirable because of SeeD's high standards for conduct.   
  
"I tried to con my way into the organization, to slip in unnoticed. How   
long I hoped to maintain the ruse was something I didn't try to think about.   
The need to start again was too great to not take the risk. But much to my   
surprise, the Balamb Headmaster caught me before he had even met Enju. Yet Cid   
accepted me into his school regardless of history. I would become a SeeD and   
for the first time in any of my lives be an honest killer."   
  
Again, Enju paused in his story. Xu regarded him with a thoughtful   
expression that gave no hint as to what she was thinking. 'Damn mask,' Enju   
cursed silently. Such ability was an admirable one, but did little to ease the   
telling of his tale.   
  
"At least, that had been the plan," he continued finally. "I learned   
things here I didn't think possible. I have lived in the shadow of death since   
I was a toddler. Most think military training hardens you; to the contrary, the   
people here have gone out of their way to soften my remorseless heart."   
  
He closed his eyes, finding a ray of hope in the midst of his painful   
recounting. It was all he had left to hold onto these days. Everything he had   
once been was being stripped away. There was nothing left but the vulnerable   
little boy he thought he had left behind.   
  
But that child had never left.   
  
Enju was vaguely aware of a tear falling down his cheek.   
  
"Though I'm sure Nym corrupted her a little, I owe Quistis a lot. I think   
more than anyone else, I was able to rekindle my innocence through her." Enju   
smiled. "It's easy to get spinning so fast that the world is a blur, but even   
when it was going its fastest she never forgot to take a few moments to smell   
the roses, as it were.   
  
"She's also given me something to protect. I don't even think in my past   
lives I cared about protecting myself; I was dead to the world. But now...."   
  
His voice trailed off.   
  
Xu kept silent, using that to encourage him to continue. This was the   
first time he'd ever done more talking than the people he was with. He was   
laying everything before her.   
  
"It's amazing how one's outlook changes when they're no longer focused on   
selfish intentions. I do love her, even if it's not in a way that people would   
expect from me. Like her, I was orphaned while young and I've found a family   
here at Balamb.   
  
"Myn and Nym have been like the childhood playmates I never had. If I ever   
needed a co-conspirator or rival, I'd have both in them. Kei, pain in the ass   
that she is, feels more like an older sister than I'd care to admit.   
  
"And you, Mistress, have taught me more than Talasu ever had. You taught   
me to respect myself and thus respect others. You taught me to respect life.   
Once I learned that, I was able to learn trust. Trust isn't easy, especially   
when you have to give it to others."   
  
He sighed deeply and turned away.   
  
Another tear ran a course down his face.   
  
"My life has been changed profoundly during my time spent here. I don't   
want to think about how things would have turned out if Cid had refused my   
application. Quite likely I'd be dead by now -- probably by my own hand. It was   
a miserable, shallow, existence I led before and I *never* want to go back. I   
have a purpose now. I have a life. That is the debt that I owe Cid Kramer.   
Doing a bit of laundry for him is small compensation for the service he's done   
me."   
  
He bit down on his lip, trying to fight off the deluge of tears that   
threatened to spill. Dammit! He was a man, no some blubbering child. The last   
time he had cried, it was in the wake of his family's death; from then on, he   
had sworn to never let himself cry again. Sixteen years had passed with a   
promise kept. And now...   
  
He hastily scrubbed his eyes with the back of his arm, trying to stem off   
the tears.   
  
"Enju, it's okay to cry," Xu invited gently. "You feel very passionately   
about this. There's no shame in letting it show."   
  
He swallowed the lump in his throat and collected his composure. "So you   
say, Mistress. Maybe some day I'll agree with that, but not today." He managed   
to give her a weak but wry smile as he stood up. His confessional had taken a   
lot out of him.   
  
Xu nodded and rose from her own seat. "Your affection for the Garden is   
something that we all share. We all hold a place in our hearts for the   
Headmaster. If he ordered me to go after Ruze instead of you, I would have   
without reluctance."   
  
Unexpectedly Enju leaned forward and brushed a few strands of Xu's hair   
away from her eyes. With a quiet smile he said, "You know, if you'd been here   
when I arrived, I honestly wonder if I would have pursued Quistis at all."   
  
Xu reached up and took hold of his hand. Giving it a friendly squeeze she   
answered, "Don't press your luck."   
  
His quiet smile turned into an impish grin, and Enju laughed. "I'm glad we   
had the chance to talk. I feel like things are going to get better from here on   
out."   
  
"I hope so," Xu agreed. "Some peace and quiet would be a nice change of   
pace."   
  
*****   
  
  
A day passed, and then two without any major revelations or upending of   
Xu's world. Perhaps, finally, the waters had calmed and she could regain her   
balance on the pitching boat of life. Kei had visited her during that time to   
offer what advice she could, but Xu couldn't tell her everything. It wasn't   
her place to disclose the true reason behind SeeD's co-operation with Dollet.   
  
Such dealings made her acquaintance with Michelle a difficult one. It   
would be hard to speak to her without some lingering guilt. Xu felt remorseful   
about that. The agent really had tried to build a bond between them.   
  
What was done, was done. In the end, Xu had to admit that they   
accomplished a good through their actions. If only it were possible to always   
do good and remain honest at the same time!   
  
  
  
Elsewhere in the Garden near a bench observing one of the many fountains,   
someone without such lofty moralistic issues tapped on Kei's shoulder. She   
looked up from the crossword puzzle book she was working on to find Enju nearly   
standing on top of her as he peered down at her. With an audible sigh Kei   
closed the book and gave him her best 'what the hell do you want?' look.   
  
"You busy this afternoon?" Enju tucked his hands into his trouser pockets   
and rocked slightly on the balls of his feet. He had a devilish look to him.   
She recognized it as being that of man on a hunt. But what was his prey?   
  
"You're looking at my plans for the day," she held the book up.   
  
"'No' in other words."   
  
"..." Working on crosswords was a worthy endeavor. He didn't pick on   
Quistis when she had her nose stuck in a book. Was it so hard to believe that   
she would spend her time doing something that would be considered a quiet   
activity?   
  
"Why do you ask?" She inquired, not bothering to keep the touch of   
annoyance she felt at having *him* criticize one of her favorite pastimes out   
of her voice.   
  
Enju shrugged. "No reason. But on a completely unrelated note, I heard   
that Quistis and Kren are going to Balamb this afternoon. Naturally I said to   
myself, 'That's a good idea! I should do that too.'" A shark-like grin spread   
across his face. "And I thought you might be up for joining me."   
  
So that was his game, trailing Quistis and Kren around town. She pursed   
her lips together as she regarded the puzzle book in her hand. "I'm almost   
finished with one and could use another..." she commented slowly, looking up to   
meet his eyes.   
  
His infuriatingly smug grin only grew as he hooked her onto his plan.   
"How tragic. I'll catch up with you after class."   
  
"You know where to find me," she opened her book to the page marked and   
settled in to resume working. "Enju, why did you ask me to join you?" She   
asked, feigning nonchalance as she penned in an answer.   
  
She saw him shrug out of the corner of her eye. "You know the saying,   
'Keep your enemies close'."   
  
"'...And keep your friends closer'..?" She glanced up.   
  
The expression of cool indifference that he showed the world at large   
broke for just moment. "Maybe it was the other way around?" he waved it off.   
"But don't think this means I like you. I'm being pragmatic here: as a SeeD,   
you can haul my ass out of trouble."   
  
He turned around and stalked away. Kei watched his retreating form with a   
bemused expression. "Heh, whatever."   
  
When it came time for them to go to Balamb Kei pointed out that Kren has   
never been in a battle and would likely balk if he found himself in such a   
situation. Enju was inclined towards forcing him to deal with it, but Kei's   
icy look quickly changed his disposition. She left early to blaze a trail   
while Enju followed the two students undetected. Diablos would drive the   
monsters away, but only so far. The trick was to stay far enough back so that   
he wasn't noticed but they were under the GF's range of protection.   
  
Quistis and Kren were dressed in casual clothing. Kei had likewise   
changed into something more comfortable. Enju wore a long coat over his cadet   
uniform, making none of them readily identifiable as being from the Garden.   
  
Kei met up with Enju shortly after he entered town. By her smug   
expression he was sure that she saw some action on her way in. Quistis and   
Kren had passed her without notice and continued into downtown. Now Kei   
glanced down the road they'd followed, not wanting them to get too far away.   
  
Enju placed a hand on her shoulder to hold her back. "Don't worry,   
Quistis outlined her plans for the afternoon to Kren on the way over. They're   
going to the pier, a couple shops, then they'll get a bite to eat." Enju   
refrained from mentioning how much it irritated him that it was Kren she was   
going out with instead of him.   
  
And so the afternoon was spent playing shadow to the young pair.   
  
As they did so, Kei's thoughts kept returning to the time when she was a   
youth in a foreign land trying to understand the strange sights and sounds   
around her. Kren was doing admirably well compared to the difficulties she had   
faced. Admittedly, it did help having friends to fall back on. In her case,   
life before Xu was hellish, but after a companion who understood her arrived   
things worked themselves out. For Kren, he has six others who understand his   
situation and a guide who would do everything within her power to bridge the   
gap between them.   
  
Yes, having Quistis assisting him was a great help. She was doing well on   
picking up common phrases from Kren and his friends. Her strongest asset was   
her open mind. Kei hadn't once seen her balk when presented with a new idea   
that may seem strange or backwards to the world in general. Her ability to go   
with the flow of things would take her far in life.   
  
Enju's mind continued on an endless debate as to where he stood with   
Quistis. She may have decided where they stood, as friends or something more,   
but that didn't mean he was going to passively let it end there. He didn't   
want to admit that he was jealous of the boy she was with, but he sure as hell   
was acting like it. This emotion felt foreign; he'd never acted so territorial   
before in his life, even when some would-be assassin tried to steal one of his   
contracts.   
  
Of course, he wouldn't kill Kren like he had those others.   
  
And that's what Enju realized he didn't like about the situation. Kren   
was Quistis' age, still growing up as she was very much in the process of   
doing, but those Anshin hands weren't stained the way his were. Quistis had   
more in common with the boy than she ever had with him. In light of that, Enju   
wondered if he'd ever stood a chance from the very beginning at being Quistis'   
boyfriend.   
  
A part of him didn't want to be that close to her either. He was still   
getting used to the idea of being more than a systematic killer. That meant   
being willing to open up and that meant exposing weakness. For an assassin,   
that had always been a death sentence. Xu was the only one who knew everything   
about him, but that had come at a significant cost for them both.   
  
Enju now wondered if he would ever want to settle down. Keeping a fair   
distance even from friends left him feeling safer. And SeeD gave him a perfect   
excuse to indulge in that. Having a significant other in this organization was   
a handicap. He fully agreed with SeeD's reasons for discouraging partnerships   
from forming. If a partner died, their mate would be adversely affected.   
  
His eyes drifted back to where Quistis and Kren were talking. The entire   
time she was smiling fondly at the Anshin boy.   
  
Enju felt his blood boil again as he watched them. No matter what half of   
him wanted to say, the other half still wanted to be the one Quistis was   
speaking softly to. So this was the paradox of being human: wanting to remain   
distant to not get yourself or anyone hurt, and at the same time craving the   
intimacy of others.   
  
He didn't like it.   
  
Quistis and Kren held their heads close in conversation, then she sat back   
and giggled. Enju tightened his fist to keep from slamming it into something,   
his knuckles cracking from the tension. Kei shot him a questioning look. He   
shook it off and jutted his chin out for her to keep watching.   
  
Talasu's words came back to haunt him. The enemies of his past were near   
and actively searching for him. It would only be a matter of time before they   
turned their attentions to the Garden.   
  
Enju swore under his breath in a dialect common to 'lost' Esthar. It was   
something he'd picked up while under Talasu's tutelage. Again, he refrained   
from hitting something out of frustration.   
  
He couldn't leave, not now. It would mean his death spiritually if he   
left. He doubted it meant his physical death if he stayed; his edge was still   
there, resting in the back of his mind where he could feel it. The killer's   
instinct was just waiting to be awakened from its slumber, as it had been when   
he'd killed Ruze and Travers.   
  
But now his concern rested in what that would mean for Balamb Garden; the   
last thing he wanted were other cadets being killed just so some   
vendetta-ridden asshole could get a shot at him. And Quistis would never   
forgive him if she realized he knew beforehand and could have prevented such a   
tragedy.   
  
Life was never fair.   
  
Enju didn't whine about that fact. He'd grown up with it, and lived and   
breathed it. And more so, he'd survived it enough times to understand that   
this fact could never be altered. In fact, life often spited you just to piss   
you off, but this was unusually cruel in his opinion.   
  
Kei touched his arm lightly to catch his attention then motioned that they   
were moving. If he overheard the pair correctly, they were going to a diner   
next for supper. Enju had only been in the place once, but from what he   
recalled of it, it boasted a few small tables on a balcony that overlooked the   
establishment. They could watch the action from up above.   
  
They claimed their spot before Quistis and Kren arrived. The waiter that   
came by to take their order was put off when all they requested were drinks.   
Not knowing how long Quistis and Kren would be here meant that there wasn't a   
point in ordering a full meal.   
  
The two people they were watching for came in. The waiter that had taken   
their drink order met them at the door. He shook his head firmly in the   
negative at something Quistis said. She tried to persuade him, but his stood   
firm on his decision and the two of them left the diner.   
  
Kei growled as Enju tightly gripped the fork he was playing with. More   
than anything, he was staring at Kei. He knew that look in her eyes well   
enough. "Do you want to rip into him, or shall I?" he inquired.   
  
"This one's mine," Kei growled in no uncertain terms.   
  
Enju nodded.   
  
When the waiter returned with their drinks, Kei confronted him. "Why did   
you turn those two away?"   
  
The waiter waved it off airily. "We don't cater to children who try to   
skip out on paying their bill."   
  
Kei's jaw locked firmly with displeasure.   
  
Enju was equally displeased, but his methods were a lot less explosive   
than Kei's. The assassin in him enjoyed the occasional cat and mouse game.   
"Have you ever *seen* those two before?" He asked, feigning to be leisurely   
taking a sip from his drink, his voice echoing like ice.   
  
"Kids are all the same," the waiter answered easily.   
  
Enju winced as he watched (with some vicious amusement) Kei angrily stand   
up and say, "Oooh, now that's going to cost you."   
  
Both of them were livid at the discrimination shown to one of their own.   
But Enju wanted to keep himself a tempered as possible -- especially since Kei   
seemed apt to draw her katana any moment.   
  
"Know that you've just insulted the honor of Balamb Garden," Kei snarled.   
  
Enju nodded as he calmly rose, making the fact that he was a head taller   
than the waiter very noticeable. He looked over the man, a thin smile on his   
face. "No SeeD would skip out on their bill," he stated coldly, inviting the   
waiter to try and contradict them.   
  
Kei pointedly pulled out her wallet and left several times the amount due   
for their drinks on the table. "That's for next time you consider turning away   
SeeD's business."   
  
The waiter flushed. "Those kids were SeeDs?"   
  
"The lady is a couple terms short of graduation. Not to mention she's   
Balamb Garden's best and brightest." Enju chuckled a little at seeing the man's   
face turn pale before continuing, "The young man was her date for the evening,   
and an honored guest of the Garden."   
  
"Age doesn't denote maturity," Kei dug into him. "I'm appalled that you   
would so blithely lump all people who *appeared* to be a certain age into the   
same stereotype. What if someone who was in their twenties, but looked to be   
in their teens came in? Would you toss them out on appearances alone? Never   
mind that such discrimination has no place in our society. You tarnish   
Balamb's reputation as a laid-back and friendly town!"   
  
Enju placed a hand on her arm. She looked pissed. "Now now, Kei, I'm   
sure we can settle this without you having to cut him in half... Though I know   
I wouldn't entirely object to doing it myself."   
  
Drawing in a deep breath, she gave the waiter one more long glare before   
pushing past him to leave. Enju hesitated a moment longer, flashing the waiter   
another dark smile. He didn't wish to lose her or allow her the chance to   
change her mind regarding killing him -- but he so desired having the final   
word on the matter.   
  
"Have a nice day, sir," he said to the waiter, giving the man the cold   
shoulder as he turned and followed on Kei's heels. They left the restaurant,   
scanning the streets for the two.   
  
"Tch, we've lost them," Kei folded her arms across her chest and scanned   
the surrounding area for signs of Quistis or Kren.   
  
"No big deal. We should get back any ways," he replied. The next   
sentence took a moment to build the resolve to say. "I admit that the guy back   
there needed a swift kick in the ass, but he pissed you off a little more than   
I expected."   
  
Kei snorted, still very much angry. "You learn to hate people who don't   
look beyond appearances when you're so obviously different than everyone else.   
Balamb Garden is a haven from such narrow-minded thinking. But places like   
Galbadia strongly harbor hate of those who aren't homegrown. People should be   
judged on an individual basis."   
  
An eyebrow arched at her choice of wording. "Judged?"   
  
She nodded firmly once, then began walking towards edge of town. "Let's   
go."   
  
What she said made sense, but she felt it so passionately. She shouldn't   
allow a backwards person like that to get under her skin. And her choice of   
words...   
  
Enju smirked. It was likely Alexander speaking.   
  
*****   
  
The next morning found Quistis and Kren in the training room waiting for   
her private session with Xu. The final months leading up to graduation were   
the most intensive in the realm of physical and magical training. Her private   
sessions over the last month had consisted primarily of practicing her Limit   
Skill. There was very little new for her to learn from the monsters that lived   
in the Training Center, but she could practice using the techniques she knew.   
The only way for her to truly practice Blue Magic was to go out into the world   
and study monsters.   
  
Out of Xu's office came the Instructor and Eugene. They joined the two   
students by the doorway.   
  
"Good morning!" Eugene greeted warmly. "Do you mind if I join you for   
your session? I'm trying to regain my edge after being away from combat for so   
long. I'd like to go with a group rather then on my own. Much safer that   
way."   
  
"The more, the merrier," Quistis agreed. She hadn't the opportunity to   
speak with him in more than passing since he returned. The Training Center   
wasn't the place for catching up, but maybe they could have lunch together   
afterwards.   
  
Xu echoed Eugene's greeting, then shook her head. "I'm sorry, Quistis,   
but Kren can't come with us," Xu repeated her apology to Kren in Anshin.   
  
Quistis understood why he couldn't join her during her training session in   
the Center. He would be a serious liability to their party, especially if his   
beliefs prompted him to do something foolish.   
  
"I'll call for Kei to escort you while we're gone," Xu offered. Kren was   
agreeable to the idea. Who would turn down the opportunity to be guided by a   
Spirit?   
  
He watched with silent admiration as they did their warm up exercises. A   
part of him that was morbidly curious wondered what they did in their Training   
Center. He knew intellectually that they killed monsters there, but having   
never seen a battle before he couldn't imagine how.   
  
His dubiousness of this feat increased when he saw the size of the weapons   
that the Spirit of Protection used. Surely there was some magic involved if   
she was capable of defending herself with a pair of oversized forks.   
  
"Kei will be here soon. Don't get into too much trouble while we're   
away," Xu gave his shoulder a friendly squeeze before leading them out of the   
room. He looked around before finding an out of the way spot to sit against   
the wall. The Shumi Instructors that Kwis got along with so well were watching   
over their students.   
  
He was so mesmerized by their activities that he didn't notice the Spirit   
sitting down next to him. "You like watching them train?" She inquired.   
  
"It's almost like a dance," he pointed out.   
  
"That it is," she agreed. "Ready to go? They'll be in there for a couple   
hours if I know them."   
  
He nodded and stood up. So far he didn't have much of a chance to spend   
time alone with either Spirit. Obviously they were both important people who   
lacked the time to waste on babysitting them. This wasn't something that   
offended him or his friends. Getting to spend any time at all in the presence   
of the Spirits was considered an honor. The fact that he'd have the morning   
with one thrilled him.   
  
The Spirit maintained light conversation with him, asking how he liked the   
Garden and if he was following the classes he sat in on. The language barrier   
wasn't as high for him as it was for some of the others. Besides, some   
subjects (like math) were a language all unto themselves. He could follow the   
display and keep up without being able to understand a word of what the   
Instructor at the front of the room was saying.   
  
As for the school, it was beautiful place. The lushness of the plants and   
shear amount of flowing water in fountains and pools was staggering. It was a   
sharp contrast to the desert he'd grown up in. If he had to imagine the place   
that the Spirits lived, it would be here. Though he must admit that he   
wouldn't have been able to picture the existence of such a place prior to   
seeing it. He'd never seen anything close to it that could have inspired his   
imagination to such a level.   
  
And everyone here was so nice. The students did their best to make him   
and his friends feel welcome. Especially Kwis. He was fond of her. Her looks   
were likewise something he wouldn't have been able to imagine prior to arriving   
here. The exoticness of her nature appealed to him. She was smart,   
thoughtful, and patient. In his mind, she was too nice to be at a school for   
killers.   
  
He tried to ignore that aspect of this place. This beautiful haven   
shouldn't have such an edge to it. At this point, if they were here, the   
elders would remind him that looks could be very deceiving. There was no doubt   
of that. The Spirit of Protection was such a petite woman, but she'd been   
there to guide them home!   
  
Guiltily he gave the Spirit of Justice a sideways glance. He constantly   
had to remind himself that she was a female. She carried herself like a man.   
And had adopted what he'd come to recognize as the characteristics of man in   
this society. But she was most definitely a woman.   
  
"Kren, I want to speak with you regarding Quistis."   
  
The Spirit said her name so easily! He'd been practicing when his friend   
wasn't around, wanting to pronounce her name the way she did. But it remained   
a tongue twister to him.   
  
"What about her?" He asked politely.   
  
Kei stopped walking and brought her hand up to stroke her nose briefly.   
"Xu told me not to interfere, but I think you should know a few things before   
you chase after her too seriously. The first is that being SeeD is her dream.   
It's what she's strived for all her life. Pursue her knowing that her actions   
at some point will be contradictory to how you were raised.   
  
"The second obstacle is that she's rather fond of meat. She won't give   
that up for long," the Spirit winked at him.   
  
"And the third problem is storming towards us as we speak," she nodded her   
head down the hallway. A somewhat scary-looking cadet was homing in on them.   
Subconsciously he edged himself a half step behind the Spirit. Justice would   
protect him if things took a turn for the worse.   
  
Once the cadet was closer, Kren recognized him as being one of the cadets   
that seemed to follow in Kwis' shadow. The cadet towered over both him and the   
Spirit, a pair of sunglasses hiding his eyes. The young man stopped in front   
of them and said something to Kei. She responded and nodded to Kren.   
  
The cadet positioned himself squarely in front of Kren with his arms   
crossed. After looking him up and down with what felt like scrutinizing glare,   
he reached up and slowly removed his shades.   
  
Kren swallowed hard in finding that the guy's eyes looked scarier than the   
rest of him. Kei tried not to laugh, seeing how hard Enju was trying to   
intimidate the poor kid.   
  
The cadet tucked the sunglasses into his uniform pocket and then stuck his   
hand out. "Enju."   
  
"Kren," he answered, reluctantly taking the offered hand. It was a   
greeting he still wasn't accustomed to.   
  
He said something that involved Quistis, but he spoke too quickly for Kren   
to follow. He turned to the Spirit with a puzzled look. He hated depending   
upon them as translators, but it could take all day for him and Enju to hold a   
brief conversation without their intervention.   
  
"Enju advises keeping your interest in Quistis to that of only friendship   
unless you wish to return to the Path prematurely."   
  
The blood drained from Kren's face. Upon seeing his reaction, Enju   
crossed his arms and smirked. Kren could see his pale reflection in the   
forearm armor that he wore.   
  
"Have- Have I offended him?" Kren stammered. He'd done nothing that he   
could recall. Someone threatening his life was uncalled for!   
  
"The Spirit is *very* protective of the one he's claimed," she explained.   
Somehow he kept himself from falling back, though he was feeling faint. This   
cadet was a Spirit as well? And he'd had the temerity to pursue his heart's   
interest. If Kren could find a rock large enough he would crawl under it right   
about now.   
  
Kei said something to Spirit Enju and he nodded slowly, sternly. After   
another long look he replaced the sunglasses over his eyes, turned around and   
went back the way he came.   
  
"I can't express how sorry I am," Kren hung his head with shame. He'd   
offended a Spirit. The elders will be furious when they find out.   
  
"There's nothing to be sorry about," Justice denied. "Quistis doesn't   
belong to him. In the end it's her choice and he'll respect that. You can   
compete with him if you wish, but I doubt you will now..." she let that thought   
trail off.   
  
No, he wouldn't pursue Kwis when a Spirit wanted her also. That would be   
wrong, no if's, and's or but's about it.   
  
"He wouldn't touch you," Kei continued. "He respects Xu and fears me.   
I've beaten him down twice and I'd gladly do it again."   
  
"Why would you do that?" He asked, trying to find a way to get his mind   
off his transgression.   
  
She chuckled lightly and continued walking. "He's my rival."   
  
Kren's mouth dropped open. How could such a thing happen? Didn't all the   
Spirit get along with each other? There were so many things he had yet to   
learn. And his escort was getting away from him. Setting his bewilderment   
aside, he caught up with her before she got too much further down the corridor.   
Maybe these were things he would only understand once he was older?   
  
*****   
  
After training with Quistis and Eugene, Xu returned to her office and   
began the ritual of cleaning her weapon. Skilled hands quickly unwound the   
cord that was tied around the handle for a better grip. She took simple   
pleasure from the time spent freeing the weapon of the grime that accumulated   
during use. Even though she left her office door open while she performed her   
maintenance few people intruded upon her private time.   
  
She was in the process of winding the cord back onto the handle of her   
second sai when there was a light tapping on the doorframe. Master Talasu, one   
of the last people she would expect to see at Balamb, bowed politely before   
stepping in.   
  
"Quite a dojo you have here," he commented, looking back over his shoulder   
to indicate the training room behind him. "I'm impressed by not only the   
facilities, but by the caliber of fighter being produced. You're putting your   
resources to good use."   
  
A wry smile crossed Xu's lips as she firmly tied the cord. "SeeD produces   
the finest mercenaries in the world. Would you expect any less?"   
  
"From you? No," he admitted with a small smile of his own.   
  
The third sai Xu carried into the Center with her hadn't been used during   
battle, and thus didn't need to be cleaned. She slid the weapons into their   
pouch and then placed the bag into a drawer. "What brings you here, Master?   
You're a long way from Deling City."   
  
"I get around," he admitted while closing the door behind them. His   
desire for their conversation to remain private and free from interruption was   
evident. "I've come to check in on two of my favorite people."   
  
"Oh?" She could guess whom he referred, but wanted to let him lead the   
conversation.   
  
The Master would have paced if the small office allowed the room to do so.   
Since it didn't, he took to leaning against the back of the door instead.   
"You've been a busy person lately. I'm curious to know how *you* are doing."   
  
The inquiry was an open one. She could volunteer as much or as little   
information as she saw fit. Meeting his intense green eyes, she was certain   
that he knew what happened in Dollet and of the role Enju played there.   
  
"I've seen better days."   
  
He nodded sagely. "The more you grow up, the more complicated the world   
becomes. It's a wonder that anyone chooses to become an adult at all."   
  
Xu's mouth tightened as she frowned. His statement was a loaded one to an   
Anshin. Becoming an adult was a very important part of life to them.   
  
He arched a slender, knowing eyebrow.   
  
What a frustrating conversation! It was like speaking in subtext with the   
Headmaster, except that she and Cid were on the same wavelength.   
  
"You can no longer run away from the past you left behind," he stated   
bluntly.   
  
"What do you mean?" Xu hedged.   
  
"When you look at Quistis, what do you see? I see the future unrestrained   
by the chains of the past. Without a family or a country to call her own, she   
isn't tied down by their beliefs. Unlike you," he gave her a meaningful look.   
"You have some very heavy responsibilities to bear."   
  
"Kei and I left the Anshin! The responsibilities I bear are ones I've   
accepted willingly."   
  
"Did you really?" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Even though she knew   
him to be nearly twice her age his baby face gave him the appearance of someone   
only a few years her elder. "Then why do you bear the marks of your kinship?"   
  
Xu waved the question off with a flustered gesture. "We didn't have a   
choice! I-" she faltered. "Kei was pounced by them. She didn't have a choice   
in the matter."   
  
"You didn't have to return. You don't have to return in the upcoming   
days, but you will."   
  
She locked her jaw stubbornly. How the hell did he know so much about   
her?! "What does it matter?"   
  
"You need to accept who you are. You need to be set free like the girl   
you train with such care." He answered, his eyes holding hers with a depth of   
compassion she hadn't found there before.   
  
"Are you saying I shouldn't return?"   
  
He shook his head ruefully. "No, you should embrace who you are. You'll   
only be free of the chains once you are calm enough to slip out of them.   
Struggling as you are brings them tighter around you."   
  
Taking a deep breath she turned her attention to the stack of papers that   
sat on her desk. She was finished with the applications Cid wanted her to   
review and had only to return her results. They were a distraction from what   
was really on her mind. From what she didn't want to think about.   
  
"All the Spirits that I've encountered so far are having the same problems   
as you. Don't feel alone when it comes to your struggle. I have faith that   
you'll find the balance between the many roles you are asked to fill," he gave   
her an encouraging smile.   
  
"How do you know so much?"   
  
He gave a small shrug. "Let's just say that it's my job to know things.   
Which brings me to the other reason I've come here. Some people are looking   
for a student of yours and they won't stop until his death to find him."   
  
Xu's heart froze, knowing that he referred to Enju.   
  
"You know of whom I speak," nodded with approval. "Then you likewise know   
what needs to be done. I've delayed them as much as possible, but I doubt we   
have through the end of the month. Our friend has been warned of his peril.   
For the sake of the Garden you love, encourage him to move along before they   
find him."   
  
Talasu left after delivering his chilling warning. Xu wanted to know who   
exactly was after Enju. Maybe if they could preemptively strike they could   
protect him and the Garden. But the idea was a futile one. The Headmaster   
would never approve an unprovoked attack that could very well start a 'war'.   
  
She didn't want Enju to leave, not after he found what he was looking for.   
He deserved a chance at a good life as much as the next person did. She should   
warn the Headmaster if he wasn't made aware of the situation already. A part   
of her suspected that Talasu and Cid had a history that went back a ways.   
  
Talasu's words rolled around in her mind and jumbled with her already   
conflicting thoughts. Closing her eyes, she summoned her Puzzle Stone. The   
clutter of the real world gave way to the blissful darkness that engulfed her   
mind.   
  
Carbuncle was waiting for her when she entered her workshop. Bending   
over, she picked the small creature up and carried it with her to the   
workbench. It thwapped its tail happily at getting to see her, as it always   
did. Playfully she scrubbed the tuff of fur on the top of its head.   
  
"I can only be who I am," she reasoned to the creature whose wide eyes   
held her with complete regard. She turned away from the bench and began to   
pace while speaking more to herself than to her companion.   
  
"But what am I..?"   
  
She began ticking off the list.   
  
"I am a SeeD. It is my duty to faithfully carry out the orders of my   
superiors.   
  
"I am a Master. I have to train those who look to me because that   
knowledge may someday save their life.   
  
"I am an Instructor. I must teach my students to the best of my   
abilities. SeeD's future depends upon my ability to raise intelligent   
members."   
  
She paused in her pacing to take a deep breath, and then continued with   
renewed purpose.   
  
"I am an Anshin. I can't deny the blood that runs through my veins. Even   
so, there is more to it than that. I don't agree with all of the clan's   
precepts and I never will. Those that I find to be agreeable I will honor, but   
I won't allow myself to be held back.   
  
"I am a Spirit. That's a difficult thing to admit. Especially since I'm   
not sure what all it entails. Whenever I've seen someone at risk, I've wanted   
to protect them. If that's the Spirit part of me or what, I don't know. I   
have a feeling that it will take me years to uncover the depth of what it   
means."   
  
Carbuncle gave the flat surface it sat on a single solid thwap.   
Apparently it was agreeing with her statement that a Spirit couldn't be trained   
in a day.   
  
"I am a woman. Not only in a physical sense, but emotionally as well.   
It's not right to starve that part of me because it makes me 'weak'. There is   
strength to be found in something delicate, and joy in exploring what makes me   
happy.   
  
"I am your partner." She stopped pacing to speak directly to Carbuncle.   
"Again, I doubt I understand the depth of what that means. So I ask you to be   
patient as I learn to be the best I can for the both of us.   
  
"All these things and more make up me... Shuu..." she said her name   
softly, pronouncing it in the Anshin manner. She was so used to standard that   
she sometimes forgot how her own name sounded. The softness of its   
pronunciation was usually glossed over by the harsher language. But it felt   
important...   
  
"Shuu..." Carbuncle echoed.   
  
She pulled a stool out from under the edge of the bench and sat down.   
With elbows firmly placed on the bench and her head cradled in her hands, tears   
slipped down her cheeks. Carbuncle waddled over and embraced her head with its   
short forearms. It projected vast amounts of comfort, love, and admiration for   
her admission. She still felt so uncertain, so scared of what she was becoming   
(or had already become). For the first time in her life the future was a   
frightening thing. She wanted to know that things would work out for the   
better, but that was an assurance no one could make.   
  
She wouldn't be alone in her struggle -- that was one promise that could   
be made. Carbuncle rubbed its muzzle in her hair. It would stay with her   
until she left this world and returned to the Path. Was there a Path of Life?   
Carbuncle seemed to think so, but such a legend was difficult to believe. The   
creature nuzzled her again. Now wasn't the time to be worrying about such   
things.   
  
"Thank you..."   
  
*****   
  
Cid quickly glanced over the list of applicants the SeeD standing before   
him had selected. He was pleased by the fact that Xu's list matched the one he   
had already created with few exceptions. Once again his decision to draft her   
as his personal aide (whether she realized it or not) was proven to be a solid   
one.   
  
He couldn't wait to tell Kadowaki about how inline their thinking was. Of   
course, the good Doctor would then say something sensible like, 'It should be!   
You trained her to be that way!' But that couldn't be further from the truth.   
Xu was a very independent woman. Independent without her cousin's querulous   
tendencies, he amended.   
  
Her report regarding her discussion with Master Talasu was enlightening.   
He knew that Talasu had to have a reason beyond checking in on Quistis for   
visiting the Garden. It did distress him to learn that someone was on Enju's   
trail. He'd hoped to eradicate the cadet's past and give him a new life in   
SeeD, but it didn't look like that would be the case.   
  
Thus, Kei's suggestion of taking him to Centra seemed all the more vital.   
So far everyone he'd sent there had come back a changed person. It would be   
interesting to see how the violent cadet would handled being in the company of   
absolute pacifist for a week. Once they had returned from the trip, they could   
discuss what to do with him. Maybe sending him off to Trabia would give him   
the break he needed...   
  
The idea that Carbuncle had modified the nature of Xu's Limit intrigued   
Cid. He'd never heard of a Guardian Force bonding with a person in such an   
intimate manner. And to think that it was likewise true for Kei and Alexander.   
Xu hazard that Enju and Diablos shared a similar bond, but that theory had yet   
to be tested. She offered to demonstrate her Limit for him at his convenience.   
It was something he would certainly like to see, but not today.   
  
For all the topics that Xu covered she hadn't made mention of Dollet. The   
government had contacted him requesting that the SeeDs involved with their   
operation be given commendations. It was something he was already considering,   
but wondered if it would be wise. There was no question the Eugene would be   
receiving a promotion and pay raise next time he was up for review. But would   
Xu accept a similar reward without feeling guilty?   
  
The subject was an uneasy one for him. Kadowaki had assured him that Xu   
would be returning from Centra when it came time, so he needn't fear that. But   
there was still a cloud hanging between them that needed to be dispersed.   
  
He brushed his hand through his hair in a nervous gesture. His thoughts   
hadn't even been on what she was saying for the last several minutes. Guiltily   
he forced his mind back to the subject of equipment ordering for the training   
room. Why was she even asking for approval? He trusted her to order whatever   
she needed to produce the quality soldiers SeeD was made of.   
  
"Do what you must. I trust you to act with the best interests of the   
Garden firmly in mind," he said.   
  
"Thank you, sir," she bobbed her head in agreement. Dear Xu, still so   
formal when what he wanted was an aide to fill in where he could not. She   
would be the grease between the gears that ran the Garden. And he couldn't let   
his bumbling ruin that.   
  
"Xu, please, relax," he ran his fingers through his hair again. "I have   
yet to properly apologize for how I wronged you. I am sorry. It was   
thoughtless of me to not consider how a mission like Dollet would compromise   
your sense of honor."   
  
She shook her head. "I had agreed to go and the ends did justify the   
means."   
  
"You're a forgiving person. I fear Kei's response were she caught in a   
similar situation," a wry smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Were Kei   
such a situation, *someone* would have paid dearly. He wasn't sure who would   
pay the price, but was certain that she'd find someone to fit the bill.   
  
Xu returned his smile with a small laugh. "She's mellowing if you hadn't   
noticed."   
  
"Really? I hadn't," he admitted sheepishly. When a fire raged as much as   
she did, it was difficult to notice a slight taming of the flames. Especially   
when that firestorm had so recently cost the Garden nearly a hundred thousand   
gil in repairs.   
  
"Since learning that she was a Spirit, she's been different. As I've been   
different. And Enju will be different. I'm not the same person I was when I   
came to the Garden, but I am who I am," she explained thoughtfully.   
  
"Hmm," Cid leaned back in his chair. "I would call that 'growth' myself.   
I hope that you continue doing it for the rest of your life."   
  
"Yes, growth, that's one way to look at it. I don't think I'll ever have   
the luxury of stopping. So count on it."   
  
"Very good," Cid shuffled through the stack of papers on his desk before   
finding the one he was searching for. After scanning what it said once more he   
handed it to Xu. "Dollet has indicated that they have no further questions for   
the children so you're free to depart. I'll leave scheduling passage for them   
and your party to you. Let me know what you've arranged once it's done."   
  
She acknowledged his instructions, then looked at the sheet in her hand.   
The serious expression that she wore did well to disguise the surprise she   
felt. What she held was a formal notification of promotion, which included a   
healthy increase in pay.   
  
Dollet would have given her any amount asked for. But Cid knew Xu better   
than that. She wasn't in SeeD for the money, so it was a near meaningless   
reward. Her reward was the satisfaction of a job well done.   
  
"Thank you."   
  
Cid smiled. "You earned it Xu. I'm sure that you'll reach A ranking   
before much longer."   
  
"I'd like to," she flushed.   
  
She tries so hard, Cid reflected, and burned so brightly. He could only   
hope that she didn't burn out prematurely. Something drove her and he wanted   
to help her discover that something as much as she wished to help SeeD. It was   
a relationship that would work out well for both of them if he had his way.   
  
-----   
  
Please visit our website at www.centragarden.net


	14. Part 14

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 14  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans with His lordship Chaos edited by Helen Fong based on the world of Final Fantasy 8 created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C.   
  
  
  
The clear sky above was the first thing Quistis saw when she leapt from the transport to the awaiting dock. Looking around her it quickly became apparent that this part of Centra most definitely was not like the region she lived in. Kei gave out a shrill whistle to catch her attention before tossing her bag to her. Quistis caught the duffel easily and swung it over her shoulder.  
  
"So this is where you grew up?" Quistis caught up with Xu, who was helping to load a shipment of products from the north into the back of a truck.  
  
Her mentor nodded silently while securing the load.  
  
Kei came up behind them. "I hate this place."  
  
"Can't imagine why," Enju agreed dryly from his spot leaning against the truck's bumper. "If this world had a 'nowhere' I think we just found the middle of it. And it's a frigging desert to boot."  
  
There was no denying that assertion. It wasn't a desert in such a way that there was sand everywhere, but the landscape looked anything but hospitable. She knelt down briefly to feel the soil. It's dry, grainy texture hinted at the rarity of water. How could a clan of vegetarians survive on such infertile land?  
  
Once they were underway Quistis intently watched their approach of the clan compound out the window of the van they rode in. It stood out like a fort in the middle of an open plain. Towering walls constructed of hard clay bricks kept the dangers of the wilderness at bay. Up on an observation deck, a lone lookout monitored their progress.  
  
Her eyes followed a road that trailed off to the side of the compound. Carefully maintained crops stretched out across acres of land. Even from this distance she could see the sophisticated farming equipment used to tend the fields. Survival was a strong motivator for keeping up with technologies that could mean the difference between life and death.  
  
It had taken a small convoy of vehicles to transport them from the port to the compound. From Quistis' perspective it appeared as though most everyone was out to greet the newcomers and welcome the lost children home. The vehicles pulled off the side of the hard packed gravel road 20 meters away from the compound entrance.  
  
Confused as to why they stopped short, she followed those from the Garden out of the van they were riding in. Kren and his friends were already walking towards the compound gate. Quistis made to catch up with them, but Xu held her back with a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"They have to go through first," she said solemnly.  
  
Quistis gave her a puzzled look, "Why?"  
  
"Their coming of age trial goes from the time they leave the gate until they return through it," Xu explained. "We don't want to interfere with the rite any more than we already have."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"They still don't beat my record," Kei said smugly.  
  
"I doubt anyone is going to beat the three years you were gone," Xu said with a hint of humor.  
  
Quistis knew that statement caused a pang of sorrow for Xu (though it wasn't meant to). She could only hope that they would some day find more lost Anshin, but the chances of that were slim. To have Kei's record beaten by one of them would be an event everyone celebrated.  
  
The vehicles they rode in were pulled around to another entrance, leaving the nine of them there. Each of the Anshin children passed the threshold of the gate individually and reunited with their family. Xu and Kei were the next to go forward. The people seemed just as pleased to see them as they were to have the children back. She and Enju followed the two SeeDs without comment.  
  
Those gathered around tried not to gawk at Enju, who stood taller than everyone around him did. Even more embarrassing was that she stood taller than a good many of them. She'd never been the only blonde in a sea of dark haired people before. Balamb Garden was so diverse that being in the midst of a people that were so ethnically pure left her feeling uncomfortable. What a surprise Balamb must have been when Xu first arrived there!  
  
Off to the side, Kren spotted her and Enju. He took hold of a woman's hand and gently pulled her over to them. After bowing respectfully to Enju, he turned his attention to Quistis.  
  
"Kwis, my mother," he introduced.  
  
Quistis bowed to her as she'd seen Xu do on occasion and then offered her hand to shake. The confused woman took hold at Kren's prompting. He then spoke for a few minutes gesturing to both Quistis and Enju. The woman's eyes grew wide during the story, and he was quick to reassure her.  
  
Kei took notice of their discussion and came over. Kren introduced her as well. The woman seemed to fear Kei. (A response many people had with regards to the intimidating SeeD, but there was more to it than what those at the Garden exhibited). Kei accepted this with the nonchalance of someone who was used to having such an effect on people. A young boy tugging on her hand pulled her away again. Quistis found herself grinning at the rarely seen expression of fondness that Kei showed towards the boy and his antics.  
  
With polite interest Quistis watched the Anshin being reunited with their families. She was a stranger here, a foreigner. She felt like a voyeur witnessing their moments of joy. The fact that she didn't have a family of her own to share such a homecoming with didn't bother her. Her friends were her family.  
  
Glancing around her she found Xu with two people who she assumed were her friend's parents. Not far away several people younger than Kei and a man in elaborate dress surrounded her. Silently, Enju slipped his hand into Quistis' and gave it a firm squeeze. Looking up at him there was a tightness to his lips that Quistis couldn't justify. Were these reunions hurting him? Was it wrong that she felt no grief? She didn't think so...  
  
Xu saw them hiding in the crowd and motioned for them to join her. Enju didn't release her hand as they walked. A small part of Quistis had to admit that she was grateful for the confidence that holding his hand gave her.  
  
"Quistis, Enju, meet my mother and father," she introduced. Xu's father stood taller than Quistis, but barely. He had a long braid of graying hair trailing behind him. Xu's mother was even more petite than Xu (if such a thing was possible). The woman smiled kindly at them before pulling Quistis into a hug. She said something that Quistis knew was well intended, but didn't understand.  
  
"She's glad to meet the person who's been like a sister to our daughter," Xu's father said with a thick accent. "As am I. Please be welcome in our home."  
  
Xu flushed some at her parent's admission. "Mother doesn't speak standard fluently, but she tries." She said, trying to divert attention elsewhere.  
  
"The hard-assed SeeD has a soft spot, does she?" Enju teased Xu lightly. Their mutual fondness of Quistis wasn't a secret, but it allowed him the chance to take a poke at the sometimes-uptight Instructor.  
  
"I feel the same way," Quistis replied.  
  
They chatted for a few minutes before Kei joined them. The well-dressed man followed on her heels. She introduced him as her father and as a clan elder. Quistis refrained from eyeballing him and his clothing. She knew there was some unease between father and daughter, though the nature of their disagreement was something that had never been clarified for her. Seeing them together, Quistis could tell where Kei got her pride. It radiated in the way they carried themselves.  
  
"I thank you for being a guide to Kren during his time out there," he said to Quistis after the connection had been pointed out. "It's obvious that the Spirits keep good company if you're able to attract three of them to you."  
  
Quistis wasn't sure what to make of that statement. Kei's explanation of Anshin mythology had been maddeningly brief. Now she was up to her neck in their culture and didn't know where to begin with asking questions!  
  
Kei made a muffled noise of disagreement then cleared her throat to cover it. "Have the sleeping arrangements been figured out yet?"  
  
"Your aunt and uncle have asked to host our young friend along with Xu. You and Enju will stay with us," the elder outlined. "Have you any objections?"  
  
Enju leaned over to Xu to 'whisper' a question to her. "Does Kei snore?"  
  
Having heard that, Kei made another disgruntled noise and crossed her arms.  
  
"There is a banquet tonight to celebrate this joyous occasion," he concluded.  
  
"We'd better get ready then," Xu said. "Come on, Quistis, we need to change clothes."  
  
She and Xu followed her parents back to Xu's childhood home. Gravel paths criss-crossed to create a network of destinations. There weren't many trees around that Quistis could see. A majority of the plant life grew no taller than mid-thigh, but there was an abundance of it. She decided that this place wasn't as attractive as Balamb Garden was, but held its own measure of beauty. Even more so, she felt an inexplicable sense of peace from her surroundings.  
  
The home they entered was smaller than many they passed along the way. But if there were only three people living here, that made sense. A narrow lawn lined the front of the house. There were no distinguishing characteristics to the building itself, not even a house number as far as Quistis could tell. She took careful note of the landmarks in the immediate area so that she could find this place again.  
  
In the corner of the residence furthest away from the door was Xu's room. Even for a single occupant it was a small space. As Quistis suspected, it was as devoid of personal belongings as Xu's quarters at the Garden were. Only a few things caught her eye. A framed image of Xu and Kei as children sat on the dresser. Next to that was a hand-sewn doll. The bed was neatly made without a single crease in the covers.  
  
Xu had gone over to the closet and was searching for something when Quistis broke the silence with the first of many questions to come. "Why do we have to change? I'm wearing my best uniform."  
  
"Formal Anshin wear is appropriate for a banquet. Besides, it's more comfortable."  
  
The idea of something formal being more comfortable than the uniform she was used to seemed to be a contradiction.  
  
Xu pulled out an outfit that looked to be folds upon folds of cloth. She held it out for Quistis to examine. "What do you think of blue and yellow?"  
  
She couldn't make heads or tails of what Xu had in her hands. Indeed, the fabric was a light blue and yellow. She said that the colors were fine, but had her doubts regarding how to wear it or if it even fit her.  
  
"They're one size fits all. Don't worry, I'll show you how to put it on," Xu assured while finding one for herself.  
  
The act of dressing took over a half-hour to accomplish -- and that wasn't due to Quistis' ignorance. It simply took that long to get the clothes into the proper folds and fastened. Once everything was said and done, she had to admit that these clothes *were* more comfortable; being loose fitting and yet secure.  
  
While they were dressing was also the first time she had seen the sprawling tattoo on her friend's back. She knew that Xu had a small one, but it'd grown significantly since they were roommates. Quistis didn't ask. If Xu wanted to say something, she would.  
  
By the time they were finished getting ready Xu's parents had already left for the event. The two of them went to Kei's house to meet up with her and Enju. Kei was likewise dressed in Anshin clothing, though it wasn't the same style as what she and Xu wore. Probably the male equivalent, knowing her. Enju wore his Garden uniform.  
  
"He's too tall," Kei explained while they walked to the meeting hall.  
  
"Excuse me for growing," he retorted.  
  
Xu chuckled lightly at his dilemma. "I have no doubt that my mother will make you an outfit that accommodates your height before we leave."  
  
"Why would she do that?" Quistis piped up.  
  
"My mother's a craftswoman," Xu said with a small touch of pride. "Making clothes is her specialty. The challenge of creating an outfit that fits Enju would be reason enough for her to try. Even if we are only here for a week."  
  
"Ha! You'd let her do that? And here I thought you would try to leave with a couple new dresses at least," Kei teased. "She can't make you dresses if she's working on something for Enju."  
  
Xu smiled slightly in acknowledgement of her hidden agenda. "Mother's probably already made some for me."  
  
Quistis absorbed this new insight. It now made sense why Xu was so protective of her civilian clothes. They were more than just non-uniforms to her, they were made by mother.  
  
Xu continued her story by explaining how her and Kei's mothers would tag team to keep their children in line. It was almost like having two mothers because of it. Xu's mother helped her sister out by mending clothes and other small tasks while Kei's mother tried to keep them from mischief (a near impossible task Kei assured in an aside).  
  
"Most of the mending that needed to be done was on Kei's clothes. I'm not sure how she managed it, but if there was anything within five meters that she could catch her trousers, it happened." Xu reflected.  
  
"Just lucky I guess," Kei added without a hint of remorse. She fully realized how much trouble she caused other people and didn't regret it.  
  
"I feel sorry for your folks." It was the first thing Enju contributed since they started down the path. Admittedly, Quistis felt for their mothers as well. She had no trouble imagining Kei as a pint-sized terror.  
  
The building they entered opened up to a large hall. Many round tables spread out across the floor with a long table lining one side of the room. That table held a myriad of colorful dishes.  
  
"It's more of a potluck than a banquet," Enju observed.  
  
He was right. The room already had a lot of people in it and she doubted that they were the last to arrive. The tables were there for those who were seriously intent on eating since there weren't nearly enough of them for all the people. Groups stood around and talked while nibbling from food filled plates. This was most definitely a social event.  
  
"I should apologize for my father," Kei said. "The Anshin language only has a word for 'large social gathering with food'. There's no distinction made between a potluck, banquet, or even a large family getting together for dinner."  
  
Enju nodded his understanding as his scoped out the food table. He was probably going to use the same plan she was: just put random things on the plate and hope they tasted okay. Xu was helpful in pointing out things she thought Quistis might like. Kei was helpful to Enju by pointing out things that might kill him.  
  
"You're not taking any of the foods Kei warns you against?" Quistis whispered to him.  
  
"Kei might not like me, but I don't think she's about to kill me in front of her family members. In a case like this, I'm not about to ignore her warning. The red things in that dish," he pointed to a bowl that looked to be the mate of the one sitting next to it, "remind me of some hot peppers I had once. Trust me: that's not the way you want to experience a vision. The stuff in that bowl looks to be exactly the same thing except without the death peppers. I'd assume that one was safer."  
  
Ah, there was some method to his madness. Quistis took his advice and avoided anything that appeared to have the 'death peppers' in it.  
  
Xu followed Quistis in line. "Hmm, Quistis, you know how you would pat someone on the back to congratulate them?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Don't do it," Xu stated flatly. "Or, more precisely, don't do it *here*," she placed her hand between Quistis' shoulder blades on her back.  
  
"Wha-?" She was lost now.  
  
"This is a coming of age celebration. Kind of like the ball SeeD has to honor the graduates," Kei explained from her place in line behind Xu.  
  
Enju, who was ahead of Quistis, turned to address them, "So this is when you get your tattoos." He smiled knowingly before explaining to Quistis. "It hurts like hell. Your body is not thanking you for the procedure. If you were to pat them on the new tattoo they'd be less than pleased."  
  
"Wait, Kren and his friends were tattooed? And all Anshin have to pass this rite? That would mean..."  
  
"You're the only person in the room who isn't marked," Xu finished. "Children aren't allowed to join in tonight any more than cadets are in the SeeD balls."  
  
Quistis looked from Xu (who simply shrugged), to Enju (who was intently studying something on his plate), to Kei (who had crossed her arms and was scowling). "Even you, Kei?"  
  
"Make no mistake, I'm still pissed about it," Kei said in a huff.  
  
"But you will want to congratulate them," Xu continued. "Let me teach you a few phrases."  
  
While Xu coached Quistis, Kei and Enju wandered off to find an out of the way place to stand and eat. It wasn't long before an aged man approached them. Kei greeted him easily and introduced him as the head elder to Enju.  
  
If Kei didn't miss her guess, the elder was working the room to see if all was well with the clan. Such gatherings not only made the people feel more united; it was a quick way to collect the latest gossip.  
  
"It's surprising to see you two together," he commented thoughtfully after pleasantries were exchanged. The old man spoke standard with little accent.  
  
Enju arched an eyebrow, especially since he'd never met this man before. The elder gave a small smile before adding, "Your spirit shines brightly. The two of you are opposites. It would be expected to see you fighting, not enjoying an evening together."  
  
"Oh, we've gotten in our share of fighting," Kei amended. "But once we accepted our dislike of each other, our friendship began."  
  
"You only tolerated me after you kicked my ass," Enju grumbled good-naturedly. "I'm still biding my time before we have a rematch."  
  
The smile on the old man's face grew, increasing the number of wrinkles considerably. "So I see. Would you be willing to join me for tea before you leave?"  
  
Kei nodded. "We'd like that."  
  
Enju's other eyebrow arched questioningly. He knew that part of the reason he was brought along on this trip was so that he could speak with the elders. So far, he was unimpressed. Kei's father struck him as a flake and this leathery old man looked like he was going to keel over dead at any moment.  
  
Xu joined their group. Quistis had gone off to find Kren and congratulate him using her new vocabulary. Undoubtedly Kren would then drag her off for a while to meet people or see things. They didn't expect to see the youngest member of their party any time soon.  
  
The four of them chatted until Kei's father showed up. Both Kei and Enju's spines tightened as his pompous air stifled them. Xu was seemingly immune to the self-righteousness that irked her two companions and greeted her uncle kindly.  
  
"This truly is the work of the Spirits, especially since your timing is perfect," he commented.  
  
"How do you mean?" Xu asked politely.  
  
"The day after tomorrow more children will be challenging the rite of passage. Your presence will do much to set the hearts of their parents at ease; knowing that the Spirit of Protection is with us."  
  
"Is that so..?" Xu purred.  
  
Kei knew when her cousin was using her SeeD mask. Idiots! The whole lot of them! How could they even *think* of sending more children out after they'd just gotten five lost ones back? Kei's anger at her clansmen renewed for this act of foolishness.  
  
The head elder didn't so much as bat an eye as his colleague unknowingly angered the people he was speaking with. Kei's father left their group to go speak with some others. Kei was tempted to follow him and tear him a new ass hole.  
  
Coughing discreetly, the old man broke them from their disgruntled thoughts. "It is good to have you three here for such an important event and we're grateful for all you've done already. Please continue to do what you can to protect our children." He gave them all a measured look then shuffled away.  
  
Xu let her breath out slowly. "How in the hell can we protect them when we're not allowed to follow them around outside?" During the trial, no one except for farmers was let outside the walls unless it was an emergency. That was done to prevent any possible interference with the rite. The children had to survive on their own for three days without assistance.  
  
"Better yet, who's going to protect them from me?" Kei growled.  
  
Enju crossed his arms defiantly. "Let it go. They shouldn't ask us to protect them and then not let us *do* it."  
  
Kei rocked on the balls of her feet while Xu continued to fume. "You know," Kei drawled slowly, "Quistis is the right age for going out. Why not send her on the pretext that she wanted to challenge the rite?"  
  
Xu gave her a sharp look.  
  
Enju nodded his head slowly in agreement. "What's wrong with that? She's nearly a SeeD now. She's more than capable of fending for herself for a few days."  
  
"Quistis doesn't know the terrain, what plants are safe to eat, the monsters..!"  
  
Kei gave Xu a sideways glance. "Are you doubting her ability to accomplish something at fifteen that you did when you were thirteen?"  
  
Flustered, Xu looked away from her cousin. She didn't doubt Quistis' ability to handle the rite, but the Jelleyes! She swallowed down the lump in her throat that formed whenever she thought of the monsters that had so nearly claimed her life.  
  
"Think of it as a pre-field exam," Enju added, acting as the voice of reason.  
  
Xu pinched her nose between her thumb and forefinger. "Why are you two agreeing?"  
  
Both Kei and Enju took offense at that observation.  
  
"You agreed on beating the crap out of each other. And on trailing Quistis and Kren around Balamb -- don't think for a moment that I didn't know about that! Now you two agree on this. Why is it that whenever you two actually agree, it always winds up being something that agonizes me?"  
  
"Um... We love you, Xu?" Enju offered, giving her the most sincere smile he could manage.  
  
"Stop agreeing with me," Kei grumbled.  
  
It wasn't until an hour later that one of them caught up to Quistis long enough to speak with her. Kren had her all over the place and back again while showing her around. They wanted to have her approval before they approached the elders and offered her up as a candidate for the rite. She wasn't enthusiastically jumping at the opportunity, but she was agreeable.  
  
Xu approached the head elder about sending Quistis. She still had her reservations, but it was the best plan if they wanted to keep the children relatively safe.  
  
"Your companion has not come of age?" The old man asked.  
  
'Of course now he would be difficult!' Xu thought wryly. A child had to have an elder's permission before they were permitted to go out.  
  
"Quistis has no homeland to call her own. She was orphaned at a young age and the place of her birth has been under siege since before she was born. We've acted as her surrogate family and wish to see her tested." Well, that was somewhat true...  
  
"You know that we welcome all who would come to us," he nodded sagely. "She will gather with the other children tomorrow night to prepare for the rite."  
  
"Thank you, elder," Xu bowed politely to him and made her retreat. It was a good thing Kei and Enju held back. If either of them heard how much bullshit was being shoveled they would have gagged. But Xu had to wonder if the elder didn't suspect their true motives from the start.  
  
*****  
  
The next morning found Quistis being barraged by her three friends, not that it was a bad thing. She needed a solid briefing about what she'd volunteered for. Xu gave her a crash course in what plants were safe to eat and which should be avoided.  
  
Once she had a firm grasp of that, Kei piped up to tell her all about the monsters of the region. Fortunately, from how Kei described it, there was only one type Quistis was likely to meet unless she wandered kilometers away from the compound (not something that was encouraged). Jelleyes dominated this part of the Serengetti Plains. They relied heavily upon pure elemental magic (fire, ice, and thunder) for their attacks when provoked.  
  
If she wanted to do this right, she wouldn't kill any monsters; instead avoiding them. They wouldn't allow her to bring her rante along, but she would be provided with a knife (intended for preparing food) and could draw spells from whatever monsters she encountered.  
  
As Xu explained it, the Anshin saw Guardian Forces as Spirits who choose to travel with a human companion. If Quistis had any accompanying her, she wouldn't be forced to leave them behind. That came as a small relief. Should things turn nasty, she could call upon Shiva, Quetzalcoatl, or Ifrit to battle on her behalf.  
  
The objective that she needed to focus on wasn't protecting herself, but to keep an eye on her fellow 'children'. While she wasn't outright told to prevent another kidnapping if someone showed up to steal them away, it was made obliquely clear. All the children were to return this time around.  
  
"Now that Xu and Kei have scared you, let me remind you to have fun," Enju said from his spot leaned up against Xu's bedroom door. They would have had more space had they gathered at Kei's house, but they couldn't risk Kei's father discovering their intentions. Xu's father was gone and her mother was in her small workroom on the other side of the house. This was the most privacy they were likely to find.  
  
"Fun?" Quistis asked. This hardly seemed like the time for it.  
  
"Yes, fun. Quite honestly, this should be cake for you. Live it up. Explore a little. Study the monsters." He leaned over to give her a squeeze on the shoulder. "We are completely confident in your abilities."  
  
Xu and Kei were quick to add their assurances to his. "You shouldn't blow this off, but I doubt you'll be challenged," Kei said while giving Enju a pointed look.  
  
He shrugged nonchalantly in response.  
  
Truth be told, Quistis had been hoping to spend her time here interacting with the other Anshin. Maybe attend a few classes with Kren if they'd allow it. Instead she was being sent off on a 'mission' that meant the loss of three days she could better used to study these fascinating people.  
  
The fact that she was taking part in an important clan ritual wasn't lost on her, but it didn't have nearly the significance that it should. If she'd be raised in their tradition, she'd be excited and scared about the next few days. To her, this was nothing more than a pre-test to the 'rite' she would face when it was time to become a SeeD.  
  
Kren came around in the afternoon to meet up with her. There were many more things that he wanted to show her. Quistis was proud of herself for how much of what he said she was managing to follow. It was odd marriage of languages that they spoke, but it worked.  
  
He was surprised when she mentioned that she was going out tomorrow. He had assumed that she was an adult already because of how she presented herself. The advice he offered was along the same lines as what Xu said. He cut their tour short so that they would be back at Xu's house before dusk. That was when things began.  
  
Xu was sitting on the doorstep patiently waiting for them when they returned. Kren wished Quistis well and quickly dismissed himself. She frowned. He never seemed comfortable when Xu was around. She could understand discomfort around Kei, but not Xu.  
  
"What's on your mind?" Xu asked, noticing the puzzled concern that was written on her face.  
  
Quistis shook it off. "It seems like Kren's afraid of you..."  
  
Xu stood up from the step and brushed off her long skirt. "He is."  
  
"He is? Why?" She followed Xu into the house. Kei and Enju weren't around and neither were her parents.  
  
"Because..." her answer drifted off as she was at a loss for words. Abruptly she handed Quistis a backpack that was prepared for her. "You'll learn a lot tonight at the ceremony. Save your questions until afterwards."  
  
The frown on Quistis' face only deepened. Never before had Xu so decidedly put an end to her questioning. If Xu hedged around a topic she would give a half answer that satisfied the basic question, but didn't delve into specifics. The person who asked was expected to take the hint and stop pursuing the subject.  
  
Xu gave her shoulder a firm squeeze. "I'm not trying to put you off. Tonight is special. You'll hear many stories of Anshin history and mythology as part of the ceremony. It'd be wrong for me to spoil you before you had the chance to experience it first hand."  
  
"Kind of like ruining the end of a book, huh?" She agreed wryly. Just so long as Xu was willing to answer her questions afterwards, she would be content to wait a few more days.  
  
Her friend nodded at the analogy. Xu escorted her to the hall they had gathered in the previous night. An elder (Quistis assumed, judging by his robes) stood guard at the entrance. When he challenged them, Xu answered and presented Quistis. She tried to stand up a bit straighter and look confident. After consulting a handwritten list, he nodded once and permitted Quistis to enter but not Xu.  
  
There were a dozen candidates milling around the large room. Each of them had a backpack that matched her own either slung across their backs or close at hand. Xu had gone through the contents of the bag with her this morning. There was a cup, knife, twine, fire starter, compass -- the basic survival items. There was also a day's worth of rations and a water bottle. Their inclusion was a concession towards erring on the side of safety. They were expected to scavenge for food and water, but if worse came to worst, they could survive the three days with what they had and a bit of fasting.  
  
One more person entered after Quistis. Apparently this was the last person they were waiting for because an elder began calling for them to gather around him at one end of the room.  
  
A hand was placed on her shoulder as they drew near. Xu's father motioned for them to take a seat on a pair of floor cushions on the outskirts of the half circle the children formed. "I will translate the elder's words for you," he explained in a hushed voice.  
  
Every eye in the room was focused on the wrinkled old man who guided the Anshin. He smiled fondly at those surrounding him before speaking with a slow, measured tone. Xu's father began speaking shortly after he did. Obviously he's played the role of translator before.  
  
"Be welcome. What a joy it is to see your enthusiasm as you're gathered here. This is an exciting event -- a celebration of your heritage and your future. Tonight, we will discuss where you are from and what it means to be Anshin before you challenge your future."  
  
Quistis watched the old man intently, paying little attention to Xu's father as he spoke softly to her. In a way, the elder reminded her of the Headmaster. Both men became quite animated with passion when addressing those around them.  
  
The lights dimmed with only a few remaining to add a sense of ambiance. The elder motioned for them to draw closer to him as he made himself comfortable on his own cushion. Quistis didn't scoot too much closer; she didn't want to distract from what she was witnessing.  
  
After giving them all an appraising look, he shifted himself to be more comfortable. "Now comes the part I'm sure you all have been waiting for... Perhaps with a measure of dread from what your teacher tells me," he gestured to Xu's father. The children shuffled some at what their instructor may have told the elder about them.  
  
'He's a teacher? How fitting that Xu followed in his footsteps,' Quistis thought with bemusement. 'Even if she does teach a subject they don't agree with.'  
  
The elder told a story that couldn't be found in any history book. It was a tale from 4000 years ago when the planet was formed. She'd read that the Sorceresses claimed that the Great Hyne created mankind. The Great Hyne then gave them the power of the Sorceress. Exactly why they were singled out was a mystery to Quistis. The Anshin account didn't touch upon the Great Hyne or Sorceresses to either confirm or deny it.  
  
They did add quite a bit of background about *why* the world was created. To them, this was a dream -- a dream that offered insights to their soul. In the 'real world' they were resting from a great journey along the Path of Life. The elder didn't explain why they were on this journey to begin with since such profound things weren't of immediate concern. (In other words, he didn't know, in Quistis' opinion). Quistis wondered if there were other worlds beyond the Path and this dream. The prospect was a boggling one. She could only imagine the amount of exploring that could be done if that was the case.  
  
He allowed them the chance to ask questions once he was finished with the history lesson. Any number of things came to mind, but her thoughts were still on this afternoon.  
  
"What role does Xu play within the clan?" It might have been rude of her to ask such a blunt question, but she really wanted to know. Xu had been acting strange ever since they got here. At first, she'd written it off because Xu was home. The more Quistis interacted with the other Anshin, the more she suspected a greater depth had yet to be uncovered.  
  
"You ask about the Spirits? Yes, it is important that we discuss them," he scratched the back of his near-bald head. "There are Spirits that are native to this world and those who are native to the Path of Life. The Spirits represent a variety of things, be it an elemental force or the essence of an emotion. They can guide us, protect us, and fight for us. An example of a Guardian Spirit that lives on this plane is Alexander. He brings with him a holy judgment that none can defy.  
  
"We rarely see the Spirits of the Path of Life. They're around us, but don't incarnate themselves unless there is a dire reason. For them to do so, you can rest assured that something is threatening the very existence of this place.  
  
"To get back to your question, Xu is the incarnation of a Spirit from the Path. The Spirit of Protection, to be exact. She's done much for us already by returning our clansmen, but they aren't a compelling enough reason for her to incarnate. No, something else is on the horizon..." He let that thought trail off.  
  
For once, Quistis was without a follow up question. They believed that Xu, her former roommate and best friend, was a Guardian Force of sorts. She could understand why Xu didn't want to discuss it with her. Quistis would either think she's insane or ask to see her stone for summoning. But still, if Xu was a Spirit and Spirits were as benevolent as he made them out to be, why was Kren afraid?  
  
The elder carefully considered his answer to the voiced question as the other children's faces paled. Their expressions resembled those of her classmates when she'd ask questions of the Shumi that they wouldn't dare. Quistis had never considered herself to be an extremely bold person, but why shouldn't the question be asked if you don't know the answer?  
  
"As I said, the Spirits only come here if there is a pressing reason. As Travelers, it is our obligation to help them in any way we can. If a Spirit asks us for lodging, we give it to them. If they ask for assistance, we ask how many people they need. If they asked our lives, it would be theirs. We trust them to do whatever is necessary to protect this world. Even if it is a dream, it serves a very important role in our existence."  
  
Quistis was flabbergasted. They would put so much faith into a person and give them such power over their lives? Who decided such things? It struck her as a terrible position to be in -- obligated to carry out some greater purpose for the folks back home.  
  
"What do you think of Xu being a Spirit?" She whispered privately to Xu's father.  
  
"She will always be my little girl," he smiled fondly. "Xu set her own course not long after this trial. As long as she's happy with what she's doing, then I am as well."  
  
The elder caught her attention again. "The Spirits aren't the only guardians that you should be aware of. All of you should keep an eye out for the Tonberries."  
  
"Tonberry? What's that?" It wasn't a monster that was mentioned during her briefing. As far as she knew, Jelleyes were the only thing she needed to watch out for.  
  
"They're little green lizards that wear a cowl and have a thick, forked tail poking out the back. They often carry a lantern and a knife with them," another child explained. "It can be a good or bad omen if one approaches you. Good in that you're somehow special. Bad in that you'll likely have to go on a quest on its behalf."  
  
"They're not monsters?" Quistis tried to picture a green lizard wearing a cowl. Every image her mind came up with was increasingly absurd.  
  
"Nope! They're historians. Lore keepers. Story tellers. And much wiser than us humans," the girl continued.  
  
"Huh..." They sounded like librarians to Quistis. The idea of a short lizard trying to place a book on a high shelf was definitely ridiculous and quickly discarded. Where did her mind come up with this stuff?  
  
The elder cleared his throat to bring their attention back to him. "The Tonberries know of this trial. We know that in the past they've taken this opportunity to seek out those humans they wish to speak with. When you're out in the wilderness, don't be afraid if you should have a vision. This is meant to be a profound experience; a turning point in your lives."  
  
The people seated around her nodded sagely. Quistis was less than impressed. So far this sounded like a camping trip with a side of theology. A school related trip would have pointed out rock formations or plants to watch out for. Instead, they were being warned about Spirits and Tonberries. Quistis tried to keep an open mind about things, but this was a bit much without some evidence to support it.  
  
"We are all children in a way. What distinguishes adults from children are our responsibilities and how we learn our lessons. During the upcoming years you will still have school to attend, but many of the lessons you will be taught won't be in the classroom. The challenges of living day-to-day life offer countless opportunities for learning. Some of you may already know what you would like to do with your life; others are still exploring. The time between now and your second rite is meant for that journey. You will spend time assisting your clansmen in a variety of tasks. I hope that you all will absorb what they have to teach you."  
  
The old man met each of their eyes, including Quistis'. She didn't know what he hoped to find there. Her path was already chosen and she'd let nothing throw her off course. She would be a SeeD.  
  
They settled down to sleep not long afterwards. The elders said a prayer over them and then wished them a good night. When the morning came, they would be well rested and ready for the challenges ahead.  
  
*****  
  
The ground crunched under Quistis' shoes as she left the safety of the Anshin compound. The sun was just beginning its ascent from the east. She couldn't see any monsters in the immediate area, but one would expect them to keep away from a well-established human habitat. Adjusting the weight of her pack, she set out.  
  
There were some restrictions on where they could and could not go. They couldn't be within a kilometer of the compound or its farmland. They were also warned against wandering into the lone forest that stood off in the distance or going to the Centra crater. There was plenty of room for them to spread out as they were supposed to. Quistis took note of which ways the others were headed. Hopefully none would stray *too* far away because if they did, her rounds for checking on them all that more difficult.  
  
Seemingly at random she chose a direction to wander off in. It was odd, the 'feel' she got now that she wasn't within the compound. She didn't think that those protective walls had such a psychological effect on her. She didn't feel frightened to be out in the open, but the sense of inner peace that she had was no longer with her.  
  
She spotted a pair of Jelleyes in the distance. As stealthily as possible she approached their position. This would be her first chance to study one in the flesh. Maybe she could learn a few tricks from them that she could use in her Limit.  
  
The monsters moved down into a ravine. Quistis approached the edge before lowering herself down to the ground. Silently she inched herself to the ledge to observe the monsters. Their coloring was pretty, but that didn't make up for the fact that they were gruesome looking. In the center of their floating bodies was a row of three eyes along their torso. They had great fans of flesh extending below the bottom eye and around the upper two and a pair of tentacles swayed behind them. Such a mutated creature repulsed her natural sense of aesthetics.  
  
Quistis studied them intently while never forgetting that she was in a dangerous region. Another monster could stumble across her while she was down and make life difficult if she wasn't on her guard.  
  
Eventually they moved along and Quistis withdrew from her perch. There wasn't much she could learn from them. According to Kei, the most useful thing they had to offer was the magic that could be drawn from them. Perhaps if she found herself toeing off against one she'd draw as much as possible before summoning one of her GFs to finish it.  
  
Quistis continued her exploring, taking note of the terrain around her. She encountered a stream that would be a good source of fresh water. A half-kilometer away from that she found some of the tubers Xu suggested. Quistis pulled out her knife and used it to dig up the root and then packed both of them away for when she decided to settle down to eat. It wouldn't be a bad idea to return to this area as a home base. There was a small tree back by the stream that she could camp under.  
  
Satisfied with her plan, she continued to check up on the other children. Quistis didn't need to go up and see if they were okay. If she could see them from the distance and establish that they were still moving, then everything was fine.  
  
She'd tracked down eight of them by the time the sun was prepared to set in the west. That was her cue to get back to the stream and settle down for the evening. Daylight held out long enough for her to get comfortably settled. She built a small fire and placed her tuber to cook in the hot coals.  
  
The sunset blazed with more intensity than the fire she sat by. It was a wondrous event to watch. All too often the day slipped by without her taking notice of such displays of nature.  
  
When she began to grow tired, she cleared a flat part of ground of any rocks or weeds that might poke her. She then washed her face in the stream and got her pack propped up to act as a headrest. A lightweight sleeping bag had been attached to the bottom of the pack. She rolled it out across the clearing she had made.  
  
Some of the children took a pop tent with them, but Quistis elected to leave it behind because she wanted to sleep under the stars. Some might argue that being out in the open would make her a more likely victim of the monsters, but if the monster was that intent on attacking she doubted that the thin nylon of a tent would dissuade them.  
  
The night was clear and the moon a bright one. Quistis studied the stars above as her mind lazily identified constellations. She used to watch the stars when she was younger and still lived at Matron's orphanage. She would have never thought that she would have the opportunity to watch the stars of a Centra night after she left, but here she was.  
  
Matron had been interested in the stars as well. She told them stories about the powers the stars held and the dangers of the moon. Quistis shivered even though the night's air wasn't chilly. The moon was a frightening thing. It was the source of many of the monsters that roamed this planet. Those monsters were directly responsible for the destruction of the land she currently rested on. Before the Lunar Cry all of Centra was fertile and hospitable, not just a few regions like the Cape of Good Hope.  
  
Quistis had to give the Anshin credit for doing as well as they have. This land wasn't easy to coax life from. She still wondered about their success. There had to be some secret behind the thriving crops she saw when they arrived. Such a defiance of nature didn't come without a price.  
  
Sleep came to Quistis like a thief, quietly stealing away her consciousness.  
  
She woke up in her dorm room in Balamb Garden. What on earth was she doing here? She swung her legs over the side of her bed to find that she was already dressed for the day, shoes and all. Since she was obviously ready to go out, she opened up the door left.  
  
The first thing she noticed was how quiet the dorms were. They were never this quiet except at the dead of night. She went to Enju's room and knocked on the door. He didn't answer. Carefully she pushed the door open. On the desk his math textbook was opened and a half glass of juice sat besides it. Had she just missed him?  
  
Quistis left his room to explore the rest of the Garden. The Cafeteria had chairs pulled out as though people had been sitting there and had just vanished. That thought was furthered by the fact that trays of still hot food were on the tables half-eaten.  
  
She wandered around the Garden, unable to find another person. It was like they were all playing a grand joke on her and leaving right before she arrived. The classrooms had notepads, bags and books all around the desks. The Quad had some scattered bags, books and sports equipment. This wasn't funny!  
  
Walking down a hallway a cool wind blew through. She placed a hand on the back of her neck, feeling the fine hairs prick up in protest. This wasn't natural. There shouldn't be any sort of breeze produced by the climate control systems. The hairs on her neck remained erect when she heard the faint echoes of voices. When the breeze receded, the voices did too. And when it returned, there was a whisper carried along in its wake.  
  
Quistis couldn't quite make out what was being said. It was a jumble of many conversations merged together. She could hear whispers, fragmented words, and laughter. It was as if the cadets were still there even though all physical evidence pointed to the contrary.  
  
Abruptly the lights went out except for a row of safety lights along the corridor she was in. They flared to life then raced down the hall in a pattern that invited one to follow in that direction. Hesitantly Quistis followed the lights. As she walked it became clear that only the chosen corridor was lit. Looking down intersecting hallways proved them to be dark and empty. The voices of the cadets started to get louder, rowdier.  
  
Soon she found herself standing in front of the doors to the training facilities. As with the other rooms, the training room was full of scattered equipment lying around without any owners. If Xu ever saw the room in this condition, she'd be fit to be tied. Quistis reluctantly stared at the first gate that led into the Training Center. With resolve she pushed herself onward through the first security gate and onto the second.  
  
Her mouth fell agape at what she discovered beyond the second gate. The ground was dried up, mud flats dull and broken apart like armour plates long left to disuse. A dying and fragile cobblestone world, where it seemed a single footstep could not only crush the ground, but all of a dreamer's hopes.  
  
A black sun reigned high overhead, darkness spread across the heavens. Veins of sunlight and fire streaked between the clouds, which moved like time had been accelerated and she had been left as she was.  
  
Looking down at herself, she discovered that she was no longer wearing her cadet uniform. She'd regressed to the size of a small child. She was wearing a sundress and walking around without shoes or socks. How large the world was when one was child-sized again!  
  
Quistis knelt down, watching intently as she cracked apart the dry mud between the toes her bare feet.  
  
Suddenly the valley came alive with a low rumble. The rumble grew to cause the hardened mud to quiver. Fragments of rock rattled around at Quistis' feet. Her eyes widened and she found herself taking a step back as she saw a series of shimmering lights slowly, relentlessly approach. The distant rumble grew into a roar.  
  
The roar of approaching floodwaters. A scream of terror caught in her throat. There was no chance of escaping the onslaught of water, even if she tried to run. If this was going to be the end for her, then she would meet it on her feet and looking it straight in the eyes.  
  
Quistis held her ground.  
  
The tides smashed into her body.  
  
She was giddy from the ecstasy of adrenaline. Salt touched her lips, coarse and unrefined. Ocean water swept through the mud flats, drenching and submerging everything in a flood of the sea.  
  
Quistis' feet were pushed back by the crashing waves, her body stumbling through the pounding surf like a drunken man reeling from one taste too many of scotch. And she still dared to defy the flood.  
  
A wave smashed into her chest and she pinwheeled backwards. Her feet caught the thick paste that had once been dried mud, and found a hold. She rose up; water droplets of ocean falling down her face, bangs of hair clung to her forehead, eyes wide in possession and obsession.  
  
"Is that the best you can do?!" she shouted, raising her arms to the skies. "I won't give up that easily!"  
  
Another surge, furious and drowning, smashed into her body and smothered her in the warmth of the ocean's wet heartbeat. She felt weightless, dizzy, every part of her body burning despite the waters.  
  
She pushed against the tides, fighting them and inevitably falling to their force. Collapsed in a heap of soaked clothes and water onto the floor. A loud splash was Quistis' escort, droplets of salt water lingering on her lips as they splashed against her surroundings. A shaking hand was raised in the air, her body suddenly chilled. Quistis could feel the lunatic smile on her face as she stared at her palm, at the water flowing down her skin and dripping onto the ground.  
  
"What is happening to me?" she gasped between heavy breaths. Was she going insane? Was this just a horrifyingly graphic nightmare, or was this really happening? Maybe it was the food or lack thereof?  
  
Off in the distance, inexplicably so, a woman sat on a rock outcropping and watched her. The woman did nothing to hide her nudity. The harp that rested on her knee did precious little to block a person's wandering eyes.  
  
Quistis straightened herself out, once again full grown and not the size of a child. She was dressed in her cadet uniform. The woman with the harp stroked her fingers across its strings and Quistis woke up with a start.  
  
Her mind futilely tried to cling to the wisps of her dream, but it was gone completely by the time she collected her wits about her. With a childish sense of fear she scooted over to the banked fire and coaxed it back to life. The dream left her feeling oddly satisfied. Almost as if she had passed some sort of test in which the results were anything but certain.  
  
It was early enough in the evening that it was in her best interests to attempt to sleep again. When she did, she slept solidly for the rest of the night.  
  
A bird chirping in the tree she slept by greeted her along with the rising sun. If there was a bird nearby, then it was a safe bet that the monsters weren't. Even still, she was careful to not move until she was reasonably sure of the safety of her immediate surroundings.  
  
Quistis stretched out before getting ready for the day. As she was re-packing her things she found something that wasn't part of the standard issue pack in one of the side pockets: a crossword puzzle book and an ink pen. The discovery brought a smile to Quistis' face. Obviously Kei didn't want Quistis to have nothing to do if she should become bored while out here.  
  
The first order for the day would be to find the four children that she wasn't able to locate yesterday. Once they were accounted for she would go back and check up on the ones she had caught up with once already.  
  
Quistis tried to create as little of a disturbance as possible as she moved through the dry brush that scraped against the leggings she wore. She wished that she'd had the foresight to bring heavier boots with her, preferably ones that went up to the mid-calf. There was no telling what kind of critter she might kick up by accident while walking around in their habitat. If a snake came after her, that's where it was likely to strike.  
  
By the time the sun was blazing high above she had located most of the other children. None of them were in any sort of peril that she could see. Quistis considered what to do with herself for the rest of the day. She could keep moving from person to person to spy on them, but that wasn't very interesting. Nor were the monsters. Fortunately, she'd spotted precious few and had skillfully skirted around them. Maybe after the trial was over she could come back out and challenge the Jelleyes to a few rounds, but this wasn't the time for battling.  
  
She made her way back to her little clearing and settled in to kill some time. The sounds of the stream flowing close by reminded her of Balamb's many fountains. It made her heart ache with longing to return to the place she called home.  
  
Her time away from everyone else gave her plenty of opportunity to think things through. She was close to graduation. The only thing holding her back was the final exams. The exams... Those made her nervous. She kept thinking back to when Xu took her exams. She was so calm and confident then. Of course, Xu was a self-confident sort of person. She rarely gave in to the sort of doubts that seemed to haunt Quistis when she could least afford it.  
  
Like when she was trying to learn her Limit. What a trial that had been! And the worst part of it all was the anguish Quistis put herself through. There wasn't any reason for her to suffer as she did. But the doubts were like demons that wouldn't let her live in peace. She wondered if the day would ever come when she wouldn't be held back by her own shortcomings.  
  
Quistis made another round of the children before calling it a day. All was well with them, and all was well with her plain dinner and getting a good night's rest. She could make her way back tomorrow. This trial seemed almost too easy for her liking, but she shouldn't invite trouble.  
  
Settling down for bed she once again watched the stars above and wondered what it would be like to touch them. The model that the Anshin created with the Path of Life lent itself well to the idea of there being other worlds. 'If one were to walk the Path, could they detour off it to visit one of the worlds up there?' she wondered. What an adventure that would be!  
  
Her mind fancied that thought as sleep overcame her.  
  
There was a noise. Quistis slitted her eyes open, her every sense piqued by the fear that a monster was nearby. What she saw was astonishing. A small, chubby lizard that was the better part of a half-meter tall leaned over her face. Its bright yellow, pupil-less eyes were focused on her. The creature -- 'A Tonberry?' her mind jumped to conclusions -- extended a fingerless forearm and began to pat her softly on the forehead. It gently brushed her bangs back and continued to study her. Once it was satisfied with what it saw, it picked up a nearby lantern that was on the ground and waddled away.  
  
Quistis woke with a start and sat up, only to discover that she'd been sleeping leaned against the foot of the largest creature she'd seen in her life. A giant -- countless meters tall giant -- Tonberry made a gurgling noise as she scrambled away from it screaming. The king of the Tonberries, for that's what she would have called it considering the crown that floated above its head, angled down to regard her. Her eyes grew to the size of saucers and she let out another blood curling scream.  
  
Quistis woke with a start and sat up. Shaking hands raked her fingers through her roguish hair. What sort of nightmare was that? She stood up, having decided that walking around for a bit would help to burn the adrenaline that was coursing through her veins. The moon was as bright overhead as it was the night before. Her mouth went dry as she watched something approach her from the distance.  
  
As the creature drew closer Quistis was able to make out more details. It was definitely a human. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a white tee shirt. On his head sat a dark fedora. Quistis' heart leapt into her throat as she recognized the man as Sean. He didn't see her judging by how he was acting. He also didn't see the fearsome monster that was coming up behind him. Quistis yelled for him to watch out, panic took over for rationalizing what she was witnessing.  
  
Sean's head snapped around and she knew that he saw her. In agonizing slow motion his legs picked up and he started running towards her, the monster in hot pursuit. Just as suddenly as the monster appeared, Sean vanished. The monster, however, did not. Quistis backpedaled to escape the phantom.  
  
Another man dressed in dark robes that had numerous buckles appeared between them with a large scythe at the ready. The monster bore down on him. With admirable skill the man was able to keep the monster at bay, but not beat it back. Quistis watched them battle with muted awe. It was as though she was watching a movie -- this wasn't part of her reality.  
  
But a whisper in her mind insisted that it was...  
  
She cowered back, knowing that the man wouldn't be able to keep the monster contained indefinitely. He shoved it back with a grunt and quickly made a motion. Due to the speed with which he'd done it, Quistis at first thought he had cast a quick spell, but he'd actually summoned a Guardian Force. The Guardian he called caused her already weakened knees to give out on her and drop her to the ground.  
  
Xu materialized between the man and the monster. She was wearing something like the elaborate style of dress they wore when they first arrived. Xu was always a graceful fighter, but she was exceptionally so this time. Her body arched and spun in an effortless dance as she destroyed the monster. Quistis found herself mesmerized by how pretty she was like this. Once Xu was finished, she turned around and saluted the man in the manner Quistis was so used to seeing from her friend -- her sai crossed and her head bowed. Then she disappeared.  
  
The man turned around and saw her seated in the dirt. He reached a hand out to help her up. Quistis accepted his help and then noticed how very much he looked like an older, wiser, version of Enju.  
  
"You don't belong here yet," he murmured softly, running his hand gently down her cheek. He put his hand over her eyes, closing them as he did so. When she opened them again she found herself standing on a high hill overlooking Balamb Bay. Xu was there beside her. She was wearing one of her favorite leisurely dresses and looked nothing like the destructive force Quistis had so recently witnessed.  
  
"What do you think of your new students?" Xu pointed down the hill, where three people were lounging on the grass. One of them was that ruffian Seifer. With him were two other students she'd seen around but didn't know personally. Fujin and Raijin if she recalled their names correctly.  
  
Xu turned her attention to the sky above and put her arm up to shade her eyes from the sun. The older woman glanced back at Quistis and smiled, pleased with the state of things. Xu then wished her well before heading down the side of the hill opposite of where the three cadets were lounging. A moment later she vanished.  
  
Quistis woke up with a start and sat up. This time... This time she was sure that she was awake. Quickly she scrambled over to the dying fire and built it back up again. There was no way she'd let herself go back to sleep tonight, not if these were the types of dreams that would be waiting for her.  
  
Desperately she tried to cling to the images, but they slipped away like sand through a person's fingers. Maybe, maybe it was lack of food or exhaustion that was causing her to have these dreams. She hoped that they would cease once she returned to the Anshin compound. If they didn't stop after she returned to Balamb, she would consult Doctor Kadowaki.  
  
*****  
  
It was a mellow night in the home shared by Xu's parents. As it was every night for as long as she could remember, Xu reflected. Her parents settled down in the living room after dinner and did quiet tasks until it was time for bed. During the evening was when Xu's mother liked to do her needlework. While she did that, Xu's father would sit at a small desk and prepare for school the next day (grading papers, prepping lessons, and whatnot). When Xu was a child she would make herself comfortable on the floor and play. Once she was older, her playtime turned into homework.  
  
As she stood in the doorway of the living room she fought off the urge to return to her spot on the floor and sit. She was an adult. She should act like one by sitting on the furniture. Without apparent notice she sat next to her mother on the couch.  
  
And sat.  
  
"Um..."  
  
Her mother glanced up from her work to regard her daughter with a questioning look.  
  
Xu flushed. There was something she wanted to say, but now that she had both of her parents cornered it was difficult to get the words out. "I'm sorry."  
  
"For what?" Her mother asked gently, setting aside her current project.  
  
Xu brushed her hair back so that her mother could see her ear. "For this. For not being here."  
  
Her father turned away from the papers he was grading. "Have you done something wrong?"  
  
Xu paused to think about his question before answering. "I don't think so, but I still feel as though I owe you an apology. I left you behind to follow my own path."  
  
"As you ought," he said firmly. "More than anything we want you to be happy. What makes you happy couldn't be found here, we understand. The stories you tell us about the places you've been and the people you've met reassure us that you made the right choice in leaving."  
  
Xu closed her eyes and took a deep breath while she absorbed the wisdom of his words.  
  
"If it wasn't for your wandering you wouldn't have met your young friend Kwis, nor would you have met Sean," her mother pointed out. "His leaving may bring sorrow, but I doubt you regret knowing him while he was on this plane."  
  
"I don't regret it," Xu agreed without hesitation. "But it's well within your rights to call me back here to marry. Aren't you disappointed that I haven't started a family?"  
  
Her father shook his head slowly. "Would having a family right now make you happy? Your life isn't about what we want. It's about what *you* want. I've never asked you to return for that reason; because I know that you would come."  
  
Xu felt her cheeks become hot. What he said was true. If she was called back, she would come. It would disappoint her greatly if some compromise couldn't be reached between her obligations to her clan and husband, and her life as a SeeD. She didn't want to think about the consequences if she was forced to choose between her commitments. She bowed her head slightly. Her father was sparing her a great deal of anguish by not enforcing tradition.  
  
"You're a good child," Xu's mother patted her hand, "but please don't worry about us."  
  
She ran her hand through Xu's hair, smiling fondly at her, then paused to study her profile. "Between your tall friend and the traditions of out there you'll keep me challenged for the next few days."  
  
"Mother..." Xu leaned over and embraced her mother in a fierce hug. She was lucky to have such understanding parents, especially when rigid tradition could easily stand between them. Kei's difficulties with her father were a prime example of how things could go wrong. She pitied her cousin because Kei didn't have the open dialogue with her parents that Xu enjoyed. Yes, Xu was very fortunate for what she had.  
  
"Why don't you go find your friends? I'm sure they would be more exciting than a pair of old folks," her father smiled slightly at the self-depreciation.  
  
Xu nodded. That was her father's way of getting her out of the house when he wanted to speak with her mother without Xu around. She squeezed her mother once more before standing up and going over to give her father a peck on the cheek. Not another word was said until she closed the front door behind herself.  
  
"She's grown into a lovely woman," her mother commented thoughtfully. She brought her needlework back onto her lap before continuing. "So your answer to her suitors is final?"  
  
He snorted. "They're fools to seek out the hand of a woman they hardly know. Enough chains hold her back without binding her with more. And I worry..."  
  
"She'll be fine. I have faith." She stabbed the needle through the cloth and bobbed it back up again with practiced ease.  
  
"It's the prerogative of a father to worry."  
  
His wife smiled without turning her attention away from her work. "And you fill the role nicely."  
  
He didn't respond since a comment wasn't necessary. There was no denying his protective nature of his very independent daughter. Letting his concern go he returned to the papers that needed to be graded for tomorrow's class.  
  
  
  
With only the moon above lighting the way Kei meandered towards the old well. Enju had disappeared shortly after dinner and she had a feeling that she would find him there. Her hunch proved correct when she spotted a dark silhouette sitting on the edge of the well looking at the sky above. She said nothing as she settled herself in next to him.  
  
"I can see why you don't like it here," he commented finally. "My nerves feel like they're being dragged across Talasu's practice mats. I can't put my finger on it, but that's how I feel."  
  
"It makes sense. The elders insist that the layout of the compound must in harmony with the flow of the land. Father says that it brings peace and makes us stronger spiritually," she shrugged to indicate how much faith she put into that logic.  
  
"Maybe it does. This place makes my skin crawl."  
  
"There's no reason a remorseless killer should feel comfortable when surrounded by extreme pacifists," Kei reasoned.  
  
Enju didn't answer. Instead he looked down at the metal plates of the kote he wore. The moon was bright enough that it caused the armor to reflect in the moonlight. He undid the straps and pulled off the kote, leaving his skin (and identity) exposed for anyone to see. Kei didn't comment when he set the kote on the ground near his feet.  
  
It felt good to strip them off, but not so much physically as psychologically. He was far enough off the beaten path that he could allow himself a night of relaxed paranoia. His skin shimmered under the moonlight, creating an effect that could almost be called pretty.  
  
Another shadow separated itself from its surroundings and the gravel crunched beneath its feet as it drew near. "I saw you glowing," Xu motioned to Enju.  
  
He nodded silently. Xu sat down on the well's edge next to Kei.  
  
Enju obviously wasn't in the mood to talk, so Kei turned her attention to her cousin. "How'd it go with your parents?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Xu asked cautiously.  
  
"You were going to have some sort of deep conversation with them, weren't you?"  
  
Xu shuffled uncomfortably before settling down again. "Yes, we spoke. I wanted to apologize to them, but Father wouldn't hear it and Mother was her usual accepting self."  
  
"What did you have to apologize for?" Enju asked without showing much genuine interest in their conversation. His voice was distant and hollow.  
  
"For not living up to their expectations. I doubt very much that when I was born they were expecting a daughter who broke clan precepts at every turn. As far as Anshin society goes, I haven't treated them very well. I haven't fulfilled my role as a daughter." Xu took a deep breath of the crisp night air and let it out slowly. She didn't want to wrong the ones she loved. Despite their assurances, she felt guilty for putting her own desires first.  
  
Kei's response was to quickly stomp out the lingering doubts in Xu's mind. The fact was, her parents *did* understand and they *did* approve of what Xu was doing with her life. If that wasn't an invitation to keep going as she had been, Kei didn't know what one was.  
  
When Kei turned to Enju for his help in reassuring Xu, she was taken aback by what he said.  
  
"Stop being such a coward," he said softly. Xu took hold of Kei's arm to keep her from slamming her fist into Enju. Without regard to the fury sitting next to him, Enju angled himself to address Xu. "You're weak for running away from the love your parents offer. 'They'll be disappointed with you'?" He laughed at the fear. "What a lame excuse. There isn't a parent in their right mind that wouldn't be proud of your accomplishments. So stop masquerading your lack of self-esteem. Some of us orphans have a real problem with this."  
  
Xu let go of her grip on Kei. "I- I'm sorry," she whispered. It was foolish of her to doubt the support of her parents -- that was an absolute. She'd never considered how orphans like Enju and Quistis might have felt.  
  
"Don't be sorry, be the leader we look up to," Enju smirked. He leaned behind Kei to give her a squeeze on the shoulder. Despite being obscured by the darkness, Enju could see the grateful look she gave him.  
  
"Speaking of leading the way," Kei drawled once Enju returned to his original position, "Father asked for you to meet with the elders for your interview after breakfast tomorrow. They'll send a page for Xu and me when they're ready for us."  
  
That got him smirking, though it seemed only half-hearted. Kei could see that the Anshin camp was really getting to him. "Interview? You make it sound like I'm applying for a job as a Spirit," Enju mocked lightly.  
  
"In a way, you are," Xu commented thoughtfully. "They're going to ask you *a lot* of questions."  
  
Kei bobbed her in agreement. "And whatever you do, don't fall asleep."  
  
"Okay..." Most people didn't fall asleep in the middle of a conversation to begin with since it was considered rude in most parts of the world.  
  
Kei grunted. "They have a habit of dragging you off and tattooing you while you sleep."  
  
"Ah... Point taken."  
  
"I wasn't asleep," Xu chimed in.  
  
"You were a willing victim," Kei countered. "I'm warning you, Enju, keep your eyes on them."  
  
At the very least, Enju thought to himself, if they did try something like that they'd quickly find that all the prime spots to tattoo his body were already taken.  
  
Across the way from them, a curtain parted in the window of the house of the old woman who never liked Kei. The woman peered at them accusingly before the curtain shut again. A moment later the door opened and she stood on the front step with a robe tightly pulled around her.  
  
"Shouldn't you kids be in bed? You're keeping me awake with all your chatter!" She complained bitterly.  
  
Kei leaned over and picked up a small rock from the ground before chucking it in her general direction. It hit the side of her house with a sharp crack. "Shut up you old bag!" Kei yelled back. "Stop eavesdropping on our conversation!"  
  
"Kei, be nice," Xu hissed in a whisper.  
  
"Oh! I'll speak with the elders in the morning. Just you wait, you ill-mannered child!" She stomped her slippered foot on the step with indignation.  
  
"When are you going to wither up and die?!" Kei chucked another rock at her, this one hit a lot closer to the door. The woman shook her fist at them before going inside and slamming the door behind her.  
  
Xu sighed heavily. "That's not how you be nice."  
  
"You just way have a magical way with people, don't you?" Enju said dryly. He didn't understand a word of their argument, but the thrown rocks and body language spoke volumes.  
  
"She's given me grief since I was a child." Kei pushed herself up to her feet. "We've got a big day tomorrow. We should probably get some sleep."  
  
"Heh," Enju stood up. "Feeling guilty after nearly pegging the old lady?"  
  
Kei offered her hand to Xu and pulled her to her feet. "Hardly. I'll return in the morning to create more havoc."  
  
It was a promise Kei fulfilled after breakfast where she could be found in the courtyard with Mikel. Not far away Xu was helping a pair of Kei's younger siblings fly a kite. The old woman glared at them through her curtained windows, but didn't repeat the mistake of leaving her house while Kei was around.  
  
At about the same time Enju was in a room thick with the smell of incense. He hadn't been there for more than an hour and his legs were already becoming stiff from sitting uncomfortably on the floor. The five elders seated across from him asked countless questions ranging from the insignificant to the profound. To what end, he wasn't certain yet, but he'd find out soon enough.  
  
As abruptly as the questioning began, it stopped when they called a recess. An acolyte brought him something to eat after the elders retreated from the room. Enju stretched out and began to pace the length of the room to renew the circulation in his legs. A few choice kicks that could be made in this enclosed location also helped drive away the sluggishness of his reflexes.  
  
After a short time that seemed to take forever the elders returned to their original spots. The door behind Enju opened and Kei and Xu came into the room. Both women were dressed in the clothing of their upbringing. Xu bowed politely towards the five aged men before sitting on a cushion to Enju's left. Kei didn't bother with pleasantries and plopped down to his right.  
  
"You're not wearing your kote?" Xu whispered to him while everyone was getting settled.  
  
He shrugged. "They asked me to remove them when I entered. I assumed you wanted me to co-operate with them." He gave her an impish grin.  
  
The head elder, who was seated in the center, bowed to all three of them before speaking in standard. "It is an honor to be in the service of the Spirits. We have done all we can to help advise and guide you on this plane."  
  
He came forward and knelt down before Xu. He took her hands up into his own and kissed the backs of them softly before speaking to her. "You have already done much for our clan to protect its members, but you have a greater calling than this. You must help protect the world from an evil that none of us can see or hear. I'm sorry that I can't tell you more than that. Know that even though you walk blindly at times, your feet will remain true to the path of your destiny."  
  
He moved passed Enju to kneel before Kei. He did not take up her hands, but he did bow low to her before speaking. "By the very nature of its being the world is a chaotic element. You seek to bring stability to the world around you and to assure that justice will always prevail. The tasks before you are daunting ones -- especially in the upcoming years -- but you have the strength of spirit to accomplish your ends. Please be strong, even when you are weak."  
  
Finally he positioned himself before Enju. He made no gesture of greeting or respect as he had with the other two. "I have little advice to give to the Spirit of Silence except to say that your task is done. I would urge you strongly to move along before the ill fortune that lingers in your shadow haunts those whom you care for and love."  
  
Alarmed expressions were mirrored on Xu and Kei's face. This was the last thing they had expected the elder to say to Enju. The only indicator of Enju's thoughts was the clinching and unclenching of his fist.  
  
"I thought you treated all your Spirits like they were revered beings," he said in a dangerously low voice. His eyes narrowed as he tilted his head to stare at the elder. "What makes me the exception?"  
  
The old man rubbed his chin thoughtfully before answering. "You are the Spirit of Silence. As such, you represent the calm before the storm. You assure that the stage is set on the dawn of battle. That is the meaning of your existence. You've completed your task on this plane. The pieces are in place. If you were to return to the Path tonight, you can do so assured that you've accomplished what was needed of you."  
  
"And what the fuck does that mean?!" Kei demanded, slamming the palm of her hand on the floor. "Are you saying that Enju could die and it wouldn't matter?" For as much as she and Enju disliked each other, the elder's statement was insensitive and crass. She'd call them on it regardless of who they insulted.  
  
"It wouldn't matter now since the Spirit has completed his mission on this plane," the elder agreed without hesitation. "If Silence allowed himself to dream, then something wasn't prepared for the upcoming battle. Now, the stage is set and the pieces are positioned as they ought to be.  
  
"I thank you for all your efforts, Spirit, but I urge you to leave Balamb Garden. Death has always followed in your wake. It is the nature of your being. Your hard work may become undone if you don't."  
  
Enju lowered his head. His chest visibly rose and fell with the deep breaths he was taking. Xu reached over to put her hand on his, but he slapped her palm away without even glancing in her direction. Slowly he got to his feet, and Xu caught a glimpse of the look in his eyes. She held her breath in realizing that the glimmer of Death's Angel was creeping back in.  
  
"What makes you so high and mighty that you can dictate my future?" he growled at the elder. His voice might have been tempered, sounding rational, but Xu could hear in his tone that his resistance to kill was slipping. "On what authority do tell me that I should welcome death, now that I've found reason to live?"  
  
He stepped closer, so that he was dangerously close to the elder. "Where I come from it's not wise to insult a man who can make the sky rain blood. What fucking thing told you this?"  
  
"Your threats mean nothing to me," the elder said, easily meeting Enju's frightening gaze. "What must be, must happen. That is the way of the Spirit of Silence."  
  
That answer didn't appease Enju in the slightest. His lips curled back, his anger barely contained. Xu could suddenly feel Diablos rising to the occasion. In the back of her mind she felt Carbuncle wake with a start and give a worried bark. No doubt Alexander was reacting to the fact that the room felt saturated with Diablos' dark presence.  
  
Xu wondered if he was holding back because she and Kei were in the room. Did that mean the elders knew this might happen, and used them as buffers to keep Enju from exploding? Damn them for using her, for using all of them like this!  
  
Enju slowly got to his feet and closed the distance between himself and the elder. Somehow the elder didn't show any signs of fear. Was he that confident that Enju wouldn't kill him, or was he that naive about the ways of an assassin?  
  
"Balamb is my home," Enju whispered into the elder's ear, though his voice was loud enough to be heard be everyone else. His words came out in a borderline snarl. "I'm not going to abandon my family because some old geezers say I should. Anyone who wishes to challenge that is welcome to try. Yourself included."  
  
Enju let out a final growl and moved towards the door. When the acolyte tried to prevent him from leaving, Enju's hand wrapped around his throat. The boy made frightened choking noises as Enju hoisted him off the ground by the neck.  
  
Enju's eyes were wide, and his body was shaking as he held the boy there in the air. He looked as if some shred of humanity was fighting every other instinct in him to snap the boy's neck. A part of him could kill this boy and never feel sorry; slaughter all the villagers here before the first drop of Anshin blood hit the ground, and never look back.  
  
But then he saw Quistis out there taking her test. She would come back and see the demon of death that he knew he could be. Quistis would be lost to him forever if he did that. The near maniacal expression on his face faded after a few tense moments, replaced by something less sadistic but perhaps even darker.  
  
With an enraged shout, Enju released the boy's neck--but before the acolyte collapsed onto the ground, Enju grabbed hold of the boy's tunic and flung him across the room. The boy tumbled onto the floor in a stunned and frightened heap.  
  
His gaze swept across the ranks of gathered elders, and his eyes narrowed all the more. "Here's what I think of your fortune-telling."  
  
Without saying another word he gave Diablos some room to move, letting the GF's power smash open the door, breaking it off its hinges. Enju stood calmly, staring at his audience as the door behind him exploded outward, crashing onto the gravel path.  
  
Nothing more was said.  
  
Enju turned away and stalked out of the room, his hands now clenching and relaxing, just waiting for the chance to hold any sort of weapon. Diablos' tangible presence lingered a few moments longer, then departed also.  
  
Xu stood up to go after him, but Kei caught her wrist and held her back. "Let him be."  
  
"Kei..!" Xu motioned towards the door. Enju was hardly in a state to be left alone.  
  
"He has death in his eyes," Kei hissed.  
  
"That's why I have to follow him. To protect the clan from him and him from himself!" Xu wrenched her wrist free and set off after Enju through the broken doorway.  
  
Kei shook her head and then knelt down next to the injured acolyte. "You should have known better than to get in his way," she chided lightly while taking stock of his condition. He was lucky to get off with only a broken arm from slamming into the wall awkwardly. Kei cleared her mind before focusing a healing spell on his wounded limb. The bone mended itself with little discomfort coming to the boy. Still, tears streamed down his face even after his pain was relieved.  
  
"You're afraid, aren't you?" She asked softly.  
  
The boy nodded and dried his tears with the sleeve of his shirt.  
  
"I'm sorry," she combed her fingers through his hair. "The Spirits aren't bad, but they can be frightening at times. If you'd ever seen the demon Diablos you would know the truth of what I'm saying. Save your fear for other things that are more worthy of it."  
  
  
  
Xu ran down the gravel path as fast as she could. Unfortunately, the loose gravel impeded her speed. She had already lost sight of Enju. Despite her outward panic, she closed her eyes and sought him out with her inner spirit. Carbuncle was roused by her disturbing thoughts and anxiety. It prompted her as to which direction he'd gone and she resumed running, taking her cues from her companion.  
  
There were only so many places to hide in the compound and the trees weren't sturdy for him to scale up. But... That didn't mean he wouldn't have taken to perching on someone's roof. Carbuncle agreed with that thought and nudged her towards the equipment garage near the outer wall.  
  
The garage was taller than most of the single story buildings that her clansmen preferred to build. It was where the equipment used for farming and other maintenance tasks was stored. Only a few people had a key to get in and they only entered long enough to retrieve or return something. No one would be in the building to notice the sounds of someone walking on the roof. Plus the flat surface would give Enju plenty of space to stay away from the edge and remain unnoticed. It was the perfect hiding spot for him.  
  
Xu looked around for a convenient means of getting up to the roof. There were no boxes or ladders lying around. Hmm... The building was close enough to the wall that working her way up between the two structures wouldn't be impossible, just very difficult. Xu quickly stripped off her excess clothing, leaving her in a sleeveless tee shirt and a pair of loose fitting shorts.  
  
While struggling to get herself up, Xu made a mental note to have an obstacle like this constructed for the Training Center. Angling herself around so that she could pull herself the rest of the way onto the roof, she was pleased to know that her efforts weren't wasted. Enju was lying motionless in the exact center.  
  
He was lost somewhere in his Puzzle Stone it seemed. He barely acknowledged her presence, not even responding as she drew closer to him. Given the way he'd left, she expected him to nearly snap the instant he sensed her presence. But everything about him was cold, buried somewhere deep within. Even the foreboding of Diablos that she felt in the elder's meeting hall was gone.  
  
Xu took a deep breath and braced herself for using her own Puzzle Stone. A part of her was relieved in the certainty that he was venting in his workshop; the rest of her feared that if he was left alone, that venting might not be enough. All of Balamb's efforts to reform him might be shattered in a few hours, and Xu was afraid of her entire clan being murdered. Enju's eyes were distorted enough to not even care if he killed women and children.  
  
Xu's eyes closed and she felt herself slip into a trance.  
  
She found Enju's workshop easily enough. But the sight that greeted her made her hold her breath. His workshop had been reduced to nothing more than debris. Tables or chairs had been slashed apart. The racks of weaponry had been torn down; the weapons themselves scattered across the floor. The paper screens and mats bore the marks of having been mercilessly attacked. Wooden frames were strewn all over the place. And the constant lights whose source seemed to be beyond her were now flickering and dim.  
  
Carbuncle's protective aura flared to life as it squeaked at the risk Xu was now taking by being here. Xu glanced around the ruins of the workshop, and unexpectedly came face to face with the towering form of Diablos. The GF did nothing but silently look down at her, and then turn its head towards the heart of the workshop.  
  
Enju was there, standing but hunched over. His shoulders rose and fell with each deep, laborious breath he took. Xu wondered how much time had passed in here for him to exhaust himself like this. She also took note of the katana in Enju's left hand, and the kusarigama in his right hand.  
  
When Xu took another cautious step forward, Enju tilted his head slightly. "Go away," he said in a low voice. She couldn't tell if he was still burning in rage or defeated by it.  
  
"You're hurt..." Xu reached a helping hand, but without turning to her, he made a warning slash in the air with his katana.  
  
"Leave me alone, Xu. I don't want to kill you." He swallowed, and felt the bitterness of it all move down his throat. "And to an extent, I don't want to kill them. But it's very hard for me not to let go and...."  
  
His voice trailed off.  
  
He was on the brink of not caring anymore and going one step further. If he was to be denied a life, then no one here would have one either. He would take them all with him. He wanted to, with every inch of his being that seethed in rage.  
  
"I'm afraid to leave you alone," Xu admitted. "I'm afraid to think that I'm the only thing keeping you from doing something you'll never be forgiven for."  
  
Enju started to laugh, but it was a hollow echo of what Xu knew him to be. She couldn't tell if or when it dissolved into shallow sobs. "Why is it that when I put my demons behind me, I find the world wanting me to return to them?"  
  
He abruptly collapsed to his knees, releasing his hold on his weapons. The two blades fell to the floor, and Enju let his arms hang limply at his sides.  
  
"Why can't I be Enju anymore?"  
  
Xu raced forward, jumping over the small piles of debris as Enju's body pitched forward. She caught him in her arms before his face would have hit the floor, and he was like a dead weight. His blue eyes were open but vacant.  
  
It felt strangely awkward for Xu to hold him almost like a mother would a child. She tried to make him as comfortable as possible, but feared it wouldn't do much good.  
  
Enju's lips moved only once more, and he cried in a whisper of despair, "Why doesn't anybody want me...?"  
  
  
  
Xu resisted the urge to fall asleep while waiting in the Anshin infirmary building. The Anshin idea of medicine relied primarily on mysticism with a few practicalities thrown in to keep it from being completely backwards. That explained why the recovery room lacked many of the medical gadgets that Doctor Kadowaki made use of every day. Without the technologies of the north, the bleeps and the ambient buzz of electrical equipment, the room was an eerie quiet. Thankfully her mind was taken off of it when Kei stepped in.  
  
"How is he?" she asked.  
  
Xu looked over at Enju, who was resting on a cot. His expression was peaceful, but void of any emotion. It almost looked like he was dead. "Same as before," she answered.  
  
Ever since he collapsed in Xu's arms he remained locked away somewhere in the depths of his Puzzle Stone. His entire body seemed to be treating it as if he was comatose. Enju never awakened, never responded to any physical stimulus. It was as if he'd shut the entire world away and refused to leave the tattered remains of his workshop.  
  
There had come a point where Xu knew that she could no longer stay with him in the Puzzle Stone, and she left him. After returning from the Puzzle Stone she discovered that the day had turned into night and that any searchers the elders might have sent for them had long since given up. Enju's body was still limp and being embraced in her arms. He had remained like that now for five hours, going on six.  
  
Daybreak would be coming soon and with it Quistis' return. Xu worried about how she would explain this to Quistis; everything was a lot more complicated than it first appeared. Would she be able to convey all the beliefs and encounters that had gone on before, finally culminating in Enju's condition?  
  
"He'll be fine," Kei said, trying to reassure her cousin. "Enju's always been too stubborn to let himself be broken for long. He'll be back up and annoying us in no time."  
  
Abruptly Enju made a sound, almost as if he had heard Kei. It wasn't a word or anything coherent, but it was the first sound she'd heard from him since she and Kei had rallied some other adults to help carry Enju to the compound's infirmary.  
  
He might have been dreaming. If he was, Xu hoped he was having pleasant dreams for once.  
  
  
  
Enju awoke on his stomach somewhere inside the tattered remains of his workshop. His eyes slowly opened as he heard Diablos stirring behind him. Presumably the GF was perched at the edge of its usual bench. He couldn't fully recall when he'd gone to work at his Puzzle Stone. He couldn't even recall when he'd gone to sleep.  
  
The rancor towards the Anshin elders was still burning in him, and the pain refused to be abated. His arms were free of the kote, pale white skin shimmering in the dimness of the workshop. Every last detail of the falling angel feathers seemed perfect.  
  
Enju forced himself to move, raising himself up with his arms. His baby blue eyes drifted from one end of the workshop to the other, surveying the damage he'd caused. A small part of him was impressed with the amount of havoc he had wrecked.  
  
And then he suddenly found himself staring at himself.  
  
Another Enju was leaning against the far wall, right next to a rack of long swords and polearms. It was like staring into a mirror that should not have been there. He recognized the thin, telltale ponytail of auburn hair draped over his doppelganger's shoulders. Yet there was something else that was chillingly distinct about this second Enju--aside from the strange, dark robes he wore.  
  
This Enju's eyes were like amber.  
  
"Well," the other Enju remarked as he surveyed the workshop. "You sure did a number on this place. Although I should remind you that these sorts of workshops don't come with a janitor; you'll have to clean this mess up yourself."  
  
"You... you're me," Enju whispered in shock.  
  
What the hell was going on? Was this the Puzzle Stone's way of retaliating for him trashing his workshop like this? He didn't even get the pleasure of remembering the destruction he reigned.  
  
The other Enju smiled cryptically and gave a partial nod. "In a manner of speaking, more or less. But while we may share many of the same traits, we also share even more differences."  
  
Enju rose from the mats, the disbelief and surprise dying down. Everything suddenly clicked as he stood on his feet and appraised the one who was also Enju yet not fully Enju. Confusion was replaced with weary aggression.  
  
Enju sighed, shaking his head at the stranger. "So, you're him, huh?" he remarked in an icy tone. "You're Silence."  
  
The Spirit bowed slightly, though he did not move from his leaning post against the wall. The arms that were crossed over his chest did not part.  
  
Enju let a dark laugh escape his mouth. He knelt down and fished out from the wreckage on the floor a sheathed katana. The scabbard was pulled off and flung aside, revealing the shining metal of the blade. "Nice to meet you at last. Now give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you where you stand."  
  
With a mildly amused grin, the Spirit answered, "Because it's impossible for you to kill me."  
  
Enju readied himself to deliver an attack. "There's nothing wrong with trying."  
  
"But it will still prove a vain effort and ultimately accomplish nothing," the Spirit countered. It pushed away from the wall and took a few steps towards Enju. "There's no need for any enmity between us."  
  
"What?!" Enju snapped angrily. "You're the damn reason this is happening to me in the first place! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here right now!" He was seething, his shoulders rising and falling with each breath he took. The glare that had possessed him earlier in the workshop was starting to glaze over his eyes. He readjusted his grip on the katana.  
  
"I'm not even me anymore," he hissed. "All I am now is the Spirit of Silence. It's like neither Enju, Sarkis or the Death's Angel ever existed. I can't escape you, let alone escape being you. All I was ever meant to be was you--and you've done nothing but fuck up my entire life!!"  
  
He sprang, his crouched form lunging for the Spirit. The Spirit merely watched him with calm, amber eyes. For a moment, amidst the blur of adrenaline and metal, Enju could have sworn the Spirit's eyes flickered in light and colour. The next thing he knew, his body crashed down onto the mats. He tumbled backwards, the katana lost from his grip.  
  
Enju bounced a few more times before sliding to a stop against a pile of workshop debris. He winced as he painfully got up, his arms and legs raw and bleeding from mat burn. But the pain was only second to the anger still mirrored in his eyes as he turned back to the Spirit of Silence.  
  
"I'm not apologizing for what has happened," the Spirit answered coolly. He was clearly unafraid of Enju's growing rage. And now Enju understood why. "The events of your life had to unfold the way they did--but while I'm responsible for orchestrating my dream, to walk in your footsteps, you chose this path of your own accord. It makes for a strange give and take between free will and a Spirit's conspiracy, I admit, but that is the way it had to be done."  
  
"Well, I'm thrilled to no end," Enju retorted, black sarcasm dripping from every word. He cradled one of his elbows and absently wondered if a scrape like this would be transferred over to the real world. Dream world. Whatever the hell reality he usually found himself in. "So where does that leave you and me?" he asked.  
  
The answer he got wasn't one he was expecting.  
  
"They're right, you know," the Spirit stated.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The elders. You have to leave the Garden, Enju. You have to leave Quistis and the sooner the better. Everything has to be left behind."  
  
Enju's gaze darted around the floor, searching for another weapon. "Why? Why should I listen to you, when you said I somehow have my own say in the matter."  
  
"The choice to stay or go is yours," the Spirit clarified. "But if you remain, the future could be an unfortunate one. The Anshin elders are trying to convince you to give the future its best chance as a favorable outcome--and that regrettably means leaving Balamb. They failed, and so I'm here with the hope that you can understand the severity of the situation."  
  
Enju cracked a sardonic grin. "I thought I understood the situation. But until you give me a reason to leave other than some abstract 'your task as a Spirit is done' crap, I will be returning with the others to the Garden."  
  
"How about the Angel of Death?"  
  
Enju stiffened.  
  
The Spirit saw it and continued, "You know that certain parties have been searching you out. They believe you are alive, and want revenge. Sooner or later they will come to Balamb. And the ones you care about, they will be at risk."  
  
At least the Spirit wasn't so sadistically blunt as the Anshin elders had been. If those geezers had gone about telling him in this way, there might have been no need to destroy his workshop.  
  
"Was it your idea to have me be an assassin?" he asked quietly. "Or do I get to hit myself for it?"  
  
"When the time comes, you can hit us both," the Spirit answered with a laugh. "I hadn't expected me--you, to take that sort of course. But I can see that through it we were both able to help prepare the others for what lies ahead."  
  
"Can you tell me what lies ahead?"  
  
The Spirit shook his head. "I don't even fully know what that is myself. That's why so many Spirits have been dreaming. And Balamb Garden will become the catalyst. All hope lies within whatever SeeDs, cadets, and teachers are there."  
  
Enju took a deep breath, momentarily closing his eyes. He didn't want to have to say what he was going to say. It would be the final nail upon his coffin. Another life wasted, gone, lost again. He would be forced to find emptiness and solitude all over.  
  
"If I remain," he said slowly, eyes fixated on his Spirit counterpart, "that hope might get snuffed out before it even has a chance."  
  
The Spirit nodded. "I'm sorry, but there's no other way. The mercenaries looking for Death's Angel are ruthless. They would not hesitate to attack SeeD, or even kill children to get to you." For once, he looked anxious. "I can sometimes catch a glimpse of the future, a blurred ripple. From what I have seen of futures that might be, if you stay at Balamb, Quistis will die. And it will be because she will try to protect you from those killers."  
  
The blood drained from Enju's face, making him paler than usual. To say he was feeling sick to his stomach was an understatement. The last thing he wanted was for Quistis to die. She was the reason he had learned what it meant to not just live, but to be alive. Enju looked at the tattoos on his forearms. He had silently promised himself to protect her at any cost. And now that he saw what the cost was, he could feel the resolve wavering.  
  
He could argue about the future being unknown, of it being only what he made of it. But he was a Spirit too. Somewhere deep within he knew that he had to leave. For a long time he stood in silence, forcing back whatever pain was left.  
  
"Okay, you win," he at last conceded. "I'll take the transport back to Balamb Garden and grab my weapons. When the night comes, I'll disappear for good."  
  
The Spirit gave another cryptic smile. "Now who said you'd be disappearing for good?"  
  
Enju bent over and began the process of cleaning up his mess. Through his use of the Stone he discovered that it would do some of the clean up and repairs on its own, but it was still up to him to put his toys away. He glanced over at Diablos, who hadn't so much as made a low growl while he and the Spirit spoke.  
  
"I'm not even sure how I can be talking to you right now," he remarked. "I mean, aren't you actually supposed to *be* me currently?"  
  
The Spirit gave a very familiar wolfish grin, and Enju could see just how alike they were. "Time doesn't move as linear along the Path as it does for you. Don't ask me how to explain; I haven't figured it out yet." He glanced over to his side as if something else had caught his attention. From what Enju could see, the Spirit seemed to be listening to a voice. Probably from whatever plane of existence that Spirits hailed from.  
  
"Before you go," he said to Enju. "May I ask a favour of you?"  
  
One of Enju's eyebrows went up.  
  
The Spirit shook his head. "Not for me. But for a good friend."  
  
  
  
Enju opened his eyes slowly to see a plaster ceiling over his head. They must have moved him indoors. Absently he wondered how long he'd locked himself away. Turning his head to the left, he saw Xu sitting cross-legged in a chair next to him. She still held one of his hands in her own, and looked to have dozed off.  
  
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and her eyes opened. Xu smiled when she saw him awake. "How do you feel?" Her voice was rough from disuse. Poor Xu, she must have been sitting here all night.  
  
"Better than you I'm guessing," he sat up and shook his head. One hand wiped the grit out of his eyes while the other straightened his tousled hair.  
  
"I thought I should let you know beforehand," he said quietly. "I'm only going back to Balamb for my weapons. After that, I don't think we'll see each other again. If not ever, then not for a very long time to come."  
  
Xu bowed her head, knowing that this was the way things had to be. Talasu warned them, as did the elders. It was a terribly cruel twist of fate, but the matter was out of their hands.  
  
"Are you going to tell Quistis?"  
  
He remained quiet for several minutes studying his hands and forearms before answering. "No. It would be easier if I just slipped away. But... I did promise to take her to Balamb to buy her the game she plays with Kei."  
  
"You want to fulfill your promise to her?"  
  
Enju said nothing. The look in his eyes was enough to answer her question.  
  
Xu nodded. "Once we arrive in Balamb there's no reason for a pair of cadets to return immediately. Only SeeDs need to report back."  
  
It was her oblique way of giving him permission to take Quistis out on a final date. They could have their afternoon together before he left for good. It would be a difficult thing for him, having this sad event looming over him, but persistent grief was an emotion he was becoming accustomed to.  
  
Xu's heart when out to him. He was living with a knife at his back, constantly prodding him to keep moving on threat of death. Death wasn't something that he feared for himself. But he learned to value the lives of others while at Balamb. He couldn't risk the deaths of those innocents because of the mistakes of his past.  
  
Enju stood up. "I don't suppose there's somewhere I can get something to eat," he patted his stomach. "It's been a while since I ate lunch."  
  
"I'm sure we can find you something," Xu gave him a relieved smile as she got up. Things weren't going to be okay, but they could try to make them turn out as well as possible.  
  
Enju slipped out of the cot and began to walk around to stretch his legs. Right now they felt like rubber. Some outside exercise would do him good right about now. He headed towards the door, but then stopped.  
  
"I almost forgot," he added, turning around. He walked up to Xu, his tall form towering over her. "I was supposed to give this to you."  
  
He leaned forward and gently kissed her on the lips.  
  
Xu's eyes widened. She didn't even know why he was doing it--but for some odd reason, the kiss was warm and familiar. She found her eyes slowly closing, and was strangely disappointed when Enju broke away.  
  
"A present from Sean," Enju explained. "And... Oh, how did he put it? 'Even if I can't massage your back like last time, I'll still watch it for you.'"  
  
Before Xu could say anything else, Enju quietly slipped out of the infirmary door, stretching his stiff arms.  
  
*****  
  
No one saw much of Enju the following day. Kei made it a point to avoid him since the last thing he needed was his rival in his face about something.  
  
Xu first saw him when he was returning from a monster killing session outside the compound. In theory, the guard shouldn't have let him pass since the trial was still ongoing. Enju wouldn't have had anything against shoving the guard aside, but it was more likely that he simply found a way over the wall and back again.  
  
"Are you okay?" Xu called to him, noticing that he was covered in blood and gore.  
  
Enju waved her off. "Believe me, I look better than the other guy does right about now." He continued on his way towards Kei's parent's house to clean up. "Damn magic wielding monsters."  
  
"Wait, you should go to my parent's place instead," Xu closed the gap between them. "You'll anger the elder, scare Kei's siblings, and upset the people in the well courtyard along the way if you go to Kei's house. My parent's house is closer and you won't bother anyone if you go there to clean up."  
  
"Fine," he changed course and walked the other way. Xu shook her head with chagrin and went back to what she was doing. Her mother would be startled to see him soiled as he was, but would get him taken care of nonetheless.  
  
The next time Xu spotted Enju he was sporting a new set of clothes made in the Anshin tradition. She couldn't help but laugh at how awkward he looked wearing them. Manners demanded that he wore them for at least a day, but they just weren't his style.  
  
*****  
  
The next day was filled with anxious anticipation. The children on the rite were coming in today. Xu set up a lawn chair near the front gate and planted herself down with a book. She fully intended to wait there until Quistis showed up. Kei came by and laughed, saying that she had nothing to worry about.  
  
As far as her fellow clansmen were concerned, it was a display of her protection of the children to be watching over the return. Kei's father had seemed quite smug when he came by to check up on her. Xu wanted to point out that she was only waiting for Quistis, but when she saw the silent thanks in some of the concerned parents' eyes she held her tongue. She was waiting, just like them. If believing that she was actually doing something while sitting there made their wait easier, so be it.  
  
The first child arrived shortly after the sun broke over the horizon. That was to be expected. There were always a couple children who kept fairly close to the compound on the last evening so that they could get back within the safety of its walls as soon as it was allowed.  
  
Xu didn't leave her post when it was time for the mid-day meal. Kei came around again and brought her something to eat. Over half the children were back and Quistis wasn't among them.  
  
Tradition stated that when a child returned they greeted the guard at the gate first and then sought out the elders. After the elders declared them to be an adult, they were permitted to return to their homes covered in glory.  
  
Xu's own coming of age had broken many of the traditions. Besides killing a few Jelleyes while she was out, she didn't greet the guard or go before the elders. She went straight to her parent's home and collapsed. Xu wasn't sure if she was glad or not that she remembered so little of the trial and the week that followed. According to her mother she'd been poisoned and was delirious with fever. The elders didn't pass her as an adult until she was well enough to walk over to their council room and present herself.  
  
She was sore that night, but she'd been sore for the week leading up to it, so nothing had changed. It was more than two weeks after the trial before she was finally free of pain. Intellectually, she knew that her trial was one of the fouler ones that had occurred in recent memory. It was unsettled fear from that experience that caused her to worry so much about Quistis.  
  
The afternoon passed slowly. By dinnertime Xu was more than halfway through her book and there were still two children left to come in. Sighing heavily, she turned the page and continued reading.  
  
"Here's something to eat," Kei offered her a dinner plate and pulled some utensils out of a pocket. She was no longer laughing at Xu's worry. By her own reckoning, Quistis should have returned hours ago.  
  
"Have you seen Enju today?" Xu asked, taking her mind off of one missing party member to wonder where the other was.  
  
"Yeah, he's been curled up in the guest room sleeping all day."  
  
"I can't see him sleeping that much," Xu replied thoughtfully. "He's probably working with his Puzzle Stone."  
  
"He's really taken to it?"  
  
Xu finished chewing the morsel in her mouth before answering. "Now that he's figured out how to solicit answers from it, he seems to be using it more often."  
  
"Huh, well, I'll go make sure that he eats something today. When Quistis comes in, let me know." Kei returned the way she'd came.  
  
Xu quickly ate the food on her plate before tucking the flatware under the relative safety of her chair. It wasn't likely that anyone would step on it there. The guard coughed and gave her a sympathetic look. The last Anshin child greeted him and then waved wearily to her before seeking out the elders.  
  
Xu sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. So Quistis would be the last one to return after all. She tried to keep her mind from imagining the worst. Quistis was nearly a SeeD. She was more than capable of taking care of herself. This shouldn't have been a challenge for her.  
  
A half-hour passed and Xu was becoming truly concerned. She couldn't go looking for her -- that would disqualify Quistis and bring shame on the girl and SeeD. Kei showed up again to retrieve her mother's plate and utensils.  
  
"Anything yet?"  
  
Xu shook her head. Abruptly, the guard straightened up. Quistis answered his challenge with a salute and passed through the gate. Xu was on her feet, ready to tackle her friend and give her a hug. Kei put a restraining hand on Xu's shoulder and waved to Quistis as she walked passed. Quistis had one more thing to do before Xu could welcome her back.  
  
"She looks none the worse for wear," Kei said while helping Xu gather her things. "I'll see you at your place after I've returned the plate."  
  
Xu put her father's lawn chair away before entering the house. Her parents had moved into the living room and were working on their quiet tasks when she came into the room.  
  
"I take it Kwis has returned?" Her father looked up from his papers.  
  
"That she has. She's gone to see the elders as we speak." Xu went into the kitchen to prepare something for Quistis to eat when she came in. She'd likely be very hunger or very tired (or both).  
  
Kei let herself into the house, greeted Xu's parents, and then made herself comfortable in Xu's room. Xu joined her shortly with Quistis' dinner. They heard the front door open and close, and Xu's parents greet Quistis as she passed through the living room.  
  
"Hey," Quistis let herself in and closed the door behind herself. Xu got up from the bed and brought her into a careful hug. Quistis returned the embrace.  
  
"Welcome back and congratulations," Xu squeezed her once more before directing her to sit and eat her dinner. Quistis attacked the meal with ferocity.  
  
"So," Kei drawled, "what took you so long to come in?"  
  
"I figured that you wanted me to make sure everyone else made it in first," she explained between bites. "The last child had absolutely no sense of direction. She kept wandering off the wrong way. I'd throw a rock to catch her attention. She'd walk up to where the rock landed, and then veer off again. It took me two hours to lead her back to where the compound was within seeing distance."  
  
Kei chuckled lightly at her plight. "How does it feel to be an Anshin adult?"  
  
"I was already an adult," Quistis reminded her with a smile. "As for being Anshin, it feels just like being Galbadian, which feels just like being from Balamb."  
  
"Did you accept their 'reward'?" Kei inquired.  
  
"I already have my mark of adulthood. Plus I'm not too fond of tattoos, no offense," she said while blushing.  
  
"None taken, I'm not too fond of them either," Kei agreed. "Isn't that right, Xu?"  
  
The Instructor simply shrugged. "To each their own. You did an excellent job, Quistis. All the children returned safely. Thank you very much for going on this 'mission' for us."  
  
"You're welcome," she demurred. "Where's Enju?"  
  
"Ah..." Xu tried to think of what to say.  
  
Fortunately, Kei was there to cover for her. "He's been meditating a lot lately. It would be best to give him his space until he's worked through whatever is on his mind."  
  
"Oh," Quistis looked somewhat disappointed that she wouldn't be able share her accomplishment with him right away. She could tell him about her adventure when the time was right for him.  
  
"Did you have any visions while you were out?" Xu picked up the questioning where Kei left off.  
  
"Visions? No. I know that I had a couple odd dreams, but I don't recall them. I think it was just the lack of food or something like that getting to me. Usually I sleep like a rock."  
  
"When you put your book down long enough to fall asleep," Xu teased. "Did you get the chance to study the Jelleyes?"  
  
Quistis nodded.  
  
The next hour was spent discussing her trip and what all she'd seen. Once that topic was exhausted, Quistis asked if she could attend Anshin school for the rest of her time here. The question was posed to Xu's father in the next room and approval given. But if Quistis was going to attend class in the morning, she needed to get to sleep. Kei took the hint and returned to her parent's house. Xu laid out a mattress that was used for situations like this and Quistis settled down for her first peaceful sleep in a few days.  
  
*****  
  
Quistis' remaining time with the Anshin was near magical for the young woman. Even though she was a keenly intelligent person, it was with a childlike curiosity that she explored the world around her.  
  
The way school was conducted was quite different from that of Balamb. Book learning was secondary to a hands-on education. It was an environment Quistis enjoyed experiencing, but wasn't sure she would thrive in. That revelation caused her to pause and consider how reliant she was upon the books she often turned to when she was in need of answers. Here, the answers were found by asking questions and experimentation.  
  
Even with her doubts, she had to admit that she was learning, and that it was fun. She'd never seen a Chocobo before, for example. They were often described as over-sized chickens with incredible strength and endurance. The Anshin maintained a stable of them. When she asked why they would ever choose riding on a Chocobo somewhere over taking a truck, the stable master -- a grizzled old man she was assigned to study with because he could speak standard -- beckoned her to come forward.  
  
"Put out your hand," he instructed her. He put some leafy greens into her hand then gently pushed her towards one of the stalls. The Chocobo within took instant notice and stretched its neck to reach her.  
  
Hesitantly she offered the gysahl greens to it. The Chocobo warked happily and snatched the treat from her. The bird rubbed its beak up against her still outstretched hand. A small smile came to her face as she moved closer to stroke back the feathers on its head. Its feathers were a beautiful golden yellow and vibrant from good health.  
  
"You didn't answer my question," she commented in an off-handed manner as the stable master watched her from behind.  
  
"I could point out the practicality of conserving our limited fuel by riding Chocobo-back when we need to send a courier to the port, but that's not the reason.  
  
"Taking care of Chocobos, as with so many of our ways, goes back to the clan's founding. It's a part of our heritage -- our tradition -- that we don't wish to lose. There is a fine line to walk between being foolishly stubborn and clinging to the old ways, and leaping too quickly to incorporate the new. We may be on the tail-end of old, but I like it that way."  
  
He stood next to her now and offered another green to the greedy bird. Once the offering was consumed, it swung its head around hoping to get more attention from Quistis. She obliged by resuming to stroke its head.  
  
She had wondered why there was only a single terminal in the school. She supposed that the lack of them was due to the difficulty of use (the Anshin language was quite a barrier to overcome when everything was in standard). Never mind the high maintenance that must go into keeping monsters from destroying the HD lines that connect the Anshin to the rest of the world.  
  
But now she understood. They realized that they couldn't cut themselves off completely, but that didn't mean they had to submerge in it either. They'd done well for themselves here in near-isolation. They didn't have much need for foreigners like herself. They were almost like a people frozen in time, yet fully aware of their static state.  
  
The bird enjoyed the attention she lavished on it. Bemused by its antics, something occurred to her. "What's its name?"  
  
Her mentor scratched the rough stubble on his chin as he thought. "What was its name..?"  
  
"'Little One'," someone answered for him. Both Quistis and the man turned to see who it was. Xu came forward with her own handful of greens to offer to the Chocobo.  
  
"That's right," the stable master nodded after having his memory jogged. "You named him Little One because he wasn't large enough to carry an adult on his back when you were here."  
  
"He's still on the small side," Xu commented thoughtfully, giving his head a rub. "So are you going to take him out for a ride?"  
  
Quistis was startled by the question. This was the first time she even saw a Chocobo. She wasn't ready to try riding one!  
  
The stable master grunted and reached across Quistis to release the door's latch. It swung out easily on well-greased hinges. Xu grinned with a touch of mischief in her eyes as she helped prepare Quistis' mount.  
  
Quistis watched her friend securely fasten the riding harness without a thought. Obviously Xu had done this numerous times and reflexes alone could lead her through the motions.  
  
"Did you spend a lot of time here when you were younger?" Quistis asked, wanting her suspicions confirmed.  
  
"I couldn't keep her out," the old man grumbled good-naturedly.  
  
Xu conceded the point with a nod. "This is the place I was most comfortable. Probably because of the freedom I felt once I was astride a Chocobo and outside of the walls."  
  
The stable master led Little One out into the practice field. Little One pushed ahead of them, excited by being let out of his pen and then saddled up for a rider. Xu stood on the other side of the Chocobo to help stabilize her while the stable master helped her up. Once she was comfortably seated, he handed her the reins and meandered over to the gate to open it.  
  
"Have fun out there, but please be back before sundown, okay?" Xu squeezed her leg.  
  
"Wha-? Wait! I don't know how to control a Chocobo. And won't the monsters see us and think 'oversized chicken with appetizer'?" She protested.  
  
"The monsters won't touch you as long as you're on the back of a Chocobo. You'll be safe enough," the stable master waved for her to hurry up and pass through the gate. "There's another gate at the end of the path, that's the one that takes you outside the wall. When you return, come back through the Chocobo gate."  
  
"But..."  
  
Xu gave her leg another squeeze. "You don't need to do anything. Little One will guide the way. He's a well-trained Chocobo. I don't suspect you'll get into too much trouble. Now get going." With that she slapped the Chocobo on the hind. The bird took its cue and made a beeline for the gate. Quistis held on tight, as she was apparently the one along for the ride.  
  
"Aren't you coming?" Quistis called back before she was out of earshot.  
  
Xu shook her head and replied softly. "I don't need to escape this place any more."  
  
The stable master closed the gate once Quistis had passed through and was on her way towards the Chocobo gate. Xu took up a place leaned up against a shared fence between this field and the next one over that was for grazing. She watched the birds intently until the stable master broke the silence.  
  
"You get to ride often where you live?" He leaned against the fence and watched the birds with her. This was the mental image Xu had of the man. For as long as she could remember, he was always here tending to the Chocobos.  
  
"Not at all. The Garden doesn't maintain any stables in Balamb."  
  
"That's a shame," he commented without putting much thought into what he said. "If you had stayed here I'm sure you would have made an excellent replacement when I got too old to tend to the birds properly."  
  
Xu didn't answer. That fact was, she didn't stay. For as much as she loved riding she couldn't see herself being happy as a stable hand. The work was hard, not that it bothered her, but it was also mediocre. It didn't challenge her enough. She could only take satisfaction in the simple for so long.  
  
"So what is it that you do out there that you can't do here?" It wasn't meant as a snide question. His world view was only that of the clan. His question acknowledged that he had a limited understanding of the rest of the world and what things might occupy a person's time.  
  
She rested her chin on her folded arms across the fence. "I'm a teacher of things the clan doesn't approve of."  
  
"Ah... And is the Kwis girl one of your students?" He asked.  
  
"You could call her that. Though she's more my friend than a student."  
  
He nodded, then spoke thoughtfully. "She has a lot to learn still. As a friend and a teacher, you need to help her."  
  
Xu gave him a questioning look. This was his first day with Quistis. How could he make any judgements about her after such a short time?  
  
"She's as wet as a just hatched Chocobo. Smart, I'll give you that, but naive. It's nothing she shouldn't grow out of with time."  
  
"Quistis is going to graduate from the Garden soon," Xu added thoughtfully.  
  
He smirked and then pushed off the fence to return to the stable. "Don't worry too much, but do keep an eye on her. You were just as green when I got my hands on you and look how you turned out; nice and strong. A bit of rough riding makes for a stronger mount, wouldn't you agree?"  
  
What he was saying had nothing to do with Chocobos. He was suggesting that if life knocked Quistis around a bit, it would make her a stronger person. Xu couldn't disagree with the idea, though it could hurt like hell during the process.  
  
Quistis' growth did cause her to worry. Quistis was a very intelligent person, but there was a difference between scholastic aptitude and emotional maturity. And she had a lot of physical growth to undergo as well. The next year was likely to be a wild one. At least girls tended to mature faster than boys, else she'd have to worry for the next five years or so...  
  
Xu had wasted enough time watching the Chocobos. She walked back to the compound proper before detouring down the path that would take her to the elder's council building. She wished to speak with them about their recent diplomatic bumblings before they managed to alienate someone.  
  
She knew from speaking with Michelle that Dollet had been in contact with the Anshin regarding building a permanent dock. (Not that there wasn't one already, but it was crude in its construction and unsuited for most types of ships). The elders' response had been that they belonged to the land, not vise versa. If Dollet wished to establish a dock, the Anshin wouldn't stop them, but they shouldn't expect any help either. It was a foolish response, in Xu's opinion. Dollet was reaching out an olive branch to them and the Anshin were batting it away. A project like this could bring some very good things to the clan if they didn't blow the opportunity.  
  
The elders council had maintained the same schedule for generations, so she knew when to catch all five of them at once. Her family's ranking as commoners didn't usually offer them the opportunity to stand before the elders without being presented by a member of one of the middle families. A middle family's ranking wasn't something that was envied. They were the ones expected to resolve conflicts within the clan without having to bring the matter before the elders. It was seen as a failing on their part if the elders had to get involved. Xu didn't have the time to track down a middle family to represent her and so she used her ranking as a Spirit to get an audience with the elders. They would hear her out for that reason alone.  
  
The elders were lined up seated on their cushions. Xu sat opposite of them with those others who had business with the elders today lining the walls waiting their turn. She bowed respectfully to them before speaking.  
  
"I asked to speak with the elders so that I may offer some advice to them," she said formally.  
  
"Please offer us your guidance, Spirit," the head elder replied in kind.  
  
"I believe that you're making a mistake by not accepting Dollet's offer to build a new dock."  
  
The elders shuffled. This likely wasn't the topic they were expecting her to bring up. "We have told them that they may build a dock if they wish, but to please make it in harmony with the land."  
  
'They're missing the point...' Xu thought before forging ahead. "Dollet doesn't understand what you mean by that. They'll build a dock that is pleasing to the eye, but does nothing for the soul if you don't advise them."  
  
The elders didn't respond. They knew what she said was true. Those from the north didn't understand how to build their homes and their lives in a way that produced harmony within.  
  
"Might I suggest that you appoint an ambassador to Dollet to represent the clan's interests?"  
  
A gasp ran through the room. Xu looked to either side of her and saw the stunned faces of her clansmen. Was proper representation really that big of a deal?  
  
"I'm afraid we can't go along with such an assertive move," Kei's father began to explain.  
  
"You *must* if you want things to remain in balance. Dollet is quite interested in establishing a trade route this far south. I won't go into how it may benefit the clan to open its trade channels, but it's important that you accept such gestures of goodwill by outsiders. You can't live in fear of the rest of the world, not when it's finally taking notice of Centra."  
  
Kei's father hmph-ed and ruffled his robes with indignation. Xu sighed and bowed again to indicate that she had said her piece.  
  
"We'll consider your advice," the head elder assured. Xu was certain that 'consider' would consist of the five seconds of Kei's father balking before they dropped the idea to get him to shut up. Her uncle was such a pain sometimes.  
  
Walking back slowly to her parent's home she thought about it more. The Anshin already had a small degree of trade going on with the outside world (mostly in the form of handcrafts). A partnership with Dollet could expand that greatly.  
  
'That's probably what they're afraid of,' Xu chided herself. They don't want to show up on the map. Well, it's too late for that. The busting up of the child smuggling ring gave them a place in recent history along with all the other victims. People were curious creatures by nature and would seek out as much as they could find if the topic proved intriguing enough. The Anshin weren't that interesting for most people, but for some they were fascinating. No, there was no going back after the genie was let out of the bottle.  
  
  
  
Quistis returned from her Chocobo ride with a gleam in her eye. She'd never experienced anything quite like it. She told Xu all about it over a cup of tea as they talked after dinner. Xu's parents had already retreated to their living room. It was only the two of them in the small kitchen.  
  
"Xu," Quistis began somewhat hesitantly after her telling was through. "You told me to save my questions about the Anshin until after I returned from the rite. May I ask them now?"  
  
The older woman nodded her acceptance. There was no putting off Quistis forever once something had caught her interest. "What would you like to know?"  
  
"What's it like to be a Spirit? Do you have extraordinary powers? How did you get to be one? What does it mean?"  
  
Xu laughed and held up her hands at the deluge of questions that flowed forth from her companion. "One at a time!  
  
"Now, was is it like? I don't know, to be honest. I only know what it's like to be *me* and that was a discovery that took me a while to make.  
  
"Extraordinary powers? Well, there is a lot we still don't know about magic. Carbuncle is bound tightly to me. I think it's his magic that lends itself to me. But the most extraordinary power I have is one that you do as well: the ability to change the world. Even through small acts we can influence each other. A smile can brighten someone's day while a reprimand can sour them, for example. Our recognizing the cause and effect of every day living and then using it is a skill all unto itself.  
  
"And... I've forgotten the rest of your questions," Xu shook her head at herself.  
  
Quistis smiled at that, knowing that Xu honestly had lost track of the questions and wasn't trying to dodge the subject.  
  
They continued to speak until long after Xu's parents had gone to bed. It reminded Quistis of the long discussions she and Xu used to have when they were cadets. Both of them were older now and had other responsibilities to stand in the way of their bonding. Quistis decided to not let that be so. There was still so much that she could learn from Xu that she wouldn't let a convienent lack of time prevent her from having the occasional deep conversation with her friend.  
  
*****  
  
Quistis was glad to be back when she stepped out onto the train platform and was greeted by a gust of Balamb's salty sea air. But by the same token, she was also somewhat disappointed for having to bring an end to her adventures down south.  
  
With the permission of the elders, Xu's father presented her with a few books so that she could continue learning the Anshin ways. At least, that's what he told the elders. He realized that they were more of a novelty item for her, a memento of her time spent with them. Xu's mother likewise gave her a parting gift; her own outfit made in the traditional style. Quistis didn't think she'd have many occasions to wear it, but it was a thoughtful gift nonetheless.  
  
As Kei predicted, Xu made out like a bandit with several new dresses. Kei tried to tease her cousin about her femininity, but none of her jabs hit the mark -- not when it was something Xu was proud of.  
  
During the return trip, Enju refrained from joining in on the banter. And that wasn't for lack of opportunity. Xu had Kei nearly pinned multiple times where Enju could have swooped in for the 'kill' if he wanted, but he didn't.  
  
Enju just hadn't been the same since she left for her 'mission'. Something happened, but no one was willing to spill the beans. He didn't even take up her hand when they sat next to each other in the train's booth. More than anything, he just sat quietly in his seat, staring out at the landscape moving past them. Enju was bold enough that Kei sitting across from them wouldn't usually deter him from doing what he wanted if he wished. No, something was definitely wrong.  
  
Quistis shook off that feeling as the four of them gathered at the bottom of the stairs of the train platform to discuss what to do next. To her pleasant surprise Xu suggested that Quistis and Enju take the rest of the day off to putter around town. She and Kei had to return to the Garden to report in, but that shouldn't stop them from enjoying the rest of the day.  
  
The sadness that loomed in Enju's eyes lifted as one of his most charming smiles touched his lips. It was one of those grins that usually infuriated Kei when he turned it on her. Quistis glanced over at the oldest member of their group. Kei was pointedly ignoring Enju by searching for something in one of the pouches of her travel bag.  
  
"Well, who am I to ignore my Instructor," Enju took her hand up into his and led her away. "You heard Xu, my dear; let's go paint Balamb whatever colour you so desire."  
  
The two SeeDs watched them disappear around the corner before anything further was said.  
  
"Let's get something to eat," Kei suggested, slinging her bag onto her shoulder.  
  
"We can eat at the Garden".  
  
Kei pouted. "I don't want Garden food. I want to get lunch at the cafe by the pier."  
  
"You want to trail Enju and Quistis around," Xu called her bluff.  
  
The older woman pled innocence and headed towards the pier. Xu knew Kei's motives, but maybe if she could keep her cousin away from Enju and Quistis, those two would be allowed the time that they need. Xu shared Kei's curiosity, but she understood that this afternoon would be a memorable one for Enju and didn't wish to intrude.  
  
  
  
The sea breeze continued to play with Quistis' hair as she and Enju walked along the shopping arcade. They walked with their hands loosely held together, almost as though they were dating. And even though he was keeping himself in check, every time Enju looked at her his gaze held a warm affection, like he wanted to be with her forever. A small part of Quistis' mind fancied the idea before it was displaced by reality.  
  
It was a quiet day, but something was definitely off. She couldn't explain the chill that ran up nape of her neck. It felt as though they were being watched. Enju didn't seem disturbed, acting as casual as usual. He took her into a few stores, and they maintained an animated conversation. While he was doing less of the talking, it was clear he was enjoying their time together.  
  
As they walked out from one of the stores, discreetly Quistis took note of her surroundings. What she discovered more than justified the unease she was feeling. She hoped that she was wrong, but it wasn't likely.  
  
She pulled her companion toward the window of a shop where she could still see behind them in the reflection. Pointing at one of the dolls on display she leaned her head against his shoulder affectionately and whisper, "I think we're being followed."  
  
"Clever girl," Enju chuckled, playfully tousling her hair. But now she knew it was just an act not to give them away. "There's three of them on the street--and a fourth one skulking on the rooftops above. They've been shadowing us for the past ten minutes."  
  
"Fifteen, actually. They started appearing back at the pet shop," she corrected.  
  
That brought a grin to his face that could be seen in the window's reflection. "Show off."  
  
"Who are they?"  
  
"They seem to think calling themselves the Blood Souls will somehow inspire fear. Reality is otherwise. They're an old contract of mine; want to be smugglers operating out of Dollet. The reason you only see four and not their usual ten is because I killed everyone else a couple years back. They're probably still pissed about that."  
  
Quistis appraised their situation. If it came down to a fight it would be four-on-two. She had her rante with her and a full stock of offensive spells. The odds weren't in their favor, but they should be okay if Enju was likewise armed.  
  
Enju's eyes narrowed as he nudged her away from the window and they began walking. Out from the corner of his vision he saw two men that were following them start to move in. A third man was almost subtlety in position ahead of them, pretending to read a newspaper on a bench. Enju knew an ambush when he saw it.  
  
"Quistis," he said with a false smile. "These boys are my business. I can handle them easily if I don't have any distractions. Get out of here while you still can."  
  
Quistis looked at him like he'd lost his mind.  
  
"I don't want you involved," the firmness in his voice was like steel. "Turn at the intersection up ahead, and get into the nearest store. I'll keep walking." He glanced down at her. "They're expecting me by the bench; I'm not about to disappoint them."  
  
He feigned stretching out an arm to place around Quistis' shoulders. In truth he was tensing his muscles and preparing for battle.  
  
"I won't leave," Quistis stated. "Four-on-one is a tough battle, even for you. We should head back toward the train depot. They wouldn't make a scene in public, would they?"  
  
"They'd burn this entire town if it meant they could kill me. Keeping quiet about it is the last thing on their minds," he answered ruefully.  
  
Dammit, couldn't she see what he wanted? Why couldn't she listen? If he was alone, he could revert back into Death's Angel in a heartbeat and kill everyone before they even knew what happened. But she was too much a distraction. As an assassin, he had only needed to care for himself--and even then he cared very little for his life. A reckless thing, yes, but it had given him an edge.  
  
He didn't care if he died, but he was terrified that Quistis might. If she died because of him, there could be no more forgiveness.  
  
'Damn you, Quistis, for being so compassionate,' he thought, forcing himself not to blatantly push her through the nearest shop door. 'Damn you.'  
  
  
  
Xu was about to take a bite of her salad when Carbuncle screamed in the back of her mind. Her fork dropped to the table as her hands clasped onto her head in a reflexive action.  
  
"Something's wrong," she gasped once the pain receded. She shoved back her chair and broke out into a run to find the source of what upset Carbuncle.  
  
Kei was left sitting at the table with a puzzled look to her. She threw a couple crumpled up bills on the table and took off after Xu, leaving their bags behind for the time being. Xu was the faster of the two of them, thus Kei slowly lost sight of her cousin through the crowd.  
  
  
  
The attack came faster than Enju had expected.  
  
And all too quickly he realized he wasn't the sole target.  
  
The man on the bench calmly folded up his newspaper, stood, and then drew out from the folds of his jacket an array of small throwing knifes. Without missing a step, he launched three of them straight at Enju's face.  
  
The kinzoku-sensu was in Enju's left hand before Quistis knew he had it, deflecting the barrage, his right arm still draped over her shoulders. He spun around, using the momentum to send his metal fan spinning lop-sidedly across the street. The first Blood Soul leading the charge found the fan's sharpened blades extended, and then found his throat torn out as it sailed past him. The man let out a stunned gurgle and, still trying to run, tumbled forward onto the street.  
  
Enju's head constantly moved.  
  
He was used to covering his own back. That was easy enough, but now he had to cover Quistis' back too. She had never fought against these sorts of people. They would be merciless in their techniques.  
  
Spinning around and keeping himself not a step from a startled Quistis, who could barely keep up with his movements, Enju unclipped his second fan and readied to meet the next charging Blood Soul.  
  
Suddenly he caught sight of the knife thrower lobbing something straight for Quistis' head. There seemed to chance she would be able to dodge it in time. In his mind's eye, there was a flash of rage and terror as Enju saw her lying dead on the street, her blood dripping onto the cobblestone and staining his hands.  
  
"No!" he shouted.  
  
Enju's left arm snaked out in front of her face, and the knife blade sank into his flesh with a sickening sound. Enju swore through his teeth as he felt it, but there was little else he could do. That moment where his body jerked but remained motionless was all the Blood Souls required; another throwing knife buried itself between Enju's shoulder blades, causing him to stumble forward.  
  
Quistis was frantically trying to free her rante, but Enju was draping himself over her, making the attempt virtually impossible as he pushed her sideways. And then she saw what was happening as he drove her towards a place where they might be able to take cover.  
  
Another knife made an impossible arc through the air and slammed into the back of his left calf muscle, and Enju nearly took them both down as he stumbled. Quistis reached out to pull the one blade from his arm.  
  
"Don't," he hissed, still driving her to safety, using his own body as a shield to protect her. He could feel the poison flowing through his body, making each limb slowly shut down. "Blood knives."  
  
Quistis had only read about them. They were knives that had an appetite for warm blood and sought it out with increasing thirst. Every taste they got made the knives hungry for more. Not only could the knives home in on a victim, their tips were usually poisoned to increase their lethality.  
  
She could see the blade in his arm twitch like it was alive, trying to burrow deeper. If she pulled it out, the knife would just jump out of her hands and find a new part of Enju's body to sink into. But she had to do something. The knives would finally hit true if more were thrown, never mind the blood he was losing or the poison coursing through his veins!  
  
In his mind, Enju was cursing the fact that Quistis was here. His fear of losing her became focused on the fact that if he didn't have to watch out for her, he could have dodged the blood knives before they had a chance to sense the warmth of his blood and home in.  
  
But he wouldn't let it end here.  
  
The future would not be what Silence had seen.  
  
Enju suddenly gave a fierce shove, sending Quistis tumbling in behind the shadow of a potted tree. "I won't let them have you!" he snarled, whirling back to the attackers. He seemed wildly ignorant of the knives that punctured his chest and thigh. One of the charging Blood Souls was upon him, but Enju still found himself in control of his right arm.  
  
The attacker's chest spilled open as the kinzoku-sensu's blades tore apart bone and skin, the man crashing to the ground in a bloodied pool. Enju was able to smile for a moment in knowing that now it was only two against one.  
  
Quistis would not die today.  
  
He refused to let it happen.  
  
Suddenly his life meant nothing once more, but it was not the same apathy he once held. In life he would forever be haunted. But in death, there was a chance to find peace, absolution. A maniacal smile was on his face as he struggled to stand, glaring at his enemy. To die for Quistis would not be such a horrible fate after all.  
  
And then the one on the rooftops made his presence known, dropping from above. Upon his right hand was a glove whose fingers had been given metallic claws. The fingers were brought together to form a vicious edged beak that was plunged into Enju's left shoulder, just beneath the collarbone.  
  
Blood spurted out in a strange, crimson cloud.  
  
Enju felt his body spin like a top as the Blood Soul effortlessly pulled out the claws and bounced away to a safer distance. Enju crumpled in a heap. His entire body was shaking, his vision going blurred. Why did he feel so hot? Was this from the poison? He managed to make out the distorted form of the knife thrower, who seemed preparing for another barrage.  
  
This strike he couldn't block.  
  
But he could feel himself dying anyways.  
  
There was nothing more he could do. If Quistis died here, if Quistis died now, then he had failed. And he would be damned forever.  
  
  
  
Only a few seconds had passed since Enju had shoved Quistis behind a surrogate shield. By the time he was killing the next attacker, she had rolled onto her feet and pulled out her rante. Unimpeded by anyone, she spun it around before snapping it forward. The strike was textbook perfect as the tip of the rante dug into the throat of the knife thrower. His larynx was crushed, causing blood to spill out from the gap under his jaw. Quistis didn't hear his last gurgled breaths as she sought out the last target.  
  
  
  
The afternoon crowd had made itself scarce after the first knife was thrown. There was nothing in Xu's way to stop her headlong flight to the scene. The SeeD paused only long enough to launch one of her sai at the man wearing the savage-looking metal claws. His scream punctuated the sharpened sai burrowing into his thigh.  
  
Xu skidded to a halt over Enju's prone form and took up a guarded stance with her remaining sai at the ready. There was no time for her to check to see if he was dead or alive.  
  
  
  
Quistis brought her rante around to strike at the last man standing. She clipped him on the cheek before drawing the chained whip back into her hands. Unexpectedly, she felt a shield of magic form around her. Carbuncle made itself know by adding its protective measures.  
  
The man with the metal claws suddenly cried out and dropped onto the ground as a sai buried itself into his leg. But that didn't seem enough to stop him; he immediately pulled out the sai and started to limp away.  
  
Even with the wound he was moving fast. Quistis had seen him practically bound across the rooftops and through the air, so this Blood Soul's agility didn't surprise her all that much. But Quistis wasn't about to let him go either, not after what they had done to Enju. She twisted the whip around and then launched it after him.  
  
  
  
The battle took no longer than a few heartbeats and Kei almost missed it. She charged down the cobblestone roadway chasing both Quistis' thrown rante and its intended target. It caught up with the man before she did and tangled up around his legs. Stumbling, he fell to the ground hard and rolled several times before coming to a halt. When he did, he found the tip of Kei's katana under his chin.  
  
"Move and you're dead," she said coolly.  
  
He didn't so much as wet himself.  
  
  
  
Enju seemed to be swimming in a puddle of his own blood as Quistis raced to his side, dropping to her knees.  
  
"Not such a bad thing," he mumbled. His voice was quiet, distanced, oddly amused. He was delirious from the poison and blood loss.  
  
Quistis could feel the tears streaming down her cheeks as she tried to find a way to stop the bleeding. But he seemed to be bleeding from everywhere, and then there was the poison to contend with.  
  
Xu gave a quick appraisal of the situation. She hissed something in Anshin, which resembled a phrase of disbelief.  
  
"Why didn't you let me help you?" Quistis demanded amidst her sobs.  
  
Enju managed a weakened smile. "I didn't want you to die." He convulsed, more blood spilling out from his mouth. Xu and Quistis tried to hold him down as he spasmed, seemingly trying to twist his body to a point where it would tear itself apart.  
  
"My hands are bloodied. I didn't want--" His eyes started to roll back into his skull. "--you to... share..."  
  
He lapsed into another convulsion, nearly biting his tongue off. From there, he didn't say anything more. He was lucky he was able to breathe.  
  
  
  
The local authorities arrived just in time to miss all the action. They were quick to further neutralize the assailant that was still living. The medics arrived on the heels of the police. Xu couldn't allow them to treat Enju. They'd have to strip him down to do that and then his identity would be revealed.  
  
"Stop!" She placed a restraining hand on the arm of one of the medics.  
  
"We need to get the bleeding under control before we can move him. I know you SeeDs like to think that you're super humans, but don't be a fool. Stand back and let us do what we're trained to do," the medic wrenched his arm free of her grasp.  
  
Xu pushed him away. "He has a condition that prevents traditional treatment. The only doctor that can help him is at the Garden," she explained hastily.  
  
The medic became increasingly frustrated with her refusal of medical treatment. Admittedly, Enju didn't look that great. She briefly considered the repercussions of allowing them to treat Enju. If he was found out, it would create a great many headaches not only for him, but for the Garden as well. Once it was uncovered that they were knowingly harboring a wanted murderer Garden's reputation would be destroyed. No, even if it did cost him his life, she couldn't allow his secret to be discovered.  
  
"We'll keep him alive with magic until he can be properly treated. If you want to help us, give us a ride back to the Garden," she said in a tone that was calmer than she felt. Her adrenaline was still racing after the battle. Understandable since the danger hadn't yet passed.  
  
The medic's mouth hung open. "You're out of your mind!"  
  
"Do it!" Xu ordered with authority that she didn't have. It was enough to snap the stunned medic into action. He had Enju transferred to a stretcher and placed in an awaiting ambulance.  
  
Xu climbed into the back, along with Kei and Quistis. The police had plenty of questions, but no one was willing to stick around and answer them. The police would undoubtedly be in contact with the Garden by this evening to raise hell with Cid.  
  
Quistis and Kei took turns casting Curagas on Enju. The poison was a strong one and not even an Esuna spell had been able to purge his body. Any healing they did was undone in a matter of minutes. It was a struggle to cast faster than the poison acted.  
  
Xu watched them work, but didn't join in on the effort. The eugenics that prevented Enju from ever being a strong spell caster also prevented spells from having much effect on him. Quistis was a naturally strong magic user, especially after coming into her own with her Blue Magic. Kei's skill came after much practice. Of the three of them, Xu was the weakest caster. A spell cast by her on Enju would have little to no effect on him.  
  
Doctor Kadowaki was waiting for their arrival. The medics had radioed ahead to give her a heads up. She was already prepared to perform emergency surgery on him as soon as they got him off the stretcher and onto the operating table. Everyone except Kadowaki and Kei (who was drafted into continued spell casting while she stabilized him) was ejected from the Infirmary. There would be no witnesses to the goings on within.  
  
  
  
Xu remained behind to guard the door to the Infirmary. There really was no reason for her to do so; the lock worked just fine. But it made *her* feel better to be doing something 'helpful'.  
  
Quistis wished to stay with her, but the Headmaster asked her to join him up in his office. She'd only been there a handful of times in the past. At his invitation she took a seat on one of the couches along the side of the room. He came from around his desk to sit next to her.  
  
Neither of them said anything for the longest time. The only thing on her mind was wondering if Enju would survive. She didn't hold any false hopes, fully realizing how grave his situation truly was. He was lucky to have lasted the battle and would be doubly so if he came out of this alive.  
  
Her thoughts were so focused on Enju that she didn't notice Cid studying her profile intently. Slowly she turned her head to face him and met his intense eyes.  
  
"How do you feel?" He asked gently.  
  
"I'm worried about Enju," she answered honestly.  
  
Ruefully he shook his head. "That's not what I meant." He took her hands up in his and gave them a firm squeeze. "You took a human life today. How do you feel?"  
  
"Oh..." She hadn't thought about it much. There were so many other things foremost in her mind that remorse and grief had yet to settle in. She could understand why he was asking how she felt, but there really wasn't much to say. "They tried to kill Enju and me. I don't feel anything but anger at them for their attack on us."  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
She shrugged. "You always warned us that the day would come when we might have to take another person's life. My time simply came before many other's."  
  
Cid frowned slightly, but accepted her answer. His most adept student had done something not even Xu had. It was a shame that it had to happen this soon. That she wasn't even a SeeD yet. It wasn't as simple as she made it out to be. Once the excitement of recent events has passed, then she may regret her actions. That's when he needed to be available to support her.  
  
He wouldn't lose Quistis when she was so close to graduating.  
  
  
  
Enju woke up groggily and twitched his nose at the antiseptic smell. Glancing up at the window indicated it was night. Without any lights on, the entire room was pitched in darkness.  
  
"Oh, not here again," he muttered. Before he had come to Balamb, he'd never even seen an underground doctor's office. Now it felt like he was getting treated every other week. "I hate this damn place."  
  
From the shadows at his bedside a person leaned over and turned on a dim light. Xu was dressed as casually as if they had been sparring. She looked pale and drawn, but had a small smile on her face.  
  
"In case you're wondering, I'm alive." He felt aching pain in every muscle in his body. There was no way he could be dead and suffering this much. Even talking had to be done in a hushed voice, or else his brain started to pound. "I must admit this comes as somewhat of a surprise to me."  
  
"Thanks to Quistis," Xu clarified. "She was the one who saved your life. After you went down, she beat back the Blood Souls until Kei and I arrived -- including killing one of them."  
  
Enju visibly winced, though his movements and expressions were slow in forming. He turned his head away from Xu so that she couldn't see the sadness in his eyes. Now his hope, his innocence, was as tainted as he was. It was his fault that Quistis had to kill another. If he'd left when Talasu first warned him about the danger, this would have never happened.  
  
Damn it all, this time he knew he could only blame himself.  
  
"Her hands are stained like mine," he whispered harshly. "I've become a demon and corrupted her."  
  
"The day would have come eventually."  
  
He glanced over at her sharply. "How can you say that? You've always been her staunchest defender."  
  
Xu shrugged slightly. "I'm also a realist."  
  
She left him to his thoughts for a few moments before continuing. "As you likely know, your attackers were all wanted men. Cid is gently pressuring the Balamb officials not to ask too many questions -- simply take their catch and go. Regardless of what he does, they're going to be here tomorrow to interview those who participated..."  
  
She paused and stared out the window, refusing to meet his eyes. "I suggest you go before they get here. This place is no longer safe for you."  
  
He didn't say anything. Instead he tried to sit up only to fall back to the mattress. Wincing with pain he grumbled, "Shit, I don't think I've felt this much pain since... Since... Since this was done." He lifted up an arm.  
  
"The tattoos or the eugenics?"  
  
"Between the eugenics, tattoos, and knives I can't decide which hurts the most. You have some experience in these things. What do you think?" He asked wryly.  
  
Xu gave his question some careful thought before answering. "I think losing the one you love hurts the most."  
  
He didn't answer right away. Her comment struck home for him. "I never had to worry about that; I haven't lost anyone I cared for... but today I came close. If I had died out there, and Quistis survived, I wouldn't have minded. I think I understand a little of how you feel, Xu."  
  
"The upcoming weeks, months, years even, won't be easy ones."  
  
"No need to tell me that; I've done this before," he concurred. "I've changed lives like they were shirts, but this life I want to keep... but it's what has to be done."  
  
Regretfully, Xu had to agree. "I've already packed your bags for you. They're in your room ready for when you decide to go."  
  
He nuzzled his head back into his pillow. "It's past curfew. I assume the Faculty will stop me if they spot me wandering the Garden."  
  
Xu chuckled lightly. "Honestly, when was the last time a guard stopped you when you didn't want to be stopped?"  
  
He had to grin at that. The point was well taken. The Faculty couldn't prevent him from leaving if he was that bent on going. He just had to build up the resolve to go.  
  
Standing up from the stool she was seated on Xu placed a hand gently on his shoulder. "It's been good knowing you, Enju."  
  
He reached up and gave it a squeeze. He couldn't even find the courage to say, "And you as well, Mistress."  
  
He didn't want to leave, but he had to soon. Right now he just wanted the illusion to live on a little more.  
  
Xu left the Infirmary then. She was tired enough that she could have fallen asleep where she stood, but there was one more stop she had to make before she crawled into bed. The lift took her up to the third floor office of the Headmaster. Despite the late hour, he was still awake and waiting for her arrival.  
  
"Will he be able to leave tonight?" The Headmaster asked after she was comfortably seated on the couch Quistis had occupied earlier in the day.  
  
"He'll find a way. I suspect the scare of almost losing Quistis shook him more than he's willing to admit. He's not one to repeat his mistakes." Xu leaned her head against the back of the couch wearily. It'd been too long of a day.  
  
"You've done your fair share of heroics today. I want you to rest tomorrow. If I see you in uniform I'll have you escorted to the Infirmary where you'll be confined to bed," Cid waggled a finger at her.  
  
Xu closed her eyes; her resistance to the call of sleep failing. "I'm all right. I just need a good night's rest."  
  
She didn't see Cid's frown. "You gave more blood than you should have. If you and Enju hadn't turned out to be such a good match..."  
  
Xu's lips curled up into a weak smile. "We'll both live, that's what matters."  
  
  
  
His bags were a hell of a lot heavier than he remembered them being, Enju grumbled to himself darkly as he moved quietly through the vacant hallways. Once he found a safe place to hide out for a few days he planned on sleeping until every last ounce of weariness was relieved. The poison weakened him entirely too much. Of course, Kadowaki was amazed that he could have taken over a dozen hits and survived at all. He really did have Quistis and the others to thank for it.  
  
Enju tried to burn every last image of Balamb Garden to memory with each step he took. Every sound and scent, every door and breezeway. This was what he wanted to take with him when he disappeared. In a strange nostalgic way, he could hear the distant echoes of cadets calling out to each other, of lectures from the Faculty, and the sounds of hand to hand combat in the Training Centre.  
  
This life was no longer his own.  
  
But the memories were still his to keep.  
  
Idly, he wondered what new name awaited him; he'd have to think of one soon enough. Transportation had already been arranged off Balamb, though not even Cid knew about it. Shortly Enju would be no more. A new person would be left in the cadet's wake. For now even Enju wasn't sure what that person would be like.  
  
He was just outside of the final gate when a shadow separated itself from the ones surrounding it. "You just had to leave with a bang, didn't you?" Kei challenged.  
  
Enju paused in his retreat to answer her. "Technically speaking, there were no guns involved." He had to laugh as Kei gave another exasperated groan. Even still, this was good-bye for them too, and so his laugh lacked its usual edge. "For what it's worth, Kei," he said, adjusting the positioning of a shoulder strap for one of his bags. "You'd have made a terrific assassin if you weren't already a SeeD. Maybe we'll see each other again some day."  
  
Kei managed a smile. "Just don't give me a reason to kick your ass the next time we meet, okay?"  
  
He nodded, and her phrasing caused him to smirk. Speaking of reasons, he'd left his mark in the Training Center before departing. A reminder that he had once been someone named Enju, and that Enju had once stayed here for a short, but treasured duration of time. He wondered how long it would take someone to find the 'ENJU WAS HERE' he etched into one of the trees.  
  
"Take care of Quistis while I'm away?"  
  
"I'll guard her with my life," Kei agreed.  
  
In this world of millions of people, each one was different. Some held more similarities than others did, and sometimes two people were complete opposites. Despite this, at times it was possible to find a common ground between people who were otherwise at odds.  
  
Even if they were Spirits, Quistis was the bond that drew them together.  
  
  
  
The matter with the Balamb authorities was neatly brushed under the rug once the obligatory interviews were conducted. Quistis didn't know what Cid told them about Enju's disappearance. It wasn't something for her to worry about and so she didn't.  
  
A few days after he left she received a package in the mail. She was used to getting the occasional letter from the twins, LeVar, Jessie and once in a while Skye if they were on assignment. The package was a surprise, especially since the sender wasn't indicated on it, nor was there a return address.  
  
Gingerly she opened it. Inside was the board game she and Kei played together. There was no note inside, but she didn't need one to know whom it was from. It was Enju's way of fulfilling his promise to her.  
  
----- Please visit our website at www.centragarden.net 


	15. Part 15

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 15  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans   
edited by Helen Fong   
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C.   
  
  
  
'The pieces are moving into place,' Cid mused thoughtfully as he regarded   
the screen in front of him. Displayed was a list of next term's new and   
transfer students. What he saw pleased him, as he knew that this was one of   
the most promising classes yet..  
  
In less than ten years he had established the Garden as a first rate   
military academy. SeeDs were respected and feared throughout the world, but   
that wasn't his primary goal. Idly he wondered if his mercenaries were truly   
ready for the battles that awaited them.  
  
The world was at relative peace, but that didn't mean the tide couldn't   
turn suddenly. If Galbadia was no longer content with only holding most of the   
continent or if the Shumi wanted the humans out of Trabia... There was a   
fragile balance currently being maintained. One person could tip the scales   
and tear the world apart.  
  
Cid knew of such a person. It was because of them that he worked so   
vigorously to prepare. Would the SeeDs needed to neutralize that threat be   
ready in time? How much time did he have left? He estimated at least a couple   
years, but he couldn't be sure. Sometimes it seemed to be a dream; an old   
man's fear of the future. But it was with the conviction of the most fervent   
zealot that he believed in the necessity of SeeD.  
  
He gave everything he had to the organization. Some might say he even   
went so far as to sell his soul for it. It felt that way sometimes, he   
reflected. The costs for making his dream a reality were staggering. He   
couldn't do it on his own. So he entered a pact with the devil himself...  
  
Cid shook that thought off.  
  
He was a master manipulator; a man and his marionettes. Nine times out of   
ten he could accomplish his ends with sweet words of honey. He'd done that   
with the Balamb officials to keep them off of Enju's tail. What a mess that   
would have been if word had gotten out. If Xu hadn't been so adamant that Enju   
be treated at the Garden...  
  
Xu, now there was an investment that was paying off handsomely. She was   
becoming everything he had hoped and more. Next week Quistis will be   
graduating; another fruitful labor. And then there were those students who   
were still growing. Young Squall Leonhart was bound to play a role in the   
events to come.  
  
Yes, the pieces were coming together nicely.  
  
*****  
  
After graduating from the Garden, Kei took less notice of how the school   
year progressed. Events such as the mid-term exams were no longer had the   
bearing on her life that they once held. The release from such pressures and   
schedules was something Kei appreciated about being a SeeD.  
  
Despite no longer having relevance in her day-to-day life, there were some   
events during the school year that Kei could not ignore. Breaks were one   
thing. Upcoming field exams were another. Especially when this term's exam   
held the prospect of involving Quistis.  
  
There was still the matter of Quistis taking the Fire Cavern test that was   
in need of resolution. The cadet hadn't mentioned it, but Kei could see the   
worry in her eyes as the days crept closer towards the end of the term.   
Quistis was demonstrating the same nonchalance that Xu possessed when it came   
to the written test, but being caught for their transgression regarding the   
Fire Cavern test frightened her. The Regulations Manual didn't outline any   
sort of punishment for taking the test early. Who would have guessed that some   
feckless cadet would dare?  
  
To set things right without being caught meant that either Kei or Eugene   
would have to be the one to accompany Quistis during the test as her support.   
Since the test only required a SeeD as back up (and not an Instructor) that was   
fine. The biggest obstacle was in the form of Xu. Quistis' best friend made   
no secret of wanting to be the one to take her through the Cavern.  
  
There had to be a way to dissuade Xu (without offending her) and   
substituting herself instead. Kei had an idea on how to do just that, but she   
would have to ask another favor of the Garden's good Doctor.  
  
For as much trouble as their night of adventure has caused, Kei couldn't   
help but be reminded that no good deed goes unpunished.  
  
*****  
  
In the quiet of her quarters Xu sighed heavily and set aside another   
Garden application filed by a student who didn't meet the minimum   
qualifications for admittance. Where did Cid come up with these endless piles   
of paperwork to be processed? And didn't he have the Shumi or an   
administrative staff to help him sort it out? Perhaps Martine wasn't so out of   
line by having Eileen as his aide.  
  
Xu sighed again as she thought of what she was missing out on because of   
the Headmaster's insistence that she have these finished by the end of the day.   
Quistis was taking the Fire Cavern test right this very moment. Xu always   
thought that she would be the SeeD to sponsor her friend's testing. Instead   
Kei volunteered to take her when the Headmaster buried Xu under a mountain of   
paperwork.  
  
Xu trusted Kei to take care of Quistis during the trial. Kei promised to   
seek her out as soon as they returned to the Garden. 'Don't worry, Quistis is   
ready,' Xu assured herself. How could the cadet not be after all she's been   
through?  
  
With a final sigh of resignation Xu returned to reviewing applicants.  
  
*****  
  
With practiced ease Quistis yanked her rante back to her. The throbbing   
heat of the Fire Cavern was as intense as she remembered. Experience and   
growth made monsters easier to defeat than before, even though they were   
lacking the third party member that they had the last time she was here.  
  
Before entering the Shumi guards insisted that they set a time limit on   
their adventuring. Kei nudged her towards saying that they could finish the   
test in less than 10 minutes, but finishing it that quickly would raise   
suspicions in Quistis' opinion. She said that she could do it in less than 20   
and the guards parted to allow them to enter. Quistis wasn't even sure how the   
time limit would apply in this case. Did the timer stop once they reached the   
inner depths of the Cavern and Ifrit's chamber or what? According to Kei,   
Ifrit wouldn't challenge them again.  
  
Without the fear and wonderment that accompanied her the first time she   
entered Ifrit's lair, she took in her surroundings. The pool of molten lava   
bubbled at the center of the chamber. Quistis noticed the pitted ground and   
tried to identify marks that were a result of her confrontation with the fiery   
Guardian Force.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye Quistis watched Kei approach the pool. The   
SeeD bowed deeply to it and said something that was lost in the noise of the   
burbling lava. Quistis resumed her searching quickly when Kei stood up and   
backed away from the edge.  
  
"Let's get out of here," Kei called over to her. "This place is starting   
to make me sweat."  
  
A bemused smile came to Quistis' face before she schooled her features and   
rejoined Kei. Quistis didn't doubt that Kei had her own reasons for coming to   
the Fire Cavern. After being introduced to the Anshin belief system she   
wouldn't be surprised if Kei had just paid her respects to a fellow Spirit.   
Exactly what it meant to be a Spirit still eluded Quistis, but if it was   
important to Kei, she wouldn't mind going out of her way to fulfill   
obligations.  
  
It was already after dinnertime when Kei and Quistis returned. Xu had   
left a message for them that she would be in her office and to see her when   
they were settled. The two adventurers caught a quick meal in the Cafeteria   
before meeting up with Xu.  
  
"I'm sorry, I've got a few more applications to review. If you're not too   
tired, why not practice a bit until I'm finished?" Xu suggested. Quistis   
recalled that Xu's desk was covered in applications before they left and knew   
that Xu was nearly done if she was down to the handful of files that were   
neatly stacked in a corner.  
  
Quistis didn't spar with Kei all that often. Honestly, she felt   
intimidated by the SeeD's superior combat abilities. She reminded herself   
again that Kei was a seasoned SeeD. It wasn't fair to compare herself to the   
elder woman, not when there was such a wide gap in their amount of experience.  
  
The battle was going in Quistis' favor. With a playfully cocky expression   
that she would only show to a few people she said, "I think I'm ready to   
graduate."  
  
Kei returned her smile with a shark-like one of her own. She twisted   
Quistis' rante around her sword, effectively pinning down. "Are you really?"  
  
Quistis blanched and let out a sigh. She looked over at Xu, who was now   
standing at the edge of the mat. Her friend was laughing lightly at their   
boastful banter.  
  
"Honestly though," Kei caught Quistis' attention again, "there are a few   
more things for you to learn before you graduate."  
  
One of her eyebrows arched questioningly. Quistis glanced over at Xu   
again. This time she had a look to her that said plainly enough that Kei and   
Xu had fully intended to catch her at some point for a chat and that now was   
that time.  
  
Withdrawing her sword from the rante-tangle, Kei pointed towards the   
center of the mat with it and invited them to sit. "I assume Xu has spoken   
with you about the evil of boys and how you shouldn't date any until you're   
older than me."  
  
Quistis almost burst out laughing. "I'll never be older than you!"  
  
Kei smirked. "Exactly."  
  
"Yes, Quistis and I have discussed that," Xu assured her cousin. Turning   
towards Quistis she continued, "You're going to be in the unenviable position   
of being a higher rank to many of those who would date you. You'll have to be   
especially careful about those you show favor towards."  
  
"You have an effect on others Quistis. You're a beautiful woman, there   
should be no false modesty about that. You are also a brilliant woman. Your   
intelligence will be admired -- as I'm sure you've already experienced --   
sought after, and even feared," Kei added.  
  
Quistis nodded her acknowledgement of their points. They were all things   
she'd thought about on numerous occasions, now more than ever. So much of what   
Sean had told her was turning out to be true. People did try to manipulate   
her, but she avoided their wiles. As he predicted, she was growing into lovely   
woman, even she could see that. Oh, how she wished that he could see her   
now...  
  
"Have you ever wondered why you never saw much of Skye when you were   
roommates?" Kei asked out of the blue. Quistis hadn't given much thought to   
her former roommate after she had graduated. Skye was stationed at Balamb (as   
most SeeDs were), but she was often on assignment.  
  
"Yes..." she answered slowly. Skye was an odd one to begin with. Quistis   
had just written it off as another quirk.  
  
"She's one of those people who felt intimidated by your intelligence. As   
you no doubt noticed, she never studied while you were around."  
  
"I just assumed that she preferred to study alone." Was Kei implying that   
Quistis had scared her roommate off? That was absurd! Quistis hadn't done   
anything malicious to Skye.  
  
Kei nodded her head in agreement with that theory. "That's what I thought   
as well until I found her here studying one day."  
  
"Here? In the training room?" Xu asked with surprise. Quistis took some   
small comfort in the fact that she wasn't the only one having bombshells   
dropped on her. This was obviously Xu's first time for hearing the story as   
well.  
  
Kei shook her head in the negative. "No, here as in the Training Center.   
I was training and heard a noise from an old Grat's nest. I poked my head into   
the entrance and damn near got it shot off."  
  
Both Quistis and Xu paled.  
  
"The kid had taken over a nest from the Grats and turned it into her own.   
If she went to the Library or study lounges you would have found her." Kei   
explained to Quistis.  
  
That was insane! She intimidated Skye and so Skye hid out in a dangerous   
place to study. Quistis was left speechless. Then something else Kei said   
gave her a new line of questioning to follow.  
  
"You said she nearly shot you...?"  
  
Kei sighed and nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry Quistis, but she lied to you   
when she said that she used a dagger as her primary means of combat. Her   
specialty is pistols. She didn't want to tell you because of Sean. She   
thought it was terribly unfair of the Headmaster to pair you up as roommates so   
soon after his death. Especially when you harbored self-doubts on several   
levels."  
  
"I thought she smelled like gunpowder sometimes..." Quistis felt   
disappointed that Skye hadn't trusted her with the truth. She could see her   
former roommate's reason for lying to her about so many things. Her intentions   
were good. Quistis had to ask herself honestly if she could have lived with   
Skye knowing what she does now. It would have been difficult sharing a room   
with such a reminder.  
  
"Please tell me that you did something to prevent her from using the   
Grat's nest," Xu buried her face in her hands. Admittedly, the Center wasn't   
her domain until after Skye had graduated, but even the thought of a student   
doing that caused her to shudder.  
  
"I gave her access to my quarters and permission to study there whenever   
she wanted, whether I was there or not."  
  
"Where's the nest?" Xu would make sure Skye's stunt wasn't repeated.  
  
"Don't worry about it," Kei assured. "The nest was destroyed when Enju   
and I had our little bout.  
  
"The reason I brought this up, Quistis, is because I wanted you to   
understand that people may act differently around you. I know you've gone   
through a lot effort to 'fit in', but it just isn't going to happen entirely.   
I'm stating the obvious, but sometimes it needs to be said. You've already   
done things that many seasoned SeeDs haven't. You know what I'm referring to   
especially..." Kei let her voice trail off.  
  
She was referring to Quistis taking another person's life. Months after   
the fact and she still felt little remorse for her actions. The Headmaster   
insisted that she attend a few counseling sessions with Kadowaki, but there was   
nothing to discuss in her opinion. She felt completely justified in defending   
herself and her friends. Wasn't that part of her training? Perhaps they were   
the ones who felt guilty for doing their jobs too well...?  
  
"Quistis, what do you want to do after you graduate? What do you see your   
role in SeeD being?" Xu asked. Xu already had a feeling for what Quistis'   
answer would be, but wanted to confirm it.  
  
The cadet leaned back in thought. "I'll do whatever I'm assigned to do,   
but if it were my choice I'd become an Instructor."  
  
"And you realize that Instructor's training is only offered at Galbadia   
Garden?" Xu pressed further.  
  
She nodded ruefully. "Yes. Balamb is my home, but sometimes you have to   
leave to learn new things, right?"  
  
"Right," Kei agreed and Quistis smiled. Kei and Xu were the poster   
children for that idea. Both of them left their home in search of training   
that couldn't be found there. If they could make such a leap of faith, why   
couldn't she?  
  
*****  
  
Quistis was unable to sleep the night before the written exam. She tossed   
and turned and let her mind run all over the place. She tried to calm her   
nerves, but it just wasn't happening. Around two o'clock she went to the   
Training Center to work off some of the nervous energy that was keeping her   
awake, but it seemed limitless. After an hour of battling Grats she gave up   
and went back to her room to read until it was time to get up.  
  
There really was no reason for her to be so nervous. This was book   
knowledge, her strength. Xu's point that by this time she either knew it or   
she didn't echoed from the past to haunt her. Intellectually, she knew that   
she was rock solid on the materials that would be covered, but there were   
always the lingering doubts that tempted her to study just a bit longer. She   
did her best to silence those voices. They would only tear her down. She knew   
the material. She was ready.  
  
The written exam was a comprehensive one. It tested the taker's knowledge   
in all areas of study, not just subjects that were directly SeeD related.   
There were math problems, multiple choice, short essay, history, language,   
mechanics and so on. No wonder the test took several hours to complete.  
  
It was with a sense of relief when Quistis hit the submit button on the   
final section of the test and waited for the results. Prompted by the terminal   
it sat behind at the front of the room, the Shumi proctor went back to where   
Quistis was seated to unlock her results. She scooted aside to allow it room   
to tap in its pass code. After taking note of the screen it shook its robes   
and said, "Congratulations."  
  
The exuberance Quistis felt at seeing the PASSED displayed on her terminal   
was beyond words. A small part of her wondered what her exact score was, but   
it didn't really matter. She only had to pass and that's what she had done.  
  
She slipped out of the room without disturbing those still taking the   
test. A pair of junior classmen who wanted to know her results stopped her at   
the door. When they wrote 'passed' next to her name on the board, there was a   
cheer from the gathered Trepies.  
  
"Congrats!" Nym said once Quistis had made her way through the crowd at   
the door. Her former roommate patted her on the back. "Now comes the hard   
part: the field exam. I wonder what the Headmaster's got up his sleeve this   
time?"  
  
"I have no idea," Quistis shook her head ruefully, a smile lighting up her   
entire face. Her ignorance wasn't for lack of trying. She'd been watching the   
newslinks like a hawk for the last two weeks keeping an eye out for anything   
that SeeD might get involved in. Not many of SeeD's missions made it as far as   
the newslinks, but she could always hope for a heads up.  
  
Their first stop on her victory tour was the training room. Now that she   
was an Instructor, Xu couldn't cut class to go sit in the hallway and wait for   
Quistis. The idea of an Instructor cutting class for something like that   
caused Quistis to laugh out loud. Her spirits were so high, it was like   
nothing could bring her down.  
  
"I knew you would do it!" Xu complimented. "I bet you didn't sleep a wink   
last night, did you?"  
  
Quistis bowed her head in acknowledgement. "I was too excited to sleep."  
  
Xu smiled. "Just as I thought. Well, get some rest tonight. The field   
exam could be any time you know."  
  
Indeed, the field exam was Quistis' next worry. There wasn't much for   
waiting cadets to do between the written and field exams. Quistis went to   
class (though it was more of a study hall for her now that she was a candidate   
for graduation) and played Triple Triad with the junior classmen during the   
evenings.  
  
She was reading a book in her class when their Shumi Instructor told them   
to get ready for the field exam. Usually they were given some time to prepare   
before the exam, but not this time. The Instructor dismissed the class except   
for the dozen cadets being tested. Cid came into the classroom once it was   
just them with a pair of Shumi in tow. Between the Shumi they pushed a cart   
with stacks of folded uniforms on it.  
  
"These are all the candidates?" He asked their Instructor before nodding   
sagely and turning to address them. "Very good, let's begin then.  
  
"Our client is the Galbadian government. For those of you who follow the   
Galbadian football league you'll already know that the championship game   
between the Southwest district and Deling City is tonight at the capital. The   
games are usually rowdy, but this one is expected to be even more so since the   
President's Cup is on the line.  
  
"SeeD has been contracted to assist the Galbadian authorities in riot   
prevention and crowd control. Galbadian units are going to maintain positions   
throughout Deling City. SeeDs from Balamb and Galbadia Gardens will be at the   
game itself. Let it never be said the SeeD can't get you admitted into the big   
events."  
  
A hesitant laugh ran through the room at Cid's stab at humor. Quistis   
wasn't sure what to make of this exam. They were going to stand by at the game   
and keep things from getting out of hand? That sounded rather dull to her.   
Then again, if the crowds rioted, it could get interesting real quick.  
  
Cid patted the uniforms sitting on the cart next to him. "At the request   
of the Galbadian officials, we'll be wearing their uniforms. They wish to   
present a uniform face to the people. It's a sound idea since a person with a   
fair amount of liquor in them might get it in their head to try to take   
advantage of a cadet. Not that that's possible," he nodded his own   
reassurance.  
  
"Along with being issued a uniform, you'll be given a helmet, binders --   
should you need to restrain someone -- and a baton. You are to leave your   
regular weapons here, including your belt knives and offensive magics. Please   
take your curative magic and Guardian Forces with you, but under no   
circumstances will you summon your GFs.  
  
"I can't tell you exactly what you'll be doing. When you arrive, you'll   
be split into pairs and teamed up with a SeeD who will act as your unit   
commander. If you're lucky, the worse thing that will happen is that there'll   
be some pushing and shoving to get into the lavatory between halves.  
  
"This may seem like an insignificant mission to you, but it is something   
SeeD has committed to do. For the honor of SeeD, give it your all. Maintain   
the peace. Impress the Galbadians with a professionalism they aren't accustom   
to seeing." Cid gave them each a long appraising look before dismissing   
himself from the room.  
  
The cadets changed quickly into the uniforms they were issued. Quistis   
didn't mind the mixed company that they were in. She was a professional (or   
close enough) and such minor things didn't get to her. At fifteen years,   
Quistis was the youngest person taking the exam. Fortunately, she wasn't the   
smallest and the helmets they were provided with had mirrored face shields and   
built in coms. If she kept her shield down, no one would be the wiser as to   
the youth of the person within.  
  
Taking the train to Deling City, they arrived hours before the game was   
scheduled to start. Galbadia wanted all of its security in place before it   
opened the stadium to the gathering fans.  
  
The SeeD in charge of the unit Quistis was assigned to, was dressed in a   
red Galbadian commander's uniform instead of the blue grunt ones the cadets   
ended up with. His name was Haynes. Quistis hadn't met him before, but did   
recall seeing him in passing..  
  
Having never been to a professional sports arena before, Quistis was   
impressed by the size of Deling Stadium. She guestimated the capacity to be   
between 25,000 and 30,000 people. There were broad sidelines around the field   
itself with chain linked fencing separating the crowd and those on the ground   
level. A row of sky boxes arched over the stands at midfield, providing what   
must be an excellent view of the game below.  
  
Grounds keepers worked frantically to make sure everything was perfect for   
today's game. The vendors were equally harried as they prepared their goods   
for the public's consumption. The smell of Balamb's staple food (hot dogs)   
wafted in the air and mingled with the scent of beer. Quistis made note of   
that. She wasn't sure how serious Cid was about drunken fans, but the   
possibility was definitely there if they were selling alcohol.  
  
Quistis kept her face shield pulled down until SeeD Haynes motioned for   
his two charges to huddle up for a quick meeting.  
  
"They're going to start letting the crowd in after President Deling has   
arrived and is settled. We've been assigned section C-7 of the stadium to   
patrol. Usually a unit like ours would cover three sections, but the security   
has been increased significantly for this game," he paused to snort lightly.   
"C-7 is near the sky boxes coincidentally. If a VIP happens along us let's be   
on our best behavior, okay?" Both Quistis and her classmate acknowledged his   
orders. He then led the way to that part of the stadium.  
  
Despite the gravity of the situation she was currently in, her mind   
wandered as she looked up at the high ceiling corridor and the numerous   
Galbadian flags that hung from the arches. Everything she'd seen today had a   
very nationalistic feel to it. One could never forget that they were in   
Galbadia while being here. Quistis allowed herself to briefly ponder where the   
line between patriotic and nationalistic was. Balamb was definitely patriotic   
in that they flew their flags and sang their anthem, but it wasn't as   
oppressive as Galbadia's form of patriotism.  
  
  
  
Aucifer bounced lightly from one foot to the other as he looked at the   
long line of people in front of him. Next to him, Pan stood casually with his   
arms folded across his chest. The gates weren't going to open any faster no   
matter how excited they were.  
  
"Are you sure they've got our tickets?" The younger Master asked again.  
  
"I haven't missed a championship game since Deling came to power," Pan   
reminded. "Our passes are waiting for us up at the ticket booth."  
  
The reason he hadn't missed a game was because Vinzer was the one who had   
gotten him the passes each year. Admittedly, it was an abuse of power to use   
his friend's influence to get football tickets, but he didn't feel very bad   
about it. They weren't in the sky boxes and they weren't the best seats, but   
they were good enough. Then again, an avid fan would take a ticket for the   
toilet if they were selling that seat, just to be in the stadium.  
  
Vinzer always got Pan two passes in case he wanted to bring a friend   
along. In the past he would invite Niethe despite her not being much of a   
football fan. She'd go to indulge him, but didn't really enjoy herself. This   
year he invited Aucifer instead.. The young Master jumped at the prospect of   
getting to see the President's Cup.  
  
And being the twisted woman that she is, Niethe made Aucifer's life hell   
during the time between Pan issuing his invitation and when Aucifer boarded the   
train bound for Deling City. Niethe spent the last month threatening to make   
Aucifer work on the day of the game and loaded him down with extra duties while   
citing that he had to earn the few days off he was taking. Viscous woman.  
  
  
  
Their unit was already in place when the call came over the com that   
Vinzer Deling was entering the stadium. SeeD Haynes ordered them into a   
position that helped secure the President's route from his car to the sky box   
he would occupy during the game.  
  
The glimpse Quistis got of the legendary dictator was brief. The guards   
that escorted him eyed them with suspicion even though they were all on the   
same 'side'. Next to Deling was a distinguished man with many military honors   
hanging on his chest. His hair was raven black except for the sides, where age   
had begun to turn it to a frosty white.  
  
What caused Quistis the greatest amount of surprise at witnessing this   
entourage was the girl that was around her age who hung loosely to the   
distinguished man's hand. Her hair was likewise dark and cascaded down her   
back. Her wide eyes greedily drank in her surroundings as though she wasn't   
allowed out to explore the world around her all that often.  
  
The group brushed by their position and continued along the route towards   
the sky boxes.  
  
  
  
General Caraway allowed his muscles to relax only after they were safely   
in the sky box. He couldn't very well scold Vinzer for asking him along.   
Caraway wanted to be here as much as the President did, but having so many   
civilians around during an event with a high chance of riot made the muscles in   
his back and shoulders tie into knots.  
  
Even more so, bringing his daughter, Rinoa, along caused him to feel ill   
at ease. Vinzer had suggested it. He always held a fondness for the girl,   
though she didn't see it. Rinoa sat with her knees pulled up under her chin in   
a plush chair that was pulled up to the windows. He mentally scolded her for   
not sitting like a lady, especially when in such prestigious company, but said   
nothing.  
  
Walking over to look through the bulletproof glass he observed the guard   
deployment below them. He then noticed that they'd started letting the   
civilians in. He remembered a time when he would be down in the stands   
drinking beer with his buddies as he cheered on Deling City. Nowadays his duty   
and rank allowed him the 'better' things in life -- seating in the Presidential   
box, foods that couldn't be found elsewhere in the stadium, mixed drinks,   
whatever he wanted. And what he wanted, a quiet part of him realized, was to   
turn back the clock and return to the times with his buddies in the cheap   
seats. Who said power could get you everything?  
  
  
  
"Here come the fanatics," the com in Quistis' helmet squeaked. She was   
tuned into an open frequency and was receiving messages from both SeeD and   
Galbadian units, though primarily the Galbadians used this channel.  
  
"Considering that this is supposed to be the game of the decade, I don't   
blame them for being excited," another voice chimed in.  
  
"Why is it such a big deal?" A female voice asked with a touch of   
annoyance in her tone.  
  
"You're obviously not a football fan, so I'll explain it to you. Deling   
City has been the reigning champions four seasons out of the last five. The   
Southwest district is backwater Galbadia, there ain't nothing out there.   
They're serious under dogs in this game." The first voice explained.  
  
"Under dogs with a lot of heart and gung-ho fans," the second added.  
  
"Silly male sports..." The female grumbled.  
  
There was a bit of a pause and then the second voice spoke again. "Are   
you sure you're at the right game? This is the women's league President's Cup.   
The fans tend to get more into the women's league football than the men's."  
  
"The women's games are wilder both on and off the field," his buddy backed   
him up.  
  
The com beeped, indicating that Quistis should switch over to a private   
SeeD channel. It was Haynes. "When we do our rounds I want to you go into the   
woman's restroom and make sure everything is alright since you're the only   
female in our unit."  
  
"Yes, sir," she acknowledged promptly.  
  
Guarding toilets, what kind of final exam was that?  
  
  
  
Aucifer walked down the broad bleacher steps to as close to the field as   
the guards would let him. Slowly he took in a deep breath and savored the   
smell of freshly cut grass. In his mind he could already hear the cheering,   
could already see the players racing from one end of the field to the other.   
This'll be great.  
  
Turning around he made his way back up through the thickening crowd to   
find the seats Pan had gotten. When Aucifer asked where he got the tickets Pan   
simply said that he had a friend with connections. It must be one hell of a   
friend if he was able to get President's Cup passes to give to a pair of   
Weapons Masters.  
  
Pan joined Aucifer not long after he'd settled in with a basket of fried   
foods that Niethe would smack Aucifer upside the head for eating if she knew.   
But this was his vacation and he was allowed to indulge a little.  
  
Already the crowd was somewhat unruly due to its growing excitement. Two   
rows down from them a half dozen men were loudly singing a football cheer while   
swaying back and forth. Aucifer desperately hoped that they'd burn off their   
excess energy by the time the game started. Their lame attempts at carrying a   
tune assaulted the ears of those around them.  
  
  
  
It was a stroke of good luck that Biggs was assigned to the personal   
security detail for President Deling. He was certain that today would be his   
big day if the President could see him in action. Never mind that he was   
posted at the bottom of the stairs that led up to the President's sky box.   
Deling would have to pass him on his way to and from. Images of breaking up   
fistfights between crazed football fans as his superior looked on with approval   
danced in his head. All he needed was a chance to prove himself.  
  
His mind was so wrapped up in his fantasies that Biggs didn't notice the   
patrol that passed by him.  
  
Quistis glanced over at the dazed looking guard and decided to keep moving   
rather than stop and ask questions.  
  
  
  
Caraway stood at the window and watched the stands fill up with an ever   
churning mass of bodies. Whenever it looked like the stands were full,   
spectators would be jammed into the limited space, adding even more movement to   
the ebb and flow of people.  
  
He gave Rinoa another concerned look. She was being relatively   
well-behaved if not a bit pouty today. As she grew older, she had become more   
and more unruly. He blamed himself for that. He wasn't able to be around her   
as much as she needed, and since her mother died...  
  
"Would you like something to eat, Rinoa?" He asked gently. There was a   
table at the back of the room laden with a wide variety of foods. He was sure   
to find something she would like back there.  
  
The girl shook her head without taking her eyes away from the masses   
below.  
  
He bit down on his lip. Couldn't she at least treat him with the respect   
a daughter owes her father when in the presence of President Deling?  
  
He went to the back of the room to get a plate of finger foods for   
himself. Vinzer was also at the table helping himself.  
  
"She's grown so much since I last saw her," the President commented in a   
hushed tone. Caraway doubted Rinoa would pay attention to them even if they   
yelled in her ear.  
  
"That she has..." He agreed tactfully.  
  
Vinzer gave his general a look, and a knowing smile upturned the corners   
of his lips. "Experiencing the 'terrible teens'?"  
  
Caraway bowed his head in mute acknowledgement. "You could call it that."  
  
"She'll grow out of it."  
  
"Someday. I wish her mother were still alive," Caraway admitted in a near   
whisper.  
  
Vinzer put a consoling hand on his forearm. "Don't we all? She was a   
beautiful woman with a beautiful voice. The heavens surely accepted another   
angel into their midst when she joined them."  
  
The general nodded and then stood straighter, shaking off the moment of   
self-pity that he allowed himself. "Thank you."  
  
  
  
A deafening roar went through the crowd as the teams came out onto the   
field, heralding the start of the game. Quistis was grateful for the muffling   
effect her helmet offered, no matter that its effectiveness was limited.  
  
Quistis didn't pay too much attention to the action on the field. She   
wasn't well versed in the rules of the game. All she knew was that the point   
was to kick the ball into the opposing team's goal. If she'd known beforehand   
that she was going to be here she would have boned up on the rules. As it was,   
the game itself didn't have much bearing on her mission. She was here to keep   
the peace, not watch.  
  
By listening to the open frequency she learned that at least one brawl had   
broken out on the other side of the stadium and three people were arrested for   
disorderly conduct. It was a quiet game by her reckoning. If the night ended   
with less than a dozen arrests she'd consider it a successful mission.  
  
The first half passed by faster than she expected. Apparently the halves   
were 45 minutes long and nothing stopped the clock. That certainly kept the   
game moving. During the half time the stands emptied as spectators rushed the   
vendors to get more refreshments and to use the public facilities. At SeeD   
Haynes direction they kept an eye out for unruly behavior or anything   
suspicious. This was a great time for a pickpocket to hit if they were going   
to.  
  
It was almost as if Haynes had foreseen the future. A startled cry of   
outrage caught her attention and she scanned the crowd for the source. Bodies   
were forcibly shoved out of the way as a willowy man ran towards her. Quistis   
positioned herself to intercept the thief, but he caught sight of her, turned   
right around, and ran back the way he came. What on earth was he thinking?!  
  
Quistis gave chase with Haynes and her fellow cadet on his tail as well.   
Somehow Quistis was making better progress through the crowd than her team   
members were. She flipped her com over to the Galbadian frequency and tried to   
catch the attention of the guard she knew was posted up ahead by the   
President's sky box. They could catch this guy if the guard intercepted him.  
  
  
  
"What do you want? Do you realize you're speaking with one of President   
Deling's personal escorts? I don't have to assist you," Biggs sneered into his   
com as some lackey tried to foist her work off on him. He was above having to   
deal with the scoundrels that the grunts had to keep on a short leash.  
  
A hand placed on his shoulder caught his attention. Biggs turned slightly   
and looked up to see Deling's lapdog, General Caraway. "Is everything all   
right?" He asked simply.  
  
"Yes, sir," Biggs saluted to Caraway even though he despised the man.   
Caraway's loyalty to Deling without having the strings of promotion or some   
other personal benefit attached disgusted Biggs. If you're going to serve a   
man, do it for a reason! Not just because you like him or for some patriotic   
nonsense. Watch out for number one, that was Biggs motto in life.  
  
Caraway stepped past Biggs and into the bustling corridor. It was then   
that the tides parted and a man on the run exploded out from the crowd.   
Reflexively Caraway placed himself in a position to intercept the man's   
headlong flight. There was no way for him to avoid the general's body, which   
was acting as a roadblock to his escape.  
  
A blue uniformed guard was only a few steps behind him and caught the man   
in her arms as he backpedaled after bouncing off of Caraway. She efficiently   
took him down to his knees and forced his forehead to the cement floor.  
  
Biggs rushed forward to assist the guard in the apprehension of the   
perpetrator, or so Caraway thought.  
  
"What are you doing? This man just ran into a guest of the President.   
You're both going to be in a load of trouble for this!" He scolded the guard.   
To her credit, the guard didn't respond to Biggs' threats as she fought to keep   
her suspect restrained.  
  
Disgusted with her efforts, Biggs kicked the man in the guts. The man   
crumpled over.  
  
"That's how you prevent a suspect from resisting arrest," he patronized   
her. He was about to give the suspect another kick when the guard's unit   
commander pulled him away.  
  
The two guards in the unit put binders on the suspect and then helped him   
to his feet. He was still coughing from being stunned by Biggs, but would be   
okay.  
  
"Thank you for your assistance in capturing the suspect," the commander   
said by way of polite dismissal, "we'll take care of it from here."  
  
"You should have taken care of it from the beginning," Biggs scolded.  
  
The commander saluted silently and then nodded to General Caraway before   
helping his guards escort the man away.  
  
Caraway rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he considered what just happened.   
Those guards not only treated the suspect with some measure of respect, they   
didn't return Biggs patronizing with their own snide comments. Such a lack of   
grunt level infighting was unheard of in all but the most disciplined of units.   
So either their commander was excellent at what he does or those guards aren't   
Galbadian. He'd heard a rumor that part of the security detail had been   
contracted out, but hadn't confirmed it.  
  
Biggs interrupted his line of thought by asking him if he was okay and did   
he want Biggs to report the unit commander to the powers that be?  
  
Caraway considered it briefly and then shook his head. "Pissant, I should   
put you on report for assaulting a suspect. Go back to guarding your   
stairway." He dismissed Biggs with a gesture and tried to locate where the   
guards went.  
  
  
  
"Down in front!" Aucifer cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled at   
the people in front of him to stop waving the damn sign that was blocking his   
view of the field. Pan seemed unfazed even though his view was just as   
obstructed by their inconsiderate and misguided attempts at cheering the home   
team on.  
  
"Dammit," Aucifer flopped down once again and grumbled, "I should go down   
there and break their sign across my knee."  
  
"And then be ejected from the game by the guards who are crawling all over   
the place," Pan added dryly. "What does it matter if they wave it around   
during half time? If they're still doing it during the game, then you can take   
issue with it."  
  
"You have a point," Aucifer had to admit. He was annoyed in general with   
the people in front of them. They'd done nothing but distract from the game   
and ruin Aucifer's first ever President's Cup. Why couldn't they just sit down   
and shut up?  
  
  
  
SeeD Haynes sent the two cadets back out to continue their patrol while he   
quickly filled out the paperwork on booking the robbery suspect. It wasn't   
their job to sort things out, just catch them and get the ball rolling for   
prosecution.  
  
Half time was nearly over and the crowd dissipated as fans returned to   
their seats. Truth be told, Quistis was starting to get a bit hungry. The   
smell of food coupled with all this roaming around would guarantee her appetite   
once she could sit down and eat.  
  
"You there!" The cadets turn around to see the man they'd run into earlier   
rapidly approaching. There was no doubt in Quistis' mind that this man was one   
of the VIPs they've been warned to behave around. That much was obvious by how   
he carried himself and the well-decorated Galbadian uniform he wore. Without   
Haynes here to speak for them, they'd have to play it by ear.  
  
"Sir?" Quistis asked. Both she and her teammate snapped perfect   
imitations of the Galbadian military salute after lifting the shields of their   
helmets.  
  
He came to a halt and returned their salute. "Guardsman, who is your   
commanding officer?"  
  
"Commander Haynes, sir." Quistis answered promptly. Of course, he   
wouldn't find a listing for a 'Commander Haynes' should he go looking for one.   
She didn't know how long they were to put up the facade of being a Galbadian   
unit.  
  
The man crossed his arms and bowed his head slightly in thought. Quistis   
couldn't read much into what he was thinking behind the emotionless mask he   
presented.  
  
"There is no Commander Haynes," he said finally.  
  
"That is correct, sir." Haynes saved them before Quistis was forced to   
either lie or come clean. "My commission is a temporary one for this evening   
only."  
  
The man turned his attentions towards Haynes. Again, his words were   
carefully chosen after due consideration was given to them. "You're from SeeD,   
aren't you?"  
  
With a stoic expression betrayed by a twinkle in his eye, Haynes saluted   
the man in the SeeD fashion. "At your service."  
  
"Thank you, carry on," the man nodded once and then turned back the way he   
came.  
  
Quistis didn't know what to make of the encounter. Was it bad that this   
guy knew that they were SeeDs? Did he approve or disapprove of their conduct?   
Who was he?  
  
  
  
Aucifer jumped up from his seat and cheered enthusiastically because of   
the goal that was just scored. He belatedly realized that he was celebrating a   
Southwest district goal while sitting in a decidedly Deling City section. Pan   
hastily put his hand on the young man's arm and pulled him back down to his   
seat.  
  
"Would you mind not doing that? I would like to walk out of the stadium   
and not be carried out on a stretcher," Pan said dryly.  
  
"Bah!" Aucifer protested. "You don't mind the rabid sign wavers, but when   
I get excited you restrain me. I sense a double standard."  
  
Pan shook his head. "I know when to celebrate and when to keep such   
things to myself."  
  
"Hmph, fogy," Aucifer slid him a sideways glance. He was going to tease   
Pan as much as his elder would allow.  
  
"Firstly, I am not as old as some. Secondly, you only get to be old by   
making good decisions and avoiding foolish mistakes," he parried the verbal   
jab.  
  
That caused Aucifer to crack a smile. "Heh... You win."  
  
  
  
'What on earth is SeeD doing here?' Caraway thought while searching for an   
uncrowded souvenir stand. He was going to pick something up for Rinoa.  
  
A quick stroll around the immediate sections made it clear that most (if   
not all) of the patrolling guards were SeeD in origin. Oh, they were all   
dressed in the uniforms of Galbadians, but they were too sharp to have been   
Galbadian units. That fool Biggs made the Galbadian mentality all too clear;   
beat first, ask questions later.  
  
Caraway shook the thought off. That still didn't answer the question of   
why they were here. He paused as an uncrowded stand presented itself. He   
walked towards it.  
  
The heightened security was to keep the rioting to a minimum. It was a   
given in Caraway's mind (and likely whoever arranged the security) that there   
would be some degree of civil unrest. With an event like this, it was   
inevitable. There were near inexhaustible numbers of soldiers that could be   
drawn on. Why would they need to contract out for security?  
  
He sighed and looked up at the banners hanging overhead. He'd served   
Galbadia loyally since before he was old enough to enroll in the military   
academy. He knew what the life of a low ranking grunt was like -- a lot of   
hard work, but rewarding if you had a brain between your two ears.  
  
Looking around him he spotted another SeeD patrol going by. Their step   
was as crisp as a newly graduated cadet. Their commander stopped them when   
something caught his attention. He motioned in the direction of a vendor and   
the guard to the left rushed forward. The guard came to a sudden stop two   
paces short of a small boy who could just barely get his hands up onto the   
counter. He saluted the boy, then knelt down and offered his knee as a step   
for the boy to stand on while he kept both hands on the boy's waist to prevent   
him from falling. The guard's two comrades examined the area to see if there   
was any other ways that they could make things flow more smoothly. Once the   
boy was on his way, the guard rejoined the group and they continued their   
patrol.  
  
'So that's why...' Caraway's stroked his chin thoughtfully. No SeeD was a   
footstool, but they were here for the people, great and small. When managing a   
situation that you know is explosive, do as much to defuse it as you can before   
the pressure builds up. The SeeDs provided the link to the people that would   
keep them from rioting until later in the day, if at all. It was an idea that   
intrigued Caraway.  
  
A man poked him in the back when he wasn't prompt in going up to the   
counter to buy his toy. He stepped forward and pointed at something that   
looked suitable before leaving the stand.  
  
'This is something to be thought on,' he told himself while walking back   
slowly to the Presidential sky box.  
  
  
  
The game was over before Quistis knew it. One moment the corridors were   
empty and the next they're full of people again. She didn't even know who won.   
Listening in on the Galbadian channel gave her that answer. Deling City added   
yet another feather to their cap.  
  
With so many guards looming over them, the crowd's enthusiasm was sedate.   
A steady stream of buses kept the people flowing out from the stadium. The   
public transit authority would no doubt be patting themselves on the back after   
this display of efficiency.  
  
SeeD's contract was fulfilled successfully. The difficult part (riot   
control after the game) was Galbadia's problem. Over the com, Quistis learned   
that martial law was going in to effect until sunrise tomorrow morning. The   
bars were going to be closed two hours earlier than usual to help keep things   
under control. Many streets were blocked off to all traffic, including   
pedestrian unless said person could present a valid reason for being there.   
The police of Deling City would allow its citizens a controlled window of   
opportunity to celebrate and when it was over, it was over.  
  
An hour after the game had finished and the stadium was finally cleared,   
thus ending their tour of duty. They met up with other Balamb units outside of   
the stadium to wait for permission to return home. A group of SeeDs near her   
chatted amongst themselves saying how they'd like to join the celebration.  
  
It turned out that they got more than they bargained for. New orders were   
issued for them to proceed immediately to the nearby red light district. A   
riot was in progress that was more than the Galbadian units on hand could   
manage and the SeeDs were the closest available units. An empty civilian bus   
arrived to transport them to the location. They were dropped off a couple   
blocks away so that they could plan their approach.  
  
The SeeDs were going to backup the Galbadians as they tried to settle   
things down. SeeD would supplement the riot line that was being maintained   
currently. A Fire and Rescue unit was en route to take care of the few   
injuries already reported and to attempt to disperse the crowd with its   
high-pressure water hoses if need be.  
  
Quistis pulled the shield down over her face and prepared to get the crap   
knocked out of her as part of the line. A Galbadian issued her and her   
classmate each a shield and pointed to where the line needed reinforcement.  
  
She felt like she was on a large-scale battlefield. The rioters were   
throwing rocks, bottles, and anything else they could find at them. Small   
groups of Galbadian guards would occasionally break free of the line to surge   
forward and arrest as many rioters as they could before the crowd forced them   
back again.  
  
"To all SeeD units. If you're carrying Sleep casting, contact your unit   
commander for further orders." The com in her helmet buzzed.  
  
Quistis looked around herself to see if SeeD Haynes was anywhere near her.   
As she feared, she'd become separated from him during the pushing and shoving   
that was going on. She flipped her com over to a private channel and called   
for him. "I've got 57 castings stored in me," she said. She'd drawn quite a   
bit of the spell from Grats during the night before the written exam.  
  
"That's great," he called back. "Pull back from the line and position   
yourself in an out of the way place where you can observe the crowd. When   
ordered I want you to start casting as quickly as possible. Get as many people   
as you can."  
  
"Understood," Quistis dropped out of the line to have two people flow into   
her spot. There were so many people gathered that it was hard to find a place   
to perch. Hoping that no one would mind, she climbed into the back of a parked   
truck and then sat down on top of the cab. She could see individuals well   
enough to target them.  
  
A few minutes later her com buzzed again, "Magic units at your ready." A   
long pause. "Go!"  
  
For a spell as simple as Sleep Quistis didn't need to go through the   
entire mantra to cast it, simply focusing was enough. She'd knocked three   
people out before she realized the scale of what was going on. From the looks   
of it, nearly half of the SeeD units were currently casting Sleep on the crowd.   
Once a sizable chuck of the crowd had fallen, the Galbadians charged forward to   
take control of those who were still on their feet and causing a ruckus.  
  
Galbadian reinforcements arrived along with even more rescue personnel.   
They cleaned up after the first wave of police had gone through. None of the   
injuries looked to be too serious, unlike the amount of property damage that   
was done. There didn't look to be an unbroken pane of glass on the entire   
block. Several small fires were in the process of being contained before they   
got out of control. Out of the corner of her eye Quistis saw what she was   
certain was a Water spell being used to help their efforts. The SeeDs were   
doing everything they could to assist the Galbadians.  
  
She was down to her last dozen castings when the order to stop came   
through. Quistis hung her head with exhaustion. Casting that fast and   
furiously was incredibly draining, but she was proud of the level of accuracy   
she was able to maintain. Not that hitting humans was a hard thing (especially   
since they were naturally susceptible to it), but the targets were rapidly   
moving ones.  
  
Slowly Quistis dragged her tired hide back to the rendezvous point. A   
SeeD clasped her on the shoulder for a job well done. Were she not exhausted,   
she would have been beaming from the praise.  
  
A pair of Galbadian medics were making rounds to tend to any injuries that   
the SeeDs may have suffered. Without a word one of them handed her a ration.   
She looked at with a puzzled expression and then back at them.  
  
"You're as white as a sheet," he explained. "You must have been part of   
the Magic unit. All of you are showing the same signs of fatigue. I want you   
to eat all of that and drink plenty of fluids to help get your strength back.   
It's the best I can offer you in the field like this."  
  
"Thank you," she replied sincerely. Glancing around she discovered that   
she wasn't the only one with a ration in hand. She was somewhat hesitant to   
start eating since this could be part of the field exam. Her stomach got the   
better of her and she tore the wrapper off the ration with her teeth and began   
eating. She'd eaten Garden issue rations before and decided that they were   
several notches above the Galbadian military issue. Regardless, the end of   
getting nourishment into her system was being accomplished and that's all that   
mattered.  
  
SeeD Haynes came around to see how she was doing. Guiltily she stopped   
eating to salute him and stand at attention. He waved her off and told her to   
keep at it. "I'm sure Doctor Kadowaki will want to take a poke at you when we   
get back. Honestly, you look a lot better than some of the SeeDs. I guess   
magic is one of those things that comes easily to you, eh?"  
  
Quistis thought wryly of all the difficulties and frustrations she'd   
suffered while trying to get a gasp on casting. It may look easy, but that   
finesse didn't come without countless hours of practice behind it. He   
continued on his way to see how others were doing.  
  
By the time they got back to the Garden it was well into the evening.   
Because of the late hour and the expansion of the mission's scope, the list of   
graduating cadets wouldn't be announced until morning. At this point, Quistis   
was exhausted enough to not care if she graduated or not. There was nothing   
she wanted more than to curl up in her bed and sleep.  
  
*****  
  
No one blamed her when Quistis woke up late the next morning. Nym came by   
her room around midmorning to check on her. Quistis hadn't even gotten out of   
bed yet.  
  
"That's hardly the way for a soon-to-be SeeD to be acting," her friend   
teased lightly.  
  
"I'm not a SeeD yet," Quistis reminded with a yawn punctuating her   
statement. Yesterday had absolutely drained her.  
  
"Don't let the Headmaster catch you saying that," Nym winked.  
  
Quistis began brushing the knots out of her hair. "Have they announced   
the new SeeDs yet?" She didn't think that they'd let her sleep through that,   
but it didn't hurt to ask.  
  
Nym shook her head. "Cid's going to announce them before dinner tonight.   
The ball will be held at 20:00, so don't be late."  
  
"Awfully confident, aren't you?" Quistis asked dryly.  
  
"Aren't you? We've all just been waiting for you to complete the   
pre-requisites. From what I hear yesterday's test was a challenge for   
everyone, and a good one at that. I wouldn't be surprised if all the cadets   
graduated."  
  
"You are confident!" Quistis laughed and set her brush aside. It would be   
arrogant to agree with Nym about her passing, but she did have a good feeling.   
She'd done the best that she could. If her best effort wasn't enough, now   
would be the time to find out.  
  
The Garden was abuzz with energy as everyone waited for the results of   
yesterday's exam. Quistis was surprisingly calm considering that her future   
was one of those being decided.  
  
She and Nym stopped by the training room to see if Xu wanted to get an   
early lunch, but she was in a meeting. Quistis hadn't missed how Xu was   
spending an increasing amount of time on administrative tasks. She didn't know   
if this was because Xu asked for the change or what. Somehow she didn't think   
Xu would turn her back on the weapons training she loved so much.  
  
It was nearly anti-climatic when the Faculty called her name out as being   
among the graduates. Her graduation was one of those events anticipated by   
everyone. That may have taken some of the happy wonderment out of   
accomplishing her goal, but there was a peace of mind to be had at knowing   
one's eventual career was already assured.  
  
Not all of the candidates graduated as Nym thought they would, but most of   
them did. Quistis' graduating class was the Garden's largest at ten. In   
addition to that record, Quistis was also the youngest SeeD ever. That didn't   
bother her as much as it will likely bother others. Mentally she wasn't 15,   
and she didn't act 15. In her mind, she was a not quite finished growing   
18-year-old.  
  
Quistis was thrilled by how she looked in her SeeD uniform. She looked   
older, distinguished, like she had shed the skin of childhood in favor of   
maturity. It was a change Nym noticed immediately upon seeing her in her new   
outfit.  
  
"Now that's the Quistis we all know and love," she grinned broadly. "And   
just think of all the guys you can pick up now. Being a SeeD does have its   
advantages!"  
  
Myn, who was standing behind Nym in a supposedly safe position, just shook   
his head at his twin. Nym turned around abruptly and he gave her his most   
innocent look.  
  
"What do you think?"  
  
Myn's eyes widened slightly. That was one of those questions that could   
land him into trouble quickly if he didn't answer correctly fast enough.  
  
"She looks good."  
  
"That's all you can say?" Nym crossed her arms with annoyance.  
  
Crap! That was one strike against him. He racked his brains trying to   
think of how to gracefully extract the foot Nym shoved in his mouth.  
  
"Very much like a SeeD."  
  
A rap on the head was his reward for that comment. "She *is* a SeeD you   
numbskull," Nym pointedly reminded him. "Can't you say anything nice?"  
  
"I'm trying!" Myn lamented.  
  
This was his last chance to get it right before he was dodging Nym's   
shuriken for the rest of the evening. What to say...?  
  
"As the president of the Trepies allow me to extend our admiration and   
adulation for you and your accomplishments." He beamed to himself for his good   
thinking. Quistis blushed from the compliment.  
  
"Nice recovery," Nym nodded. "Too bad you had to bring up the fact that   
you're in charge of her fan club."  
  
Myn gulped upon realizing his mistake. Really, he hadn't done much as the   
president of the Trepies -- arranged a few card tournaments, hosting a couple   
meetings, nothing worth Nym's wrath. Then again, he could do nothing and still   
earn her scorn. Sometimes he just couldn't win.  
  
Nym laughed and shrugged. "But since we're celebrating, I'll let you off   
the hook tonight."  
  
Quistis giggled and gave her tie a final tug. "Let's go!"  
  
The graduation ball was more exciting than Quistis expected. That was the   
biggest surprise of the evening for her. She'd never seen the auditorium   
looking so grand. A lot of people were there; Nym and Myn arrived with her, Xu   
was waiting near the door with Kei, Headmaster Cid made his way to them before   
too long, Eugene was between assignments, and Skye came around to offer her   
congratulations.  
  
Knowing what she did now, Quistis was a bit hesitant around Skye. Quistis   
was uncertain as to how she felt about her former roommate. Betrayed to some   
degree, but also touched that Skye would go to such misguided lengths to   
'protect' her.  
  
There was also the fact that Cid had already given Quistis her first   
mission...  
  
And Skye was her partner for it.  
  
"Congratulations," Skye said simply.  
  
"Thank you," Quistis demurred. "I look forward to our mission together."  
  
"It should be interesting," Skye agreed. What they were assigned to do   
was no big secret. A team of scientists out of Galbadia had a contract with   
SeeD for escorts during their biannual expeditions. This time around they were   
tracking tagged Snow Lions in Trabia. It was time for a checkup on their   
favorite pet monsters.  
  
SeeD certainly had an eclectic selection of missions to send its members   
on. She wouldn't repeat the mistake of underestimating the amount of work a   
mission may involve after the last one.  
  
Skye melted back into the crowd. Eugene approached her with an offer to   
dance. She smiled fondly at her big brother and let him lead her out onto the   
floor.  
  
"I've got to dance three sets with you," he confided in her.  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"One for LeVar, one for Jessie, and one for me," he led her around. "Or   
maybe I'll just take all three for me and let them miss out."  
  
Quistis laughed.  
  
Smiling, he continued, "Even if they couldn't be here, know that they're   
very proud of you. We all are. It's like seeing our dreams come true, you   
graduating. I know that wherever Sean is, he's grinnin' from ear to ear right   
now."  
  
She bobbed her head in shy agreement. They didn't talk much about Sean   
after his death. She knew that she was the primary reason for that. No one   
wanted to hurt her by reminding her of her lost mentor. "He would be proud,"   
she agreed.  
  
Quistis' magical evening came to a close not long after midnight. She was   
still feeling drained from the previous day's efforts and she had a mission to   
prepare for. The day after next she was departing for her first mission as a   
SeeD.  
  
*****  
  
With a hand shielding her eyes from the glare of the sun off of the   
endless expanse of snow, Quistis looked around. She couldn't keep a chill from   
running through her. Whether it was caused by the extreme cold or was the   
psychological effect of it, she couldn't tell.  
  
Skye seemed to be taking things in stride and was unconcerned that Quistis   
knew she was armed with a gun. On their way here she'd been more concerned   
about the effects of the cold on her pistol than how the cold would effect her.   
Skye's intentions were good, but she could be so blase sometimes. Especially   
since she didn't bother hiding nor explaining away why she was suddenly using a   
pistol when a knife was all Quistis had ever seen her with previously.  
  
A transport would be by to pick them up any time now. Getting here was   
difficult enough with no trains going north. They took a scheduled ship from   
Balamb to arrive at a small port in southwestern Trabia off the Eldbeak   
peninsula. As far as Quistis knew, the generously called port (it was actually   
more of a minor dock) didn't even have a proper name. There was nothing here   
besides a few locked storage sheds, meaning that there was no shelter from the   
cold for them.  
  
"Why didn't Cid send a pair of SeeDs that were stationed out of Trabia?"   
Quistis asked the senior SeeD as a way to pass the time. She knew that Trabia   
didn't have many SeeDs to work with, but they couldn't have spared even two?  
  
Skye shrugged. "All SeeDs are deployed out of Balamb except in the case   
of Galbadia. They seem to do whatever they want."  
  
Quistis frowned and rubbed her numb nose with a gloved hand. It wasn't   
runny at the moment, but she couldn't guarantee that it would stay that way for   
long.  
  
She couldn't figure out the reason behind their deployment. Trabia was   
closer than Balamb. Plus the cold would be less of a shock to a homegrown SeeD   
then their sub-tropical brethren in Balamb. As Quistis understood it, they   
wouldn't be stopping by Trabia Garden at all unless something drastic happened.  
  
Blasted cold!  
  
Quistis looked around her again to take in more of the wintry landscape.   
It was pretty in a way, but not quite to her liking. She was rather fond of   
the lush plant life that Balamb enjoyed. A place with a perpetual icy coat   
didn't appeal to her.  
  
"There," Skye pointed towards a vehicle that was heading their way. With   
anticipation they watched it creep closer and closer.  
  
The truck pulled up next to them and came to a halt. The driver didn't   
turn off the engine when he got out to help them with their things. Both SeeDs   
had packed as economically as possible. Winter gear had a bulk to it that was   
hard to minimize, but they did their best.  
  
The driver introduced himself as Johann, an assistant to the scientists   
they would be protecting. He looked to be in his mid-twenties and on the not   
too bright side. It was pretty obvious that the services he rendered were   
primarily in terms of being a go for.  
  
"Trabia has some of the most fascinating monsters," he chattered lightly   
to fill the void of silence that would have otherwise reigned. "Personally,   
the Mesmerize are what interest me. It started when I saw how the locals had   
managed to tame a couple and trained them to be pack animals. A tamed monster,   
can you imagine that! It was a sight to behold. That got me thinking that   
there was a lot more behind monsters than we originally assumed.  
  
"The Galbadian Science Institute is conducting extensive studies to   
discover what sort of things the monsters can offer to better human life. We   
track down stories of humans consuming monsters as a food source and   
investigate other goods that are a monster byproduct. I'm sure you both are   
familiar with clothing woven from Caterchipiller silk, right?"  
  
Skye said nothing in response. Quistis nodded her head politely and said   
that she'd see shirts made of the material.  
  
He continued his jabbering. "That's the sort of resourcefulness we hope   
to make commonplace. Instead of killing monsters for the sake of   
extermination, let's get something out of them."  
  
"Spells are useful," Quistis volunteered.  
  
"That they are," he agreed immediately, pleased that she'd shown any   
degree of interest in what he had to say. "But not everyone can harvest the   
spells of a monster. You need both a Guardian Force and the knowledge. I'm   
afraid that SeeD is currently the only organization in the world that makes   
extensive use of this resource. Perhaps we can learn a few things from you,   
eh?"  
  
"Eh... Sure..." Quistis replied hesitantly. Maybe Skye had the right idea   
by keeping her mouth shut.  
  
They were saved when the truck pulled up to a modest domed building in the   
middle of an open snowfield. The structure was a permanent one from what   
Quistis could tell, but its construction was unlike anything she'd seen before.   
The only windows were a row of small clear bubble domes that went around the   
building. The doorway was at the end of a short enclosed corridor that led   
into the dome proper.  
  
The three of them passed through the first set of doors and waited until   
the doors were closed behind them before they passed through the second. A   
blast of warm air hit them in the face and Quistis began stripping off her   
heavy coat. It would become unbearable once her body was adjusted to the   
building's temperature.  
  
"Welcome," Johann gestured around the wide-open space of the main room.   
This was where a majority of the analysis work was done. Quistis counted at   
least four terminals that were set up on tables. Various other pieces of   
equipment that she couldn't identify were lined up along the walls. Many   
chairs and stools were scattered around the room for anyone to sit down at a   
station and start working.  
  
A couple of those chairs were occupied. Johann introduced them to those   
they came across while leading them to their temporary quarters.  
  
"It isn't much, but you won't be here for long," he said while gesturing   
at the small room they would be sharing. There were two bunks that were built   
into the wall on the right side of the room. On the left were a pair of   
footlockers and a small desk. This room was meant for sleeping and not much   
else.  
  
"Thank you," Skye entered the room and set her duffel onto one of the   
lockers.  
  
"Yeah, no problems. Once you're settled I'll show you around," he   
offered.  
  
This time Quistis offered their thanks and he left them alone. Well, he   
was right, they wouldn't be here for long. Skye stretched out on her bunk,   
disinterested in exploring their surroundings. Quistis sighed and went back to   
the main room to learn more. Johann was waiting for her.  
  
"What's this place called?" Quistis asked. Trabia was, for the most part,   
devoid of human settlements. There weren't many places or towns worth noting.  
  
"This is Outpost 3," he said with a touch of pride.  
  
"Well, all of our facilities outside of the GSI campus are called   
outposts," he clarified. "We have a total of eight outposts scattered   
throughout the world."  
  
"We take our work quite seriously," a dour old man in a white lab coat   
said from a nearby table. "And you should take it seriously as well."  
  
"I'll complete the work for which I've been contracted to the fullest of   
my ability, sir," Quistis assured without any ill-will in her tone (unlike the   
man who first spoke).  
  
"You better," he waggled a stylus at her. "Just so long as you're not   
like that last one they sent to us. What was her name? Kei," he spat her name   
out with disgust. "Sword wielding psychopath! More than once she nearly   
killed the monsters she was supposed to help us capture."  
  
The wizened man paused in his ranting to peer closely at her. "Hum... It   
seems that SeeD has done use a disservice once again by sending a child to do   
an adult's work," he muttered.  
  
Quistis felt her cheeks grow hot with embarrassed indignation at what he   
was implying. Just because she was young didn't mean she wasn't up to the   
task!  
  
"You'll kindly give SeeD Quistis the respect she's entitled to," Skye's   
voice dryly intoned from behind them. Quistis glanced behind her with mild   
surprise. She didn't know when Skye came out to join them or how much she'd   
heard.  
  
"And who are you, youngin'?" The old man challenged.  
  
"SeeD Skye. As you'll recall, I was partnered with the SeeD Kei you think   
so poorly of. The reason she nearly killed the Snow Lion last time was because   
it was charging right for the outpost. If she hadn't stopped it you'd be   
sitting in a pile of snow right now."  
  
"Hmph." That shut him up. He glared from one woman to the other and back   
again. "That still doesn't explain why SeeD sent a child instead. If I'd know   
that our choices were so limited I wouldn't have bothered."  
  
Skye surprised all of them by laughing. "For a man who is dedicated to   
discovering the hidden qualities of things, you're quick to dismiss! SeeD has   
done you right by sending Quistis. She's one of the brightest Blue Mages we   
have."  
  
The man's eyes widened at hearing that.  
  
"Blue Mage?" Johann asked, scratching the back of his head. It was a term   
he wasn't familiar with. Honestly, it wasn't a title Quistis was used to   
hearing with regards to herself either. It was an accurate term, yes, but she   
was more accustomed to hearing her gift spoken of as a Limit.  
  
"A person who masters the use of monster magic," the scientist explained   
in an off-handed manner. "So you're a student of the monsters, are you?   
That's a gift you must be born with; no average person can learn their tricks."  
  
"Yes sir, I know," Quistis replied meekly. The conversation had taken a   
sudden shift from her being on the defensive to her being the subject of his   
intense interest.  
  
"We'll have to discuss it at length later on. Regrettably, I'm busy right   
now," he gestured at the station he was working at.  
  
"Of course," she answered politely. "But if I may, what is your name,   
sir?"  
  
"Ha! He always forgets to introduce himself," Johann cut in. "This is Doc   
Birestein. He's the head of Trabian studies."  
  
The Doctor shot Johann an impatient look for his improper introduction.   
"Don't you have somewhere you should be right now?" He prompted.  
  
Johann glanced at a chronometer to see what time it was. "Um... Nope! Is   
there something you needed me to do?" He asked, oblivious to the fact that   
Birestein was trying to get rid of him.  
  
"Yes, show the SeeDs around. Take them to the Chocobo Forest if they   
want, I don't care. Just get out of here," he waved them off.  
  
"You got it, Doc!"  
  
Once again, Skye bowed out of the tour. Quistis wanted to do that   
herself, but she felt bad that everyone kept ditching Johann. She wasn't up to   
traveling outside now that she was warmed up again, so they sat at one of the   
meal tables and talked.  
  
Though Johann glossed over most of the technical details, the work of the   
scientists sounded fascinating. As he explained their discoveries in more   
detail Quistis' mind wandered somewhat to think of the Anshin. There really   
was a middle ground between passive co-existence and extermination, and these   
people were attempting to find it. Xu would appreciate their efforts.  
  
"We'll go looking for some of the Snow Lions we tagged tomorrow," Johann   
finished up. "I hope you're ready for a fight. Snow Lions can be quite mean."  
  
"That's what I've been told," Quistis replied, recalling the story of Lee   
that Nym and Myn told her.  
  
*****  
  
Skye and Quistis scouted ahead of the researchers in pursuit of the tagged   
monsters. So far they had encountered nearly a dozen Gaylas, a couple Bite   
Bugs, two Mesmerize, and zero Snow Lions. The Gaylas interested Quistis. She   
could tell that there was something she could learn from them, but it just   
wasn't clicking for her. Physically they looked like giant white flying manta   
rays that were tiger stripped. Interesting to look at, to say the least.  
  
The data indicated that there were Snow Lions roaming around the Bika   
Snowfield near the Trabia Crater, but they'd had precious little luck in   
finding them. What they were trying to do was simple enough, find a Snow Lion,   
knock it out (without killing it), and call in the scientists. They had a   
short range tracking device that would, in theory, indicate when they were   
nearing a tagged Snow Lion. Those are what they were trying to recapture, but   
if they stumbled across one that wasn't tagged, the scientists would be happy   
to take a look at it as well.  
  
Skye brought their vehicle to a stop and got out to look around with a   
pair of binoculars. At first she was having a hard time distinguishing the   
different monsters at a distance (which is what landed them into all the fights   
they had with the Gaylas so far), but she was doing better now.  
  
It was snowing and her frosted hair had a coating of white on it. With an   
annoyed gesture she brushed it off. Sighing, she let the binoculars drop to   
hang around her neck before getting back into the jeep. "Nothing but Gaylas,"   
she grumbled. "Is the tracker picking up anything?"  
  
"I haven't heard it beep once," Quistis admitted.  
  
"Are you sure it has charged batteries in it?" Skye smiled slightly to   
indicate the humor of her question.  
  
Quistis shook the small device to see if any screws were loose. "Yep,   
there just aren't any around."  
  
Skye put the jeep into gear and they were off again. Quistis had already   
charted out a route for them to explore. Their current position was at the   
eastern edge of the Bika Snowfield just north of the Trabia Crater. The route   
indicated cutting back to the west along the crater and up to the edge of the   
Vienne Mountains before going north again back into Bika.  
  
They were relatively close to Trabia Garden. In fact, they'd already   
passed by it once and would again on their way back. Outpost 3 was in an open   
field on the Hawkwing Plains, which wasn't too far away from the Garden.  
  
The short-wave radio that kept them in contact with the scientists' van   
that was following buzzed to life. They wanted to know of the SeeDs were   
having any luck in tracking the monsters. Skye reported back crisply that they   
were still searching and would let them know when one was engaged.  
  
"Impatient lot, aren't they? It's not like we're just going to drive into   
one," Skye quipped.  
  
Later, Quistis reflected, that no they hadn't driven into one, but did   
come about as close as one could to that. The packed snow beneath the jeep   
sank under the vehicle's weight and slid. The jeep was thoroughly embedded   
into a snow rift. It would require the use of another vehicle to free it. At   
least she wasn't the only one who got vehicles stuck...  
  
Before Skye could radio the scientists for help a loud roar punctuated the   
urgency of their situation. A large Snow Lion lumbered towards them, dragging   
its thick tail behind it.  
  
"Crap," Skye breathed before scrabbling out of the jeep. Quistis followed   
her out with her rante drawn. The Lion roared again and shook its snow-white   
mane at them. "I'd say it's rather upset, wouldn't you?"  
  
Quistis hastily nodded her agreement. "Any idea why?"  
  
Skye quickly took in their surroundings. She hadn't driven into the Snow   
Lion, but it appeared as though she may have driven into the back of its lair.   
That would explain the chorus of weaker roars that could be heard.  
  
"We crashed into her nest. We're gonna have to knock her down if we want   
to recover the jeep," Skye answered.  
  
The junior SeeDs sized up their opponent and knew that this wouldn't be an   
easy fight. The bestiary she read about Snow Lions mentioned that they   
absorbed ice attacks, but were very vulnerable to fire magic. They also had   
incredible stamina. Even if both SeeDs pounded away at it with strong magic,   
it was going to take a while to whittle down its strength.  
  
"Orders?" Quistis glanced over at Skye, hoping her eyes didn't betray the   
fear that she felt. This was a huge monster. On the scale of a T-Rexaur huge.   
She didn't think it'd have a problem crushing them alive if it wanted to,   
though it didn't appear to be fast either. Then again Caterchipillars were   
deceptively fast when they flung their entire body towards their victim...  
  
"This is going to be a battle of magic, Quistis, and you're our mage. You   
take the offense and I'll run defense."  
  
Quistis' spine stiffened. She'd always followed the orders given to her,   
not actually lead a party into battle. The Snow Lion wasn't wasting any time   
in engaging them and she didn't know what to do. Skye stepped up and cast a   
Sleep spell on the monster. Its angry eyes drooped and its head lowered to the   
ground as sleep overtook it.  
  
Taking heart from the small reprieve, Quistis began summoning Ifrit to aid   
them. While she did that, Skye continued casting a variety of status ailment   
spells on the monster with mixed results. By the time she was done the Snow   
Lion would be slowed down, blinded, confused, and in the best case scenario,   
still asleep.  
  
A blast of searing hot air blew over them during Ifrit's invocation. The   
snow beneath their feet was rapidly melting due to the presence of the fiery   
beast. With its own roar of outrage, Ifrit threw down fire and brimstone upon   
the vulnerable Snow Lion.. Even if the summoning did free the monster of its   
sleep, the other ailments were playing havoc with its senses.  
  
Quistis continued calling for Ifrit's aid as Skye kept healing them of   
injuries and messing with the monster's mind. After several summonings, Skye   
ordered Quistis to halt. The elder SeeD used a Scan spell to establish how   
close to death the Lion was. They'd given it quite a beating, but it didn't   
seem like it was ready to go down yet.  
  
"We've taken enough fight out of it that this will work," Skye cryptically   
explained.  
  
With Quistis anxiously watching both her and the beaten Lion, Skye ran   
back to the jeep to retrieve something. She came back a moment later with a   
rifle between her hands. Skye lifted the weapon up, took aim, and fired a   
single round. The Snow Lion didn't so much as roar as it collapsed completely   
to the snow-stripped ground.  
  
"A tranquilizer," Skye answered Quistis' puzzled look as she returned to   
the jeep once again, this time to radio in the scientists. They had been   
watching the battle from the safety of a nearby ridge and swooped in on the   
scene as soon as the monster had fallen.  
  
Quistis looked down at Ifrit's stone, which was an intense warmth in her   
hand. If she wasn't wearing gloves would the stone burn her skin? She could   
sense how smug Ifrit felt after delivering so many punishing blows. She could   
also feel Shiva bristle some with indignation. They were almost like bickering   
children...  
  
"Quistis, check this out," Skye waved the younger woman over near the   
jeep. There was a break in the ice where they had collided with the bank.   
Skye shone a hand light into the hole. The pitiful cries of Snow Lion cubs   
could be heard.  
  
"I'd like to get a look at them," Doctor Birestein said after coming over   
to see what had caught the SeeDs' attention.  
  
"Okay... stand back," Quistis took her own advice and moved away from the   
hole. She then focused a fire spell to melt away the ice without injuring the   
cubs within. Their den wasn't that big. Their mother must have sat at the   
entrance and kept her cubs safely tucked away in the back.  
  
Skye continued to hold the hand light as Quistis bravely went forward to   
bring them out into the open. She cleared her mind of any fear she felt and   
tried to project an air of protection and comfort. The cubs' crying waned as   
they were charmed by her soft cooing.  
  
The cub she brought out first was about 15 kilos judging by the weight she   
cradled in her arms. She carefully deposited the monster where she was told to   
and stepped back to allow Birestein to sedate it. The other cubs were brought   
out in a similar fashion.  
  
"You have a remarkable way with monsters," Birestein commented as he went   
about his tasks.  
  
"It comes naturally," Quistis demurred.  
  
"I'm sure it does," he agreed while measuring the length of the cub he was   
working with.  
  
Quistis quietly watched him work. A small voice in the back of her mind   
hoped that he wasn't doing anything that would cause the cub harm. Then she   
questioned why she would feel any compassion for the creature. If their mother   
was any indication of Lion's temperament, having a few less of them around to   
menace the locals would be a welcome relief. But she couldn't bring herself to   
feel so uncharitably towards the cub.  
  
"SeeD Trepe, will you help me with this cub?" Johann nervously eyeballed   
the cub cradled in his arms that was beginning to wake.  
  
Quistis came over and relieved him of the monster. She cooed at it,   
trying to keep it feeling as passive as possible without having to drug it   
again. The monster blinked its eyes and yawned hugely before nuzzling against   
her warm body. Its pelt was so soft, one could almost forget that in a few   
short years this monster would be capable of destroying entire structures.  
  
"It's hungry, do we have any milk?" Quistis asked Johann.  
  
He shook his head. "Not with us. We didn't expect to find any cubs."  
  
"Go to the outpost and bring back some milk and rations. We're going to   
be here for a while," Birestein instructed his assistant. Johann gave a jaunty   
salute and trotted to one of the vehicles.  
  
Quistis made herself comfortable on a nearby snow-barren rock outcropping.   
The cub batted playfully at Quistis' hand with its forepaws. She scratched its   
belly, much to its pleasure. The monster was content to remain in Quistis'   
care for as long as she lavished attention on it.  
  
Skye came over and took a seat next to her. "Making up for lost time,   
never having a pet and all?" She teased.  
  
The junior SeeD smiled fondly at the Snow Lion in her lap. "It's not   
every day that one gets to handle a monster like this," she replied. "I'm   
learning a lot."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
Quistis frowned slightly and gave Skye a cautious look. "You won't think   
I'm weird, will you?"  
  
Skye returned her gaze with a level one. "Come on, we're both   
professionals, both SeeDs. What's the little critter telling you?"  
  
"He likes to be scratched here," Quistis put words into action by rubbing   
it along its side.  
  
"He?"  
  
"Definitely a he," Quistis nodded in agreement with her own assertion.  
  
"How do you know that?" Birestein was watching them intently from his   
impromptu workstation. He came over and looked at the tag that was placed on   
the monster to identify it.  
  
"Ah..." Quistis glanced down at the monster still cradled in her arms.   
"He told me," she whispered.  
  
The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "Told you?"  
  
Quistis squirmed some and the monster became distraught. She was quick in   
offering it reassurance to keep it calm. It may only be a cub, but its teeth   
and claws were developed enough to kill.  
  
"Not verbally, of course," she clarified. "But, it's obvious. You're a   
male cub, aren't you?" She rubbed its belly.  
  
Johann showed up then with a thermos that contained warmed milk. Quistis   
fed the monster as her three elders watched her with wonderment. None of them   
had ever seen such a docile monster, nor one taking as much of a liking to a   
human as the Snow Lion had to Quistis.  
  
"So this is the Blue Magic she possess, eh?" Johann asked the Doctor in a   
hushed aside.  
  
"It would appear so..."  
  
The Doctor returned to his own work, pulling Johann along behind him.   
Soon afterwards Skye got up from her perch to go look over the shoulders of the   
other researchers. Quistis was left alone with her thoughts and the cub.  
  
  
  
The sun was beginning its descent when the researches decided to call it a   
day. Johann was kept busy with packing up their gear. The Snow Lion cub   
hadn't left Quistis' lap the entire time, and in fact was currently asleep   
nuzzled up against her. Doctor Birestein returned, rubbing his hands together   
in what she took to be a nervous gesture.  
  
"SeeD Trepe, we've decided to take this cub back with us to the outpost."  
  
The gall of removing a monster from the wild for research left Quistis   
speechless. Didn't they realize what a risk they were taking? If the cub were   
to attack it could easily maim if not kill someone. Those practical questions   
left her mind when she glanced at the monster that had trusted its safety to   
her.  
  
"But what about the monster? Are you going to kill it when you're   
through? Will the Lioness take him back after being with humans?"  
  
"The cub will be assumed dead by the Lioness after she discovers him   
missing," Birestein explained. "We won't put him down after we're through with   
our studies. A zoo in Galbadia has expressed interest in the cub. This is a   
fantastic opportunity for us to learn more about the Lions, and countless   
people will continue to learn by getting to see one in a controlled   
environment."  
  
Quistis frowned as she looked down at the bundle in her arms. If he fled   
from her now, he would also be escaping a life of imprisonment. On the other   
hand, there was no guarantee that he wouldn't die tomorrow at the hands of a   
hunter who wanted his pelt.  
  
"SeeD will escort you and your specimen," Skye replied to the implied   
request. Birestein was trying to spare Quistis' feelings by not making an   
order of it, but Skye had nothing against reminding her of her duty.  
  
Quistis placed her palm in front face in salute, "I'll keep the cub in my   
care to guard both you and it from harm."  
  
The Doctor let out a visible sigh of relief. "It would be best to   
tranquilize him for the ride back. Somehow I don't see him taking well to   
riding in a carrier in the back of a jeep."  
  
Quistis nodded her agreement and stroked the sleeping monster. It wasn't   
her job to protect the monster from humans, though she felt that in this case   
it was the victim.  
  
  
  
After the evening meal, Quistis wordlessly followed Birestein to the pin   
they had the cub in. He hadn't invited her to watch him work, but he hadn't   
banished her either. Silently she perched on a stool out of his way and   
watched him poke and prod the creature.  
  
She felt sorry for it. Were she in its position, she would resent what he   
was doing. No one enjoyed having thermometers shoved in their orifices, nor   
being twisted and turned as though they were a rag doll.  
  
She could sense the cub's discomfort. The awareness must be a side effect   
of her bonding with it, of her sensitivity brought on by her gift. She'd never   
felt this strongly for a monster before. It was easier to kill them when she   
didn't care...  
  
"Did you know that there is a clan of people in Northern Centra who   
believe in peaceful co-existence with monsters?" Birestein asked in an   
off-handed manner without looking away from what he was doing.  
  
"The Anshin. I've met them," Quistis replied honestly.  
  
"Have you now? Did they teach you how to use your Magic; how to bond with   
monsters?"  
  
Quistis watched him carefully roll the drugged cub over so that he could   
take more exact measurements of its forepaws. He's already taken more images   
of the cub than any person with a life would be interested in sorting through.  
  
"No, they didn't teach me that," she answered finally, more interested in   
studying his actions than answering his question. "SeeD taught me how to   
harness my gift. My best friend is of the Anshin. She's told me about them,   
but there's still a lot I don't know."  
  
He grunted and bobbed his head, "How do you regard monsters?"  
  
"I don't believe most monsters are out there roaming around in search of a   
human snack, if that's what you mean. Chance brings us together and nature   
causes us to fight. I'm content to let a monster live if it stays away from   
me."  
  
Quistis paused as she felt her lips tighten. "I lost a dear friend to a   
T-Rexaur. I won't let vengeance prod me into trying to kill them all, but I'll   
show no mercy if one makes the mistake of crossing my path."  
  
He didn't offer his condolences or even acknowledgement. Several long   
moments passed before he spoke again. "What makes a monster different from any   
other animal?"  
  
"Intent to harm humans?" Quistis hazard after giving it some thought.  
  
"Wouldn't *any* creature defend itself if something threatened to harm its   
young, be it a Snow Lion or a jack rabbit?"  
  
"I suppose... We're taught which creatures are monsters. Which are the   
ones we need to fight against if we come across them," Quistis explained.  
  
"You're trained to hold a bias and then act upon it," he corrected.   
Quistis bristled at the insult, though there was a ring of truth to it. "Don't   
feel bad, it's a bias that society as a whole holds, not just SeeD," he added   
to soften his statement.  
  
"Then what makes monsters different? What criteria was used to   
distinguish them in the first place?" Quistis asked, still rankled, but now   
curious.  
  
"Monsters are those creatures who came to our world from the moon during   
the Lunar Cry. Many of the monsters you encounter nowadays are second, third,   
even fourth generation. They immigrated to this planet and have made it their   
home. Should we still be trying to repel the invaders, or finally accept them   
as a part of our world?" He gave the cub an affectionate rub.  
  
Again, he had a very good point. Whether humans wanted them or not,   
monsters were a part of their lives. Humans adjusted to accommodate their   
co-existence with the creatures of the moon. Would there ever be a time when   
that co-existence was a peaceful one?  
  
"I'd never thought of it that way," Quistis admitted. "Is this why you   
study monsters?"  
  
"I research monsters because I dislike to see life wasted. We kill them   
without discrimination. Who knows, we may be killing a creature that can cure   
a deadly illness. We'll never know if we don't stop to look."  
  
Quistis rocked on her stool slightly, feeling more at ease with the Doctor   
now. "That's an interesting idea; finding life in something that usually   
brings death."  
  
"It behooves us to at least entertain the idea," he agreed.  
  
And entertain that idea she did for several days to come. Every monster   
she encountered she considered how else the situation might go. With it being   
not so much a matter of life and death, but what ifs and possibilities. Could   
the poisonous acid Gayla's spit out be refined into a cure for the common cold?  
  
It was humbling when Quistis realized the depth of the researchers' work.   
Their task was a daunting one and under appreciated for the potential value it   
held. By the end of their tour with the researchers, Quistis was proud of the   
fact that she was able to assist them in even a small way. She was convinced   
that they were on the right track, they just had to keep going.  
  
*****  
  
"Did you learn a lot?" Xu teased Quistis as she sat down next to the elder   
SeeD. Cid had called both of them to his office for a mission debriefing.   
There was no reason for Xu to be here that Quistis could see, but was glad for   
Xu's company. If nothing else it would save her some gossip time when she   
stopped by Xu's quarters later to catch up.  
  
"I learned a lot about monsters," she confirmed. Her report summarized   
what she'd seen of the scientists' work. She didn't think they'd mind Cid   
reading about their efforts since they were trying to get the word out about   
their research. Though, she did keep in mind that it wasn't her mission to   
evaluate their work, only assist in it. But it was difficult to not be   
interested in what they were doing.  
  
"I trust that you weren't exhausted by your studies?" He asked lightly   
while pouring her a cup of tea and handing it to her.  
  
"No, I'm ready for whatever you have lined up for me next," Quistis   
assured. She knew full well that he'd given her an easy mission to start off   
with. It was time to get serious.  
  
The Headmaster brushed back his hair and nodded in Xu's direction. "SeeD   
Xu has sponsored you for Instructors training. Is this a specialization you   
would be interested in?"  
  
Quistis gave her long-time friend a quick look. Xu sat with her hands   
folded together on her lap and a posture that was as relaxed as she got. Cid's   
sudden formality tipped Quistis off that this wasn't the meeting that she   
thought it would be.  
  
"I would consider it an honor to be a SeeD Instructor," she replied with   
sincere humility. She had always enjoyed helping others with their lessons.   
It seemed to be something that she was naturally good at. But... "I couldn't   
be a weapons Instructor like Xu is."  
  
"Of course not, your talent lies within the realm of scholastics," Cid   
agreed. "Very well then, you'll leave for Galbadia Garden in two days. Come   
by here tomorrow and I'll give you your orders and the paperwork that Martine   
is so fond of."  
  
Quistis was speechless. She wanted to leap off the couch and hug both Xu   
and Cid in one huge glomp, but that sort of behavior wouldn't be becoming of a   
SeeD. Instead she stood up and saluted them. "Thank you, sir."  
  
-----  
Please visit our website at www.centragarden.net 


	16. Part 16

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 16  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans   
edited by Helen Fong   
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C.   
  
  
  
It was an open session in the training room. Since handing the reigns   
over to Xu, Cid hadn't found much reason to make himself known here. But   
tonight he wished to check up on the state of things.  
  
This late in the evening most of the people who were practicing were   
SeeDs. The Mistress herself was at one end of the room working privately. Cid   
watched as she settled into her stance and then slowly worked through the   
motions of the exercise. The sai moved with precise control, never extending   
further than she intended or rebounding to any degree after a strike. He   
recognized the kata. It was one he'd drilled into her when she was a cadet.  
  
After running through it once she repeated the exercise at an increased   
pace. With each repetition her speed picked up without much degeneration in   
her control. That was the improvement time and practice had given her. Xu had   
always been fast, but now she was fast and could strike within a couple   
centimeters of her target. Cid was certain that the day would come when that   
margin of error was shaved to millimeters if not dead on every time.  
  
When she was finished, she pulled her sai up and bowed to an imaginary   
opponent. The Headmaster shook himself free of his reverence and approached   
her.  
  
"Well done," he commended. "Every time I see you, you've made noticeable   
improvements."  
  
"Headmaster," she greeted while brushing a lock of hair away from her   
sweaty brow. "What brings you here?"  
  
"Besides the spectacular show you put on?" He teased his eyes crinkling   
closed as he grinned with mischief. "I wanted to let you know that the Master   
who accepted our posting will be arriving tomorrow afternoon. I'm sure you'll   
want to be there to greet him."  
  
"Yes, I want to be there," she agreed. Cid followed Xu as they walked   
across the mats to her office. The SeeDs that they passed along the way paused   
in their training to greet their Headmaster. For each of them Cid had words of   
encouragement and praise. It took true dedication to put in hard work above   
and beyond what was required. It gladdened him to know that every SeeD   
possessed that drive and wasn't afraid to use it.  
  
"Does the Master have any teaching experience?" Xu asked once they were in   
her office. She offered the only chair to him, which he refused. This was   
*her* realm and as such he was the person approaching her.  
  
"Yes. He's spent the last year as a weapons instructor at a Guild school.   
He should fit well within our structure here. I've already made it clear to   
him that you are the ranking Master, but I don't suspect that should be much of   
a problem. Guild tradition maintains that whoever's dojo it is; they're the   
one in charge.  
  
"Though, you will also be assisting me. You've got the administrative   
skills to keep me in line when my mind starts to wander." He scratched the back   
of his head, abashed at having to admit that.  
  
"Sir," Xu began, feeling embarrassed for the Headmaster.  
  
Cid waved her off. "Kadowaki's been telling me to stop holding you back.   
One of us has to have a solid head on their shoulders and I think her money is   
riding with you currently. Just so long as we remain on course, I'm content to   
let the ladies of the Garden have free reign."  
  
"I'll always stand behind you," Xu assured.  
  
"Yes, in the perfect position to catch me when I fall, I'm sure," he   
chuckled. "I'll send a messenger for you when the new Master arrives. Have   
yourself a pleasant evening."  
  
"Thank you." Xu waved as he showed himself out.  
  
She was about to return to her training when one of the Faculty entered   
her office. There were three of them who focused on weapons training and took   
their cues from her. After having her share of problems with wanting to speak   
to one and having a different Faculty member show up she decided to give them   
all names. It may not suit Shumi to have personal names, but it made keeping   
track of them a lot easier in her opinion.  
  
The one standing before her was Wun. It was the leader of the other two,   
though they never made such a distinction. Tou and Sree were less intense in   
her opinion, more personable. They each had distinguishable personalities as   
Quistis maintained, though they went to great lengths to blend in with each   
other.  
  
"What is it Wun?"  
  
It ruffled its robes slightly at her. It preferred the anonymity Xu   
wouldn't allow it. "What did Headmaster Cid want? It is rare when he ventures   
down here."  
  
"Our new Weapons Master will be arriving tomorrow," Xu replied while   
walking with it back to the mats. "You'll help him acquaint himself with the   
Garden quickly, won't you?"  
  
"As you wish," it ruffled its robes at her again and retreated.  
  
The Shumi were an odd lot at times. Xu got the impression that Wun was   
suspicious of Cid being up to something nefarious. She idly wondered what gave   
it that idea before resuming her practice.  
  
*****  
  
The young Master who was hired to fill the role as an aide to Xu found his   
way to Headmaster Cid's office with the assistance of a passing cadet. He'd   
never been in a Garden before, but was duly impressed by the streams that   
encircled the parameter of the main structure.  
  
When the lift door slid open to admit him to the Headmaster's anteroom, he   
found himself walking into the middle of a student being reprimanded by someone   
he assumed to be an oddly dressed administrator. The student's dark chestnut   
colored hair was pulled back into a ponytail that bobbed as she accepted her   
verbal lashing. Her arms were held stiffly at her sides. He craned his neck   
slightly to try to get a better look at her left hand. Was she missing part of   
her last two fingers?  
  
The newcomer continued to watch them with detached fascination as the   
administrator dug into her for her manner of dress. Admittedly, it wasn't a   
cadet uniform, but she didn't look bad in the leggings and loose top that she   
wore. His Guild-trained eye evaluated her build. She looked to have more   
upper arm strength than most women, and her thighs were built of solid muscle.   
Undoubtedly she did regular weight training.  
  
But what caught and held his attention was the weapon that was strapped to   
her back in a harness that had numerous pouches. He'd only seen a weapon like   
it once in his time with the Guild. Estharian soldiers used a weapon like it   
called a shotaxe. A friend of his Master had one that was confiscated from a   
captured Estharian soldier during the Sorceress War.  
  
A shotaxe was a weapon with a thin, pickaxe like head. Three chambers for   
explosive rounds were mounted perpendicular to the weapon's shaft, and a firing   
mechanism was concealed in the handgrip. This particular variant had a head   
that was on a hinge so that it fit more comfortably in the sling on her back.  
  
"You were expected to wear your uniform," the administrator pointed out   
bitterly. "How dare you come to the Headmaster's office armed?"  
  
The cadet shrugged off the reprimand. "You called for me when I was in   
the Training Center. Unless you want to allow me a half-hour to get cleaned   
up, you're getting me like this."  
  
"You were told to expect our summons. You should have been ready," the   
administrator persisted.  
  
"Fine, next time I'll sit in my room and waste the day until I'm sent   
for."  
  
The administrator ruffled its robes at the young woman's disagreeable   
manner. "Give me your weapon."  
  
She slipped off the sling harness and gave it over. Seeing that the other   
end of the couch that he sat on wasn't occupied, she plopped herself down and   
waited.  
  
They sat for several minutes while the administrator went about his work.   
Unable to bear the silence, he attempted conversing with her. "So, you're from   
Esthar?"  
  
She slowly drew her attention from the skylight high above that she'd been   
examining to glare at him. "No."  
  
"Oh..." He mumbled. What a hard case! Well, after being reprimanded in   
front of a complete stranger, he wouldn't be feeling that friendly either. He   
should give it another try. "I'm a member of the Weapons Guild, my name's-"  
  
"Miss de Ling," the administrator called for her. She rose to her feet   
and entered the Headmaster's office.  
  
His mind froze as her name echoed in his ears. Deling? Was she related   
to Galbadia's infamous dictator?  
  
  
  
"Sierra, please, have a seat," Cid motioned to one of the chairs ranged   
before his desk.  
  
"Thank you, sir," she answered politely.  
  
She still didn't know what the Headmaster wanted to see her for, though   
she could make a few guesses. The fact that her last roommate left the Garden   
in such a huff didn't reflect well on Sierra, or so she was told. Oh sure, she   
said it was *Sierra's* fault that she did so poorly in her classes, but that   
was a weak excuse. One had to make their own way in life.  
  
Or maybe the Headmaster had caught wind that she's been giving that Seifer   
punk a lot of shit lately. Not that the little twerp didn't deserve it. He   
was such an arrogant son of a Buel that she couldn't resist giving him a bit of   
grief every once in a while.  
  
Then again, the Faculty didn't seem too pleased about the last paper she   
turned in. Personally, when asked to plot a tactical advance, she thought it   
would be interesting to use her native Trabia as a backdrop. And since there   
isn't so much as a pile of Snow Lion dung out there worth capturing, the only   
target worthwhile that she could think of was the Shumi village on Winter   
Island...  
  
"You've been here for a term and already you've made quite an impression   
on your Instructors," Cid began after giving the papers on his desk a final   
glance.  
  
Crap, what was she going to catch flack for this time...?  
  
"Your marks are good, you excel in your combat training," he looked back   
at the sheet to confirm that what he said was true. "I have an opportunity I   
would like to extend on behalf of Instructor Xu."  
  
That caught Sierra's attention. She wasn't going to be reprimanded, but   
she wasn't sure if that was a good thing. She'd put a lot of effort into   
slipping past that Instructor's notice.  
  
"The Garden is forming a demonstrations and drill team. As a member you   
will receive advanced training in weapon and hand-to-hand combat. You will   
also have the opportunity to tour with your teammates to give demonstrations.   
This is an extra-curricular activity, not one that you will be forced to take   
part in, but the membership is being limited to invitation only. We're looking   
at a dozen members, max. Are you interested?"  
  
Interested wasn't the word so much as speechless. This definitely wasn't   
what she was expecting when she was told yesterday that the Headmaster was   
going to call her up.  
  
"I'm flattered that you would invite me, but I'm going to decline," she   
said.  
  
"Please, don't give me your final answer now. I'd like you to think on   
it," he gave her a kind smile.  
  
Sierra bowed her head. "As you wish, Headmaster."  
  
"Very well, I believe we're done then. I apologize for taking you from   
your training." And another grin creased his eyes shut. Her coming up here in   
her workout clothes probably confirmed what he saw in her that prompted him to   
ask in the first place.  
  
  
Sierra left the Headmaster's office and went over to the Faculty member to   
retrieve her shotaxe. The odd man who came in while she was arguing with the   
Faculty stood and straightened his tunic in anticipation of his upcoming   
audience with Cid.  
  
The lift was already on its way up to this floor. The doors slid open to   
disgorge its passenger. Xu gave Sierra a small nod as she moved by her and   
into the Headmaster's office. Sierra watched Xu's retreating form in a   
detached manner before entering the lift and pressing the button for the ground   
level.  
  
  
  
"Welcome to Balamb Garden," Cid warmly greeted the young man that sat   
before him.  
  
"I'm excited to be here. It's an honor to be joining the staff of such a   
well-respected institution," he replied.  
  
The Faculty poked its head into the room. "Headmaster, SeeD Xu is here to   
see you."  
  
"Please send her in," Cid stood up and straightened his tie. The Master   
followed suit.  
  
Xu glided into the room, snapped her salute, and then froze when she   
noticed who was standing with Cid. "Aucifer?"  
  
Aucifer turned and gave Xu a broad grin. "Miss me?"  
  
She crossed her arms, "No."  
  
"Good! Then we won't have to waste any time catching up. Show me to the   
training facilities," he lifted his bag to his shoulder as he continued to   
grin.  
  
Xu relented with a shake of the head. "Honestly, of all the Masters that   
could have accepted the posting, it had to be you."  
  
"Of course," he answered lightly, "but we already agreed not to waste time   
with chitchat. Let's go!"  
  
Xu shot Cid a questioning look. He dismissed the Masters with a wave of   
his hand. If Aucifer needed anything, he knew where Cid's office was.  
  
The SeeD obligingly led Aucifer to the training room while trying to   
ascertain his reason for being here.  
  
"It's boils down to this: I needed a job. Preferably one that could get   
me away from that wrinkled old mummy Niethe. I'll be happy to demonstrate my   
skills for you if you question my qualifications for the post. I just wanted   
out of Galbadia."  
  
The plaintive note in his tone caused Xu's demeanor to soften. "That's a   
sentiment I can agree with."  
  
They caught up on the happenings within the Guild while Xu gave him the   
grand tour of the Garden. Niethe was as difficult as ever and had been giving   
him an extra dose of grief for good measure. When they parted ways it was with   
them shaking their fists at each other and him swearing never to return.  
  
He already had plans to visit West Hills come the next break.  
  
Anya changed her course of study and left Niethe's school. When Xu   
queried him for more details on what she was doing now, he was reluctant to   
offer any. All he would say was that she had entered an intensive training   
course and to not be surprised if she showed up out of the blue some day.   
There were definitely parts of the Guild that Xu didn't understand.  
  
He skillfully changed the subject by asking her what sort of duties he   
would be taking on. Xu always had Shumi Faculty members to assist in the   
teaching, but this was part of Cid's greater plan to bring more humans onto the   
teaching staff. Aucifer was going to be her equal, but also her aide when it   
came to the weapons training of the Garden's students. She was the one who was   
ultimately responsible for making sure they were the best, but she wasn't going   
to step on his toes by insisting that there was only one way to go about it.   
She looked forward to having a purely Guild trained Master here. It would give   
the students an added depth that she couldn't provide them on her own.  
  
She was surprised that it was him who decided to accept the Garden's   
offer, but not unpleasantly so. Her desire to smack him upside the head had   
abated since the last time they were together. It might be in the best   
interest of the Garden to keep him and Kei separated. If he was able to get on   
Xu's nerves, Kei would have nothing against dragging him through the Fire   
Cavern and then giving him a bath in Ifrit's lava pool.  
  
  
  
Sierra returned to her dorm room and flopped down on the bed. She was   
moved into a single room at the start of the term. Obviously they didn't want   
to run the risk of her driving away any more students. She rolled onto her   
side with her pillow bunched up under her head and studied the maps on the wall   
that was opposite of the one her bed was against.  
  
The wall was covered from floor to ceiling in topographical maps of   
various parts of the world. They were each carefully placed so that they   
roughly maintained their geographical relation. Her eyes traced along the map   
that displayed the Trabia region: her home.  
  
It was on days like this that she missed the wintry tundra of the north.   
Never mind that Balamb was frigging hot, but she didn't seem to fit in well   
with the people here. Trabia hadn't fit her like a glove either, but at least   
she didn't stick out like a sore thumb.  
  
Dammit, the break couldn't come soon enough for her. She wanted to go   
climbing so bad that her legs ached. Balamb did have some mountains, but none   
of them were well suited for the type of rock climbing she had enjoyed in   
Trabia. The mountainous ridge north of the Garden was more like a baby   
mountain range. It was great for hiking, and even some basic climbing, but   
hardly a challenge for someone of her skill.  
  
She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. Well, it was her decision to   
come here, though she wished that Trabia graduated its own SeeDs. If it did,   
then she wouldn't have had to leave.  
  
On the other hand, she could quit her training and return to Summit. Her   
father had mentioned on occasion how he wished he had someone to help out when   
he took groups of cadets up the mountain for their training missions.  
  
The symbiotic relationship between the people of Summit and Trabia Garden   
worked well to fill each other's needs. The Garden provided a source of income   
for the locals and the locals provided labor. In her father's case, he was a   
professional guide who gave lessons in survival training to the students.  
  
Summit was a mining town in the mountains of Trabia before the war.   
Afterwards the people's misfortune continued when the mythril ore ran out.   
Summit was on the verge of becoming a ghost town when SeeD indicated its   
interest in building one of its academies at the base of the mountain. It was   
a stroke of luck that was almost too good to be true.  
  
Many of the townspeople are employed directly by the Garden in various   
support positions, while others offered their services on a commission basis.   
The Garden took over the education of Summit's children. They didn't have to   
enter the SeeD program if they didn't want to, but the basics of reading,   
writing, and arithmetic were the same no matter which school one attended.   
Besides, in a place like Trabia, having a few classes in self-defense and   
survival couldn't hurt.  
  
Sierra loved her home very much. The flag of her country was tacked   
loosely against the ceiling, though the Shumi would undoubtedly scold her for   
showing a nationalistic bias when she was a member of an organization that was   
supposedly free of such things. Their reprimands meant very little to her to   
begin with. Trabia was her home and they could never take that from her.  
  
*****  
  
Aucifer rubbed his hands together with anticipation as he took in his   
surroundings. The tour Xu led him on yesterday had only breezed through the   
training room, preventing him the time he needed to fully appreciate the   
facilities. They were impressive, to say the least.  
  
She'd given him keys to the weapons locker and several other rooms that he   
hadn't the chance to explore yet. The contents of the locker left him in muted   
awe of the power of a healthy budget. Weapons ranging from basic swords to   
some of the more exotic throwing weapons were neatly on display and ready to be   
put to use. Niethe's school wasn't a backwater hole in the wall by any means,   
but he couldn't help but feel a mixture of humility and child-like giddiness at   
all the new 'toys' before him.  
  
Aucifer didn't know how much time had passed before he heard a polite   
coughing from the doorway. Xu was leaned up against the frame with a smile   
that hinted at a touch of pride.  
  
"Do you find the Garden's facilities to be satisfactory?"  
  
He pulled his eyes away from the rack of polearms he'd been admiring. "I   
should be able to find something in here that I can work with," he replied   
nonchalantly.  
  
Xu laughed at that. "Do you know how to use magic?"  
  
"Hum? Magic? I've used some curing beads before, sure."  
  
"How about Guardian Forces?"  
  
He shook his head in the negative. "That's a trick only SeeD knows, I'm   
afraid. Would you care to teach me?"  
  
"If you'd care to learn I'll teach you, but you'll have to come out of   
there for the lessons to begin," she teased.  
  
With one last wistful look he left the weapons locker. He would   
definitely make it a point to become familiar with the various instruments that   
it offered.  
  
  
  
Though Xu didn't mention it and Aucifer didn't ask, she did have a reason   
for wanting to teach him how to use Guardian Forces. By her thinking, it would   
allow him to be closer to the students he was trying to instruct if he   
understood what sort of lessons they were receiving outside of his teaching.   
It would also help to explain how the Garden incorporated weapon and magic   
training, especially when it came to Limits. The first part of teaching, in   
her opinion, was to understand the students.  
  
Teaching him GFs use also gave her the opportunity to get to know him   
better. They needed to be on the same page if they were going to pull off some   
of Cid's loftier plans. One of which was the drill team. She really should   
have known better than to make an off-handed suggestion to him.  
  
They were sharing a meal in the Cafeteria not long after things had   
settled down with the Blood Souls. While in Centra she'd toyed with the idea   
of demonstrating some fighting techniques for her parents so that they could   
see what it was that she did. She didn't get the chance to show them, but it   
did plant the seed of an idea. The Anshin wouldn't very well appreciate the   
skills that the Garden taught her, but there were plenty of others that would.   
The demonstration Pan had given in Galbadia proved that point to be true. Why   
not form a drill team to go around and show people what SeeD was made of?  
  
There were several benefits to support doing it. Demonstrations could be   
used as a recruiting tool to entice young people into considering a career with   
SeeD. They could also be used to establish just how good SeeD was. Add more   
to the reputation and make people think twice before crossing SeeD.  
  
The benefit Xu was most in favor of was being able to bring a handful of   
the finest students in the Garden under her wing for specialized training.   
That's not to say that she neglected her other students, but there were always   
those who performed above and beyond even the Garden's high standards. She   
didn't want to officially take in any Journeymen per Guild tradition, but she   
didn't have anything against creating a team of them in every sense except for   
name. That might be a bit unfair to the chosen few, but if they did show an   
earnest interest in pursuing a Mastership she would support them. Cid wouldn't   
be disappointed if a couple more Masters resulted from the special training.  
  
So far the toughest part of the plan was getting the students she wanted   
to go along with it. Cid was making the rounds on her behalf to invite them.   
She figured that it would make the offer seem more tempting if he was the one   
to present it. Students had a knack for seeing through prestige, especially   
when it came to additional work on their part.  
  
Sierra de Ling was still undecided on whether she would join or not. The   
Headmaster's recommendations of Squall Leonhart and Seifer Almasy hadn't panned   
out. The former didn't want to have anything to do with actually interacting   
with his classmates in a team-like manner. The latter was nixed at Xu's   
insistence. She had no patience for Seifer and already planned on foisting his   
training off on Aucifer as soon as the new Instructor was up to speed.  
  
If she was going to hand over Seifer, Squall would likely go as well. It   
wasn't that she had anything against Squall, but the two of them were studying   
the same weapon. It was easier to train them together than separately.   
Besides, Aucifer was much better with a sword than she was. Having him here to   
give them instruction was a weight taken off her shoulders.  
  
Cid accepted her rejection of Seifer with good grace. He assured her that   
it was just a whimsical fancy for her to undertake Seifer's training herself.   
There was another place he had for Seifer extra-curricularly that might better   
suit the boy than being under Xu's tutelage.  
  
The unexpected recommendation of Zell Dincht by Sree caught her off guard.   
Quistis swore that the Shumi had a sense of humor and Xu assumed that Sree had   
chosen an odd time to exercise it. But then she sat down and looked over   
Zell's testing scores and came to understand why the boy was being nudged   
forward. Even at the tender age of fourteen, there was no hiding his   
incredible potential when it came to unarmed combat.  
  
Preparing a drill team for the scrutiny of the world at large was a   
daunting task, but she looked forward to it. This would be her pet project.   
The members of the drill team would become some of Balamb's finest if she had   
any say in it.  
  
*****  
  
The Trepies organized a card tournament as a welcoming event for the new   
students in largest of the dorm lounges. The tournament wasn't for ranking,   
but it was still expected to be one of the larger Triple Triad events this   
year. They'd even coaxed the Cafeteria into providing finger foods.  
  
Sierra's plans for the tournament were to stay as far away from it as   
possible. To accomplish this end would require her to either hole up in her   
room all day or leave the Garden entirely. She decided that the latter idea   
would be the better one since the lounge that the tournament was being held in   
was close to her room. She had intended to wake up early and be gone before   
the first Trepies arrived.  
  
Unfortunately she stayed up entirely too late the previous evening reading   
a book. By the time morning's light filtered in through her partially drawn   
curtains the gathering was already well underway.  
  
Sierra felt like a trapped animal in her room. She wanted out, but she   
also didn't want to be pulled into any sort of social gathering. The Trepies   
had slipped a flyer under her door inviting her to take part in the event. It   
was promptly discarded in the wastebasket. Even more annoying was that Myn had   
come by her room to ask if she'd like to help set things up for today. He was   
hoping to appeal to her sense of camaraderie since they both hailed from   
Trabia. She'd bowed out by saying that she was going to be in Balamb.  
  
Another group of loud students walked by her door. That only served to   
irk her further. She couldn't waste the day sleeping with so much noise just   
down the hall from her.  
  
She cracked open the door to see if the coast was clear. If she could at   
least slip out of this wing without being noticed...  
  
Life decided that it wasn't going to be her day. Myn came around the   
corner and happily called a greeting to her. She wanted to snap at the cheery   
SeeD to leave her alone, but she had to maintain a certain degree of civility.  
  
"Hey, I should have come by sooner! I didn't think you'd be going to   
Balamb today," he said lightly, completely at ease with having caught her in an   
apparent lie.  
  
"I overslept," Sierra explained meekly, still hoping to escape from the   
SeeD and the Garden.  
  
"Ah, then fate was watching out for you. It's raining cats and dogs   
outside, which makes for a miserable walk into town."  
  
"......" She hadn't even thought to look out the window to see how the   
weather was. She'd assumed since it was bright out (when relatively compared   
to night) it was a nice day.  
  
Myn already had a friendly arm placed across her shoulders and was gently   
leading her to the student lounge. The Trepie at the door hastily wrote her   
name on a tag ('Hello, my name is SIERRA') and put it on her. Myn guided her   
to the tournament registration table so that she could sign up.  
  
"I don't have any cards with me," Sierra muttered.  
  
"That's okay! We're giving away starter decks. We'll get you all taken   
care of," Myn assured and then left her in the care of the person at the table.  
  
The Trepie put her name on a list, handed her a deck of cards and a   
registration sheet, then pointed her towards a table that was across the way.   
With a sigh of resignation she made her way through the sea of bodies towards   
the table. There were so many people here: both cadet and SeeD. She'd even   
spotted Doctor Kadowaki as Myn was roping her in.  
  
"Hello! My name is Reika," the cadet greeted when Sierra sat down across   
from her. Apparently this was where the Trepies were giving individual lessons   
on how to play the game.  
  
"So your nametag says," Sierra drawled.  
  
Reika gave a short bark of laughter. "I like your sense of humor! This   
is going to be fun."  
  
Sierra wished that she could agree.  
  
  
  
The Trepies, though certainly a bit strange at times, did their best to   
try to improve the quality of Garden life. Organizing a 'get to know you'   
Triple Triad tournament each term to welcome the new students and re-acquaint   
the old was something the Headmaster fully endorsed. He encouraged the Faculty   
and staff to go to the Trepie functions so that they could get to know their   
students in an informal setting.  
  
Even if Cid hadn't encouraged her to go, Xu would have anyway. She'd   
quickly re-established herself as one of the Garden's finest Triple Triad   
players and had a reputation to maintain. Besides, she enjoyed the opportunity   
to hobnob. The social aspects of the tournament were one of its biggest draws.   
Not everyone played Triple Triad, but that didn't prevent them from showing up   
to sample the foods and chew the fat with their friends.  
  
Xu invited Aucifer to come with her to the tournament. She didn't even   
know if he played. When she asked him he drew a deck of cards from one of his   
pockets.  
  
Myn greeted them when he passed by them in the hallway. Xu knew the   
routine. Myn and a 'welcoming committee' of Trepies were going around the   
dorms drawing people out of their rooms and taking them to the gathering. In   
the lounge Xu spotted Nym with Jessie. From the stories Kei told her, Xu   
figured that Jessie keeping Nym's interest for this long must be a record.   
Especially considering the fact that Nym was fairly fickle to begin with.  
  
"Are you going to introduce me around or do I have to meet people on the   
mat?" Aucifer asked wryly when a pair of cute SeeDs walked by.  
  
"I'll introduce you, but keep your friend in check," she discretely   
pointed below the belt.  
  
Aucifer glanced down at his pants. "Checking," he replied. After a brief   
pause he grinned at Xu and reported, "He's doing very well, thanks, and   
promises not to overstay this welcome."  
  
Xu rolled her eyes and kept going.  
  
He knew better than to start hitting on the attractive females only a   
couple days after arriving. He'd build up a reputation as the Mysterious   
Master, the Guild Hunk, before selecting one of the blossoming SeeDs to make   
his acquaintance.  
  
Almost as though she was reading his mind, Xu shot him a dirty look.   
Aucifer guiltily rubbed the back of his head before taking in more of his   
surroundings.  
  
This Garden really was a nice place. Large picture windows set in a   
nearby wall allowed an excellent view of the surrounding area. Raindrops   
splattered against the windowsill and made the grasses that flowed up to the   
side of the building thick with moisture. The mountains that the Garden was   
nestled up against were a beautiful backdrop to all the lush greenery.  
  
Xu gave him a small tug on the sleeve to draw his attention away from the   
window. "There's Sierra de Ling with Reika at that table. Sierra's one of the   
students that Cid is trying to convince to join the drill team."  
  
"Ah, I remember her from the Headmaster's office. She isn't a relative of   
everyone's favorite dictator by any chance?" He quipped.  
  
Xu scowled. "No, and I wouldn't even joke about that around her. She can   
be rather humorless."  
  
"I got that impression," Aucifer nodded his head thoughtfully. "I want to   
meet her," he announced before putting words into action. He meandered over to   
the table where she was playing, while politely bobbing his head in greeting to   
those he passed on his way.  
  
Xu made it to the table first and was already chatting with the two women   
by the time he worked his way through the crowd. Reika was discussing a newly   
released series of playing cards with the Instructor. Sierra appeared to be   
bored by it all, so he introduced himself. She was equally indifferent to him   
as she was to the cards in her hand.  
  
"Have you given any more thought to joining the drill team?" Xu asked   
after Aucifer's attempt at conversation had fallen flat.  
  
Sierra squarely met Xu's eyes, "I'm not going to."  
  
"Why not?" The SeeD inquired. There were plenty of reasons to not invite   
Sierra to join in the first place. She should be jumping at being given an   
opportunity that was usually reserved for less troublesome students.  
  
"Because I do well enough in my classes without additional training,"   
Sierra answered dryly.  
  
Aucifer slammed the palm of his hand down on the table. The cards that   
were already laid down jumped from the jolt. "That's a rather bold claim to   
make. Would you care to amend it?"  
  
"The drill team's a joke."  
  
He bristled at her response. "You need to learn some respect."  
  
"No disrespect was meant. I'm just calling 'em as I see 'em," she   
shrugged. Xu and Reika exchanged glances as the situation became uncomfortably   
tense. Xu could almost see the displeasure radiating off of Aucifer as Sierra   
brushed him off.  
  
He leaned in closer to her to be sure that he had her undivided attention.   
"How about this; if you're really as good as you think you are, you should be   
able to beat me in a match. If you lose, then you obviously have more to   
learn. And I think you'll be learning it as a member of the drill team." A   
sharkish grin crossed his face.  
  
"You talk big, but what's in it for me if I beat your smart ass down?"   
Sierra challenged sarcastically without regard to his rank.  
  
Xu was ready to ream her then and there for talking back to a superior.  
  
Aucifer held up a hand to stop Xu from saying anything. His eyes narrowed   
as he evaluated the person seated before him. "If you win, I'll let you be.   
Fair enough?"  
  
Sierra looked away with a smirk, "Fine."  
  
"Tomorrow, after class. Don't be late," he picked his hand up from the   
table and brushed it against his side before offering it to her. Sierra   
regarded his hand for a moment before meeting it with her own. They shook on   
it.  
  
"What on earth are you doing?" Xu hissed once she had drawn Aucifer away   
to the relative seclusion of an unoccupied corner.  
  
He gave a small shrug. "I'm dealing with an unruly student who's   
forgotten her place. You SeeDs have your ways of dealing with discipline   
issues, and so does the Guild. We frown upon students who become too full of   
themselves. Our tradition is to challenge the student to a match. If they   
win, then they can have their pride. If they lose, the entire school will know   
it and they'll have to live with the humiliation."  
  
The frown didn't leave Xu's face as she rubbed the bridge of her nose with   
her thumb and index finger. "Are you sure you want Sierra on the team if you   
do win?"  
  
"Of course! I'm not about to waste her talent with petty disagreements.   
Most students see the light once it's been pounded into them."  
  
"Why does that sound like something Mistress Niethe would say?" Xu said   
with little amusement.  
  
"Trust me! It's a proven teaching technique," Aucifer assured. He rubbed   
his hands together and added, "Who do I get to threaten next?"  
  
  
  
Cid planned on making an appearance at the Triple Triad tournament, but   
not before he finished up a few more things. One of those unresolved matters   
was sitting in the chair across from him. Seifer ran his fingers through his   
short cut blonde hair and waited for the Headmaster to speak.  
  
"It's the beginning of a new term. I'm sure by now you know what that   
means," he looked up at the boy. Seifer smirked. It was an expression that   
seemed all too appropriate on his young face.  
  
"I would like you to choose at least one extra-curricular activity to   
participate in this term," Cid continued. Before Seifer could offer any of his   
usual protests, Cid held up a hand to silence the cadet. "I have a   
recommendation if you haven't decided already."  
  
Seifer scowled. "What is it?"  
  
The Headmaster relaxed back in his chair before speaking. "You've finally   
become old enough to take charge of the disciplinary committee. I suspect that   
heading up the committee would appeal to your sense of... authority," he   
drawled after searching for a fitting word.  
  
The disciplinary committee was a student ran group that enforced the   
lesser regulations of the Garden; minor things like not running in the halls   
and the dress code. Many regarded them as over-glorified hall monitors, but   
they did have their place. It also provided an enriching experience for those   
who had that sort of mentality.  
  
"You may have your friends Fujin and Raijin assist you if you want," he   
added. By now he had Seifer's interest. Cid smiled to himself. He knew that   
something like this would appeal to the domineering lad.  
  
"I must emphasize that this is a position of extreme trust. I trust you   
not only to help maintain order within the Garden, but to also not abuse your   
power. Is this something that I can leave to you?" Cid held his hands out   
before him on his desk in an open gesture.  
  
The smirk crept back into the corner of Seifer's lip. "You can trust me,   
sir," he stood and even saluted.  
  
"Excellent, I'll let the Faculty know that you'll begin tomorrow."  
  
When Seifer left his office, Cid righted himself in his chair and pulled   
out a few loose sheets of paper. The top two sheets were already filled with   
his scrawled script. He brought a clean sheet to the front and continued the   
letter that he'd been writing before Seifer arrived.  
  
'Every day the children grow stronger and more capable. Our SeeDs are   
blooming into the beauty that we envisioned. I truly believe that we will be   
ready when the time comes if you can hold on for just a bit longer. With my   
undying love, Cid'  
  
He sorted the papers into order and then jogged them down before placing   
them into an envelope. It may take his letter a while to reach its   
destination, but it will be appreciated when it did.  
  
  
  
"Xu! I'm glad to see you here," the Headmaster bounced on the balls of his   
feet and gave the room an approving look. "Quite a turn out, wouldn't you   
say?"  
  
"The Trepies always have large gatherings, but the foul weather   
undoubtedly helped," Xu added.  
  
Sean would be proud if he could see what the Trepies had grown into. The   
Trepies were one of the most active clubs in the Garden. Their ranks were over   
forty strong and that was just the core group.  
  
Xu smiled to herself when she recalled a recent conversation she had with   
Myn. He was lamenting the number of lumps he's taken from his twin because of   
his leadership of the Trepies. It was common knowledge that Enju had forced   
Myn into it, but the good-natured SeeD had taken up the challenge and built   
something that was worthwhile. Myn's current concern was that he was being   
deployed on missions with greater frequency and for longer periods of time.   
That left a gap in the Trepie leadership while he was off saving the world.  
  
She'd suggested that he appoint someone to hold down the fort while he was   
away. That idea had already occurred to him and he was currently on a search   
for a suitable candidate. Considering the roots of the club, he originally   
wanted it to be Eugene, LeVar or Jessie. Unfortunately, they were often on   
assignment.  
  
Using the criteria of selecting people close to Quistis, his next thought   
was to approach Kei. He couldn't even bring himself to ask her because she   
intimidated the hell out of him. Xu figured that he wanted her to approach Kei   
on his behalf, but that wasn't it. After Kei, Xu was the next one on his   
shortlist.  
  
It flattered Xu to even be considered, especially since she had precious   
little to do with the Trepie establishment and growth. By Myn's thinking, she   
was a good candidate because she was an Instructor and generally stayed close   
to home. Xu wasn't so sure about that since she'd managed to do her fair share   
of traveling in her few years as a SeeD, though not nearly as much as her   
cousin or Quistis' three brothers.  
  
After discussing it further, Xu did agree to maintain the Trepies if he   
was going to be on assignment for an extended period of time (providing that   
she wasn't out of the Garden herself). She also encouraged him to find a   
couple more like-minded people in case their scheduling didn't work out.  
  
Personally, she'd find it amusing if he managed to talk Nym into taking   
charge of the Trepies for him. That was an idle thought since they were sent   
out as a team a majority of the time.  
  
"I've taken care Seifer," Cid commented lightly.  
  
"Oh? How so?" Xu doubted very much that the Headmaster had dumped Seifer   
into Balamb Bay, but she could dream.  
  
"I gave him charge of the disciplinary committee. Fujin and Raijin will   
be assisting him."  
  
Xu's expression went cold as her mind played out the possible scenarios.   
Fujin and Raijin weren't bad kids from what she'd seen, despite being   
hanger-ons to Seifer. What had she heard them call themselves...? A posse,   
yes, that was rather appropriate. It gave the impression of a loosely   
organized group with even less leadership.  
  
"Isn't that like letting the wolf guard the sheep?"  
  
"It's an excellent opportunity to encourage personal growth. Give him a   
bit of responsibility and he'll have to start acting responsibly." Cid seemed   
certain of the logic behind his thinking.  
  
Xu wasn't so sure. She could already hear the protests of students   
reprimanded by Seifer for slights (imagined or otherwise). She'd have to be   
sure that he wasn't abusing his newfound authority. If he so much as put a toe   
over the line she'd stomp on it.  
  
"I know that you'll keep an eye on things," he added as an afterthought.   
He'd already figured her monitoring into his plan before offering Seifer the   
position. He couldn't help but be amused by this. Cid Kramer knew the   
temperament of his SeeDs and manipulated accordingly.  
  
  
  
In another wing of the campus Fujin and Raijin were eating lunch in the   
Cafeteria when Seifer joined them.  
  
"Well?" Fujin brushed her silvery hair away from her one good eye. The   
meal in front of her was forgotten and the fork in her left hand danced as she   
thoughtlessly played with it.  
  
"It went better than I could have hoped," Seifer turned a chair around   
backwards and straddled it. "Old man Cid asked me to take over the   
disciplinary committee."  
  
"Interesting..." Fujin took charge of her wayward hand and resumed eating.  
  
Foolish. She was a woman who carefully weighed her words and then used   
them sparingly. She just wasted one in an expression of muted disbelief.   
Considering the extraordinary revelation, she could forgive herself for the   
lapse.  
  
There was no doubt in her mind regarding the loyalty that she held for   
Seifer, but she didn't let that cloud her impression of him. When someone is   
suddenly granted what many of the people around him will fear, envy, or reject   
it's enough to prompt even a casual observer to take notice. And Fujin was   
hardly a casual observer when it came to Seifer's interactions with the world   
around him.  
  
He was a fascinating person to watch. On one hand he approached life with   
a bravado that was considered brash by most. On the other she'd witnessed his   
quiet, reflective moments. Beneath all the flamboyance was a thinker capable   
of more than even he considered possible.  
  
"Do we get to help, ya know?" Raijin asked.  
  
He was easily the largest of the trio and showed no signs of his growth   
slowing down anytime soon. His close crop black hair and dark complexion was a   
sharp contrast to the smaller woman who sat across from him. Fujin and Raijin   
were literally black and white when compared. Some even went so far as to say   
that Fujin was albino.  
  
"You're my posse, of course you'll be part of the committee. I'm in   
charge now and what I say goes." Seifer swept his arm in a cutting gesture to   
indicate that his decision was final.  
  
"You're da man, Seifer, da man," Raijin gave him a thumbs up.  
  
Seifer folded his arms across the back of the chair and smirked. He loved   
the adulation of others.  
  
*****  
  
True to her word Sierra came to the training room during the afternoon   
session to duel Aucifer. The young Master was dressed in casual workout   
clothes, was warmed up and ready to go. Sierra trudged off to the locker room   
to get changed into something more appropriate. When she returned to the main   
floor she was wearing a leotard with leggings and a shirt over top of it. Her   
hair was pulled into a braid to keep it out of the way.  
  
Aucifer offered to go through some warm up exercises with her, but she   
declined and went off to do them on her own. Twenty minutes later she returned   
ready for battle.  
  
Xu called a halt to the practices taking place on the main mat at   
Aucifer's request. Curious cadets and SeeDs lined up around the mat to witness   
the match that was about to take place. Since this was Xu's realm, she would   
be the referee of the bout. They agreed to fight unarmed until one of them   
yielded to the other.  
  
From his starting position Aucifer appraised the cadet who stood before   
him. He only had a few centimeters at most on her in terms of height. He knew   
already that she was physically strong, but strength could fall to technique.   
And her technique was the question mark in the equation for him. Xu warned him   
that Sierra was fond of a non-traditional style. He wondered what exactly   
'non-traditional' entailed.  
  
Xu motioned for them to start and Aucifer put up his guard. Likewise   
Sierra had guarded first instead of rushing forward to get in the first blow   
like many students do. Her open stance protected her head and appeared to   
leave her belly exposed to low punches. Was she baiting him or was she really   
that sloppy? They couldn't very well stand here and guard all afternoon.  
  
Aucifer punched, aiming for Sierra's exposed belly. Her left hand dropped   
down to catch his fist while the right hand snapped out to attack. He batted   
away her jab, but wasn't prepared when she didn't let go of his captured hand.   
Using her considerable strength she pulled him into her before landing a cheap   
shot to his nose. She then shoved him away with enough force to send him   
backpedaling.  
  
He quickly regained his footing and wiped the back of his sleeve across   
his nose while keeping his eyes on his opponent. His sleeve came away   
bloodied. Insolent girl, it wasn't often one challenged a Master by drawing   
blood. Keeping his temper firmly in check he prepared for their next round of   
blows.  
  
This time she charged forward hoping to follow up her first punch with a   
second. He blocked her easily, but again she didn't withdraw. She grabbed a   
hold of him using the waist of his pants to give her something to latch on to   
and arched her back to lift him up off the mat. She then angled around and   
slammed both of them down before disengaging and rolling away.  
  
Being forced down didn't hurt as much as it could have. Knowing how to   
fall correctly prevented him from suffering the brunt of the intended hurt.   
Aucifer pushed himself back to his feet and glared at Sierra. It was becoming   
obvious that if he was going to win he had to move quickly to prevent her from   
grabbing him. If she got her hands on him she'd pull another stunt.  
  
Aucifer bounced up onto the balls of his feet and readied himself to dance   
his way around her if he must. He'd wear her down with quick jabs and keep out   
of her arms reach. The strategy worked well for a while. He was landing   
plenty of punches, but she changed strategies herself.  
  
She lunged, tackling him around the waist and forcing him to the mat. She   
then took to punching him in the sides and keeping him down on the mat.  
  
This type of wrestling wasn't a true art. It was an exhibition sport for   
those too clumsy for the martial arts. Despite thinking that, he couldn't get   
out of the hold she had him in. Aucifer's anger and frustration grew. Not   
only had it become a bloody match with both of them sporting their share of   
weeping cuts and bruises, but he was losing face in front of Xu by having such   
a hard time knocking down a cheeky student.  
  
He shouldn't have let his mind wander. Sierra landed a hard punch to his   
ribs that caused him to reflexively ball up. Seeing that she'd done some true   
damage she backed off, expecting him to yield. Aucifer picked himself up from   
the mat and gingerly assessed his condition. His breathing was heavy and   
painful. It wouldn't surprise him if she'd just cracked a rib.  
  
But he couldn't give up. If he gave up to her not only would he lose   
having her on the team (and after fighting her today, it would be a crying   
shame if she wasn't) he'd lose the respect of his students. All right, no more   
games. This needed to end now because he didn't have enough strength left to   
prolong the match.  
  
Every movement he made shot pain through his chest. He ignored it,   
turning the pain into a resolve of steel. Sierra put her guard up, baffled as   
to why he was still continuing the fight. When he got close enough, she threw   
a testing jab at him. Using one of her own tricks he captured her hand and   
didn't let go. She was ready for that and prepared to counter-attack while   
breaking his grip on her wrist.  
  
Unfortunately, he had other plans.  
  
Even though he fought daily, it was rarely his intention to actually   
*hurt* the person he was battling. He was a student of the 'fight to disable'   
school of thought -- only go so far as to prevent the person from hurting you   
further. While a large (and obvious) part of their training was physical,   
there was also the aspect of knowing how far to go when applying their skills.   
There was always a fine line they could toe as long as they didn't cross it.  
  
Aucifer was about to stomp on that line.  
  
The only way Sierra would yield to him would be if he knocked her   
unconscious or if he hurt her to the point of disable. And so, with little   
remorse, he performed a move he didn't practice against humans.  
  
The shock wave of pain at having her arm broken coursed through Sierra's   
body and was painted on her face. With her stunned, he moved his hand from her   
arm to her throat. His fingertips dug gingerly into the tender flesh below her   
jaw. "Yield!" He demanded in a tone that reflected all the outrage he felt at   
her mockery of him.  
  
Her eyes had glossed over due to the pain, but she was still keenly aware   
of her circumstances. She made no effort to say the word that would bring an   
end to their match. He adjusted his grip to assure that she was acutely aware   
of how easily he could crush her windpipe.  
  
"Y-yield," she exhaled after further hesitation.  
  
He released his hold, allowing her to fall to the mat. The adrenaline   
rushing through his body had kept him going during the fight, and was grateful   
when he felt the effects of a powerful Curaga spell mending his damaged rib.   
Adrenaline wouldn't last forever and it was nice to be healed before the pain   
returned.  
  
Sierra was still crumpled on the mat. Xu had already cast a curative   
spell on her, so her arm should be mended. He knelt down and put his hand out   
to her to help her get up. Sierra wouldn't meet his eyes, but he did catch a   
glimpse of her face. Streams of tears were streaked down her cheeks. He   
didn't realize he'd hurt her that badly. Not that having an arm broken felt   
good, but he expected her to have a higher pain threshold. Maybe it was her   
pride that was smarting?  
  
"That was one hell of a fight," he said lightly. "I'm glad that we're all   
on the same team."  
  
"We are," she said in a harsh, hushed tone. Her statement could be taken   
as either a question or a confirmation. He decided to take it as the latter.  
  
"Yes, we are. Come on," he put his hand out to her again.  
  
She got up off the mat without his help. Aucifer sighed softly and stood   
up as well. Xu had sent a pair of students off to get some maintenance people   
in the training room to clean and disinfect that mat before practice resumed on   
it.  
  
"I'm impressed," Xu complimented Sierra. "It's not often that I see a   
student put up such a fight."  
  
Xu paused for Sierra to make some sort of comment -- an acceptance of Xu's   
praise or something. When no answer was forthcoming, she pressed onward. "I'd   
like both of you to go to the Infirmary for a check up. The Curagas probably   
got everything, but I'd rather be safe than sorry."  
  
Without so much as a salute or good-bye, Sierra turned around and made her   
way for the door.  
  
"We'll talk later." Aucifer assured before rushing off to catch up with   
Sierra.  
  
They were in the hallway leading to the main corridor of the Garden before   
Sierra said anything. "Curagas can't heal everything," she said softly.  
  
"Where do you hurt?"  
  
Sierra shook her head and kept going.  
  
He wouldn't let their conversation lapse into another awkward pause. If   
she wouldn't talk, he would. "I'm glad it wasn't an armed fight. I'm not sure   
how I would have done against your shotaxe. That's an Estharian weapon, isn't   
it?"  
  
She shook her head again. "They took it from us. Trabia invented the   
shotaxe. It's a tool that can also be used as a weapon."  
  
"Your tools require the ability fire bullets?"  
  
She sighed at his apparent ignorance and indulged educating him. "Bullets   
aren't the only things that can be shot. The firing mechanism was originally   
built into the handle so that the user could fire a piton into rocks or ice.   
It's easier than hammering them in."  
  
"I can see that."  
  
There was another pause as he tried to think of something else to talk   
about. Sierra beat him to the punch by posing her own question. "So when does   
it start?"  
  
"When does what start?"  
  
"Your fight club."  
  
Aucifer rubbed his finger along his nose before smiling slightly. So she   
wasn't going to try to squirm out of their agreement. He respected that. On   
the other hand, she could try dodging her responsibilities by being so   
troublesome that they kick her out. He doubted that she would do that, but he   
didn't see her going out of her way to make things easier.  
  
"Drill team," he corrected. "The first meeting is going to be tomorrow at   
1900. It'll be more of an introduction than an actual practice. We might do   
some simple drilling, but nothing extraordinary... yet."  
  
"Fine."  
  
Kadowaki gave them both a clean bill of health, though she noted privately   
that Sierra seemed depressed about something. She chalked it up as the brazen   
cadet being brought down a couple pegs and thought nothing more of it.  
  
  
  
When Aucifer returned to his quarter later that afternoon Xu was patiently   
waiting for him in the hallway.   
  
"Now, isn't this a pleasant surprise?" He winked at her before unlocking   
the door and letting them in. "Would you be interested in seeing me in the   
towel this time or should I leave the disrobing to the one who's experienced?"  
  
Xu flushed at what he was implying and shook it off. His quarters still   
had the smell of newness to them. Aucifer had yet to turn them into his new   
home.  
  
"You shouldn't say things like that," the SeeD cautioned.  
  
"Ah, and is your warning for my own good or for yours?" He asked coyly.  
  
The flush returned to Xu's cheeks. "Yours. Kei would have your head if   
she heard you speaking to me in such a manner."  
  
"Kei..? Who's that, a lover?"  
  
That broke the cool Xu had been clinging to since following him into his   
quarters. "My cousin! Spirits, what's wrong with you? You act professional   
when in front of the students and then like a pig-headed jerk when in private!"  
  
"No one said that you had to speak with me in private," he said without   
apology.  
  
It was rare when Xu could be so utterly flustered by another. Though   
someone may earn her ire, she was able to maintain her SeeD cool. Aucifer just   
made her want to knock him upside the head for being a smart ass. Xu took a   
deep, calming breath, and refocused on why she'd come to see him.  
  
"How did things go with Sierra?"  
  
He shrugged as he went to get himself a glass of water. "You were at the   
duel. What do you think?"  
  
Xu let her left hand slide along the back of the couch that was in his   
small living room and squeeze the dark fabric. "A duel isn't how I would have   
approached it. You tell me if you accomplished your ends or if I'll be doing   
damage control tomorrow."  
  
"I accomplished my ends, as you put it. Sierra will be joining us for the   
first session and I don't believe she'll try to make trouble with the intention   
of being kicked off the team," he paused to take a long drink from the glass in   
his hand.  
  
Xu accepted this. "Was it really necessary to break her arm?"  
  
"Absolutely," he said without a touch of remorse. "Some students lose   
touch with the reality of their training. They think that death doesn't apply   
to them or that they're above injury. No matter how good you become, you must   
always remember that there is someone out there who is better. Sierra needed   
to be reminded of that fact. Breaking her arm drilled the point home."  
  
He took another sip before moving on to the next topic. "By the way, what   
did you do to get her to hate you so much?"  
  
That stopped Xu short. "What?"  
  
Aucifer returned her confused look. "What do you mean 'what'? A blind   
man could see that she's avoiding you. Or have you completely missed her sour   
look when you're both in the same room? What'd you do to her?"  
  
"I haven't done anything to her," Xu defended. "I barely know her. She   
transferred here last term when I was on assignment."  
  
Aucifer grew quiet with a thoughtful posture to him. "I'd keep my eye on   
her," he advised. "There's more here than either of us are seeing."  
  
Xu left his quarters shortly thereafter with plenty of food for thought.  
  
He had a lot on his mind himself. He would never question if coming here   
was a good idea or not, the answer was 'yes'. Yes, because he needed to get   
out from under Niethe. Yes, because if he was to become a well respected   
Master, he needed the seasoning that can only come from a variety of   
experiences.  
  
Teaching at Niethe's school was a prestigious position, one that Masters   
twice his age would be proud of. The old woman wouldn't put up with him   
hanging around her school forever. She wanted him out to go see the world   
she'd invested so much in preparing him for.   
  
Accepting a contract from SeeD was a step down in the social rankings   
(though only because he'd started so high up), but there was a lot he could   
learn here. Xu had already shown her willingness to teach him some of the   
tricks that made SeeD's forces unique from any other in the world. This was an   
opportunity money couldn't buy since the Garden's enrollment was strictly   
limited.  
  
But... A part of him feared that he might blow it. He hasn't even been   
here for a week and already Xu had called him on his sharp tongue. It was   
going to be hard to shake the reactionary habits Niethe drilled into him.   
Please let Xu remain patient and not turn him away!  
  
And her warning didn't fall on deaf ears. He'd make it a point to watch   
his tongue when around SeeD Kei should he ever find himself in her company.  
  
*****  
  
Ten minutes before the appointed time and every member of the newly formed   
drill team had arrived. Xu looked over the students she had collected as they   
milled about the room waiting for their meeting to begin.  
  
Over in the corner the young fireball, Zell, swung fiercely at a punching   
bag. At fourteen he was the youngest member of the group, but held the most   
potential in Xu's mind. Like Xu, Zell wasn't that big in stature, but he had a   
big heart and (at times) an equally big mouth. Refining him into a more   
disciplined fighter was going to be one of Xu's pet projects.  
  
Sierra was off to the side by herself and had her arms crossed with a sour   
expression marring her face. Now that she'd been made aware of it, Xu noticed   
what Aucifer had mentioned with it came to Sierra's attitude. If Xu happened   
to wander towards the cadet, Sierra moved so that the distance between them was   
maintained.  
  
Each of the students already had the skills necessary to attempt to become   
journeymen if they were with the Guild. It was true that this was a hobby to   
be enjoyed, but she hoped to make them specialists among specialists. People   
that Cid could count on to get the job done quickly and quietly if need be. If   
nothing else, they will demonstrate the awesome potential of the human body   
when it was honed into a fighting machine.  
  
It was unfortunate that she wasn't able to convince Squall to join. The   
cadet was too focused on himself to care much about the opportunities presented   
to him. He wanted to graduate and nothing else (including others) seemed to   
matter. Maybe if he changed his mind at some later date... She'd leave the   
invitation to him open for when he was ready.  
  
Aucifer was the last one to enter the private training room after leaving   
charge of the main training area to one of the Faculty while he and Xu were   
away.  
  
"Great, everyone's here early," Xu said to get them to gather around. The   
students seated themselves into rows on the mat before her as their training   
dictated. After giving them one more appraising look she was convinced by a   
good feeling that this was the right direction to go in.  
  
"I'd like to start out by thanking you for accepting the invitation to   
join the drill team. I know some of you felt hesitant about joining since this   
is a newly formed group and there wasn't any history to go by regarding its   
activities. Let me outline what our goals are.   
  
"The first goal is to have fun. This is an extra-curricular activity   
after all. If you're absolutely miserable and dread coming in every day to   
work with us, then I'd encourage you to speak with Aucifer or myself. As you'd   
expect, a lot of what we're going to do won't be pleasant. You will leave here   
aching, bruised, and hurt. It takes a strong spirit to keep up with the   
demands we'll be making of you. If you don't feel up to that, then it's best   
for you to quit the team.  
  
"Our next goal is to hone our abilities and become the absolute best that   
we can. What you'll learn here will make you a better SeeD, yes, but we hope   
that it will also make you a better person. Up to this point none of you have   
been truly challenged by your training sessions. The classes can only go as   
fast as the slowest student, after all. Well, here are your true peers. Here   
are the people who will offer you a challenge. The team was kept purposefully   
small so that we can focus more on individual improvement than we can in an   
open session setting.  
  
"The third goal is to become upstanding examples of what the Garden   
strives for. You will be expected to maintain an excellent grade average in   
all your classes. If this activity is distracting too much from your   
schoolwork then you'll be asked to quit and focus on that instead.  
  
"We will demonstrate our physical, academic, and professional excellence   
in our day-to-day lives and especially when we are on tour. During the breaks   
we're planning on touring Balamb and Galbadia performing demonstrations of our   
physical arts. This is intended as a reward for your hard work," she paused in   
her speech to grin wryly, "like the work itself isn't reward enough -- and to   
demonstrate for the world the caliber of student Garden produces.  
  
"Any questions so far?"  
  
A dozen pair of eyes watched her without a single response. She was about   
to continue when Zell put his hand up. "So, like, when do we start?"  
  
Xu held back a laugh. Zell was wet behind the ears and as excited as a   
pup. "We start now. Master Aucifer and I already have a good feel for what   
each of you are capable of, but you may not be familiar with each other.   
Partner up and do some light sparring until we tell you to trade off. Get to   
know your teammates."  
  
Sierra reluctantly found a partner in one of her fellow female cadets.   
Zell ended up with a towering brute that the other students called Red (because   
of his flaming red hair, Xu guessed). Red and Sierra both came from the school   
of brute force. It'd be interesting to see how well Zell could duck and weave   
his way around the massive upperclassman.  
  
Of the students here, Zell was the only one who was a straight   
hand-to-hand fighter. The rest of them had chosen a weapon to specialize in.   
Xu expected their unarmed skills to be the ones most in need of improvement.   
She and Aucifer had already decided to focus on that for the first couple of   
months before moving into advanced training with their individual weapons.  
  
Aucifer moved to one end of the mat to watch the students spar while Xu   
covered the other end. There was always the chance that the students would   
surprise them with something unexpected. He paid special attention to the   
match between Sierra and Jordan.. Neither cadet said much, instead   
concentrating on attacking and countering. Sierra hadn't once attempted to   
pick Jordan up and throw her like she'd done multiple times during her bout   
with him. Instead she was taking a more traditional track by guarding and   
throwing punches. Jordan was light on her feet and kept her moves varied with   
both punches and kicks aimed at different regions of the body. They were   
testing each other, he realized, trying to find the weak spot in the other's   
guard.  
  
As fascinating as it was to watch them he moved along. He liked how these   
students were fighting with their brains first and their balls a distant   
second. He looked forward to training such high quality students. So far he   
hadn't seen many habits that needed to be broken.  
  
On her end of the mat Xu watched the match between Red and Zell. The   
absurdity of their size difference was enough to cause her to chuckle with   
sympathy for Zell. It wasn't easy being on the small side. Zell used his size   
to his advantage the best that he could. Red couldn't land a hit on him   
because Zell was always out of the way before the swung arm could make it   
around. Zell had to content himself with landing most of his hits on the lower   
half of Red's body. The upperclassman wasn't allowing Zell to land anything   
above his chest. There were merits to Zell's monkey-like antics, but it could   
be refined into something more effective.  
  
Xu allowed them to spar for a bit longer before bringing them to a halt   
and calling for them to trade off partners. She watched with mild surprise as   
Zell made a beeline towards Sierra. Was it his intention to spar the people   
who were most likely to pound him into the mat?  
  
Sierra looked down at Zell with the disdain one would show a pest, but   
accepted his challenge nonetheless. Once everyone was paired up again Xu   
called for them to begin.  
  
Zell was quick to bounce forward and try to land a couple quick blows   
against Sierra. She blocked him easily with her forearms before taking up a   
handful of his shirt and tossed him aside like a rag doll. He rebounded from   
the throw as if he meant to go down like that and continued his pecking.   
Unlike her last bout, Sierra couldn't be bothered with the likes of Zell and   
wasted no time in disposing of him. He spent more time down on the mat than he   
spent up on his feet.  
  
Xu had to give him credit for being tenacious, but this was no way to   
about winning a fight. Eventually Sierra would tire of playing games with him   
and do something that guaranteed him not getting back up anytime soon. Xu   
ended the round before that happened.  
  
There wasn't enough time for every person to fight each other once. They   
traded off two more times before Xu called it a night. She outlined their   
training schedule, which involved meeting every day except on the Garden rest   
day. She made it clear that she expected them to take a rest from physical   
training then. Wishing them a good night she dismissed them.  
  
*****  
  
Seifer's first act after assuming control of the disciplinary committee   
was to make the rounds so that everyone knew of his new position. He posted to   
the Garden message board, announcing to his fellow students that he wouldn't be   
lenient when it came to rule enforcement.  
  
The original message was deleted from the board a half-hour later.  
  
Undeterred, Seifer posted a second message that was worded a bit more   
carefully. This one remained on the board with no responses posted to it.   
That disappointed Seifer. He'd been expecting congratulations from his   
admirers or perhaps protests from those who were skating on thin ice to begin   
with. He posted a follow up to his own message, hoping to solicit some sort of   
response.  
  
'Cut out the virtual swaggering. --Xu' was all he got. He added her to   
the list of people he was going to keep his eye on for transgressions. No one   
was above the regulations of the Garden, including the Instructors.  
  
He also made it a point to visit some of his 'favorite' people in person.   
He found Sierra eating alone in the Cafeteria during the dinner hour. As he   
looked over her shoulder from behind, he noticed that tonight's chicken with   
gravy looked more appalling than usual. It didn't matter. He wasn't here to   
eat. He was here to lay down the law.  
  
"Good evening, Miss de Ling," he drawled. "As the new head of the   
disciplinary committee I take my responsibilities very seriously. This is a   
spot inspection. Do you have any magic or weapons on you?"  
  
Sierra didn't look away from her meal as she held up her dinner knife in   
her right hand. "Any other stupid questions?"  
  
Seifer smirked and leaned forward so that he could whisper in her ear.   
"You can't push me around anymore now that I run the disciplinary committee.   
If you so much as look at me the wrong way I'll write you up. What do you   
think of that?"  
  
The elder cadet quickly flipped the knife around and stabbed behind her.   
Seifer could feel the tip of the utensil lightly dig into the flesh of his   
belly. A moment later she withdrew.  
  
Seifer stood upright and looked down at his shirt. A glob of gravy marked   
where she'd tagged him with the knife. He removed it with his index finger and   
then played with it between her finger and thumb. Purposefully he picked up   
her napkin and used it to wipe off the gravy.  
  
"That could be considered an assault on a fellow student," he pointed out.  
  
"I wouldn't have stopped there, but I'm too tired to bury your body in the   
Quad right now. Why don't you be a good little boy and piss off?"  
  
He smirked, enjoying the verbal sparring he did with her. "It's always a   
pleasure speaking with you."  
  
She nodded her head and kept eating.  
  
  
  
Later that evening, Sierra was unimpressed by Zell's efforts to knock her   
down when she sparred him. He repeatedly tried to sweep her feet out from   
under her with a low kick. Tired of playing games with him she crouched low   
and caught his foot when he tried to do the same move yet again. She yanked on   
his foot hard enough to lift him up off the mat and then back down again before   
releasing him.  
  
"Dumbass, don't you know how to do anything else?" She taunted.  
  
"Sierra," Aucifer warned from his position at the side of the mat.  
  
Sierra shrugged off the implied reprimand. "Why don't you fight someone   
your own size?" She asked Zell.  
  
He took the opportunity to roll away before getting back to his feet. "I   
have to take you down," he said while bringing his guard back up.  
  
Sierra didn't even bother raising her guard as he advanced. "Why?"  
  
Zell danced around her, throwing light jabs that she batted away easily   
enough. The rascal lunged forward and swept at her feet again. A lapse of   
judgment on her part underestimated him and she was knocked back by the ankle   
sweep.  
  
"So that I can be a strong soldier like the grandpa was," he declared   
proudly. "Grandpa was a hero during the Sorceress War. He fought bravely and   
took down Esthar soldiers that were twice his size!"  
  
Sierra shook her head. "If you're any example of what your grandpa was   
like, he must have been a shrimp."  
  
Zell's expression contorted because of her insulting his grandfather. He   
lunged again, this time knocking her down and wailing on her with his fists   
before Aucifer called him off.  
  
"Don't you ever insult my grandpa!" The boy growled at her.  
  
She got up off the mat and wiped away a small trickle of blood from her   
split lip. "Heh, I can respect that. I think my grand dad was the greatest   
man to live in Trabia myself. Let's fight valiantly for both of them, eh?"  
  
Zell stopped his bobbing to puzzle over her sudden change of heart. He   
scratched the back of his head before a broad grin came to his face. "Yeah!   
You're all right Sierra."  
  
"Just don't let that get around, okay?" She teased before throwing a punch   
at him.  
  
From his position on the sidelines, Aucifer took mental note of what was   
said. Zell had spoken before of the grandfather he admired so much, but this   
was the first time he'd heard mention of Sierra's. It could be idle banter on   
their part or there could be something behind it. Either way, he'd let Xu   
know. Especially since she still doubted that anything got through the thick   
and thorny skin that was Sierra's personality.  
  
*****  
  
Sierra was doing homework in her room when she heard a knock on the door.   
With a sigh she set down her stylus and got up to answer it. Someone obviously   
had the wrong room if they were knocking on her door. Dammit, wasn't there a   
directory in the main hallway leading into the dorms that gave room   
assignments? Whoever it was, she'd shoo them away quickly and get back to   
work.  
  
When she opened the door Zell was standing there bouncing around.  
  
"What do you want?" Sierra asked without the bother of pleasantries.  
  
"Eh, I heard that you're a wiz at geography and I have a test comin' up   
that if I don't do well on 'structor Xu's gonna back me off the drill team," he   
sighed heavily. "Would ya help me?"  
  
Sierra was stunned that Zell had sought her out for help. She shook her   
head physically to clear her mind. She wasn't a tutor. She never asked for   
help and she didn't want to give it. But Zell had such a plaintive look on his   
face and she knew that it meant the world to him to be on the drill team. Her   
heart softened.  
  
"Well, okay, but let's not make a habit of it," she agreed, motioning for   
him to come in. 'I'll probably regret this later,' she thought to herself   
while closing the door.  
  
Zell's eyes widened as he took in all the maps she had tacked to the wall   
of her room. "You're really into this stuff!"  
  
Sierra didn't answer. Instead she asked him what exactly would be covered   
on his test. It was a test of the Galbadia continent's political borders prior   
to the Sorceress War. So it was as much a history test as geography. She   
briefly quizzed his knowledge to see how much he knew of the current political   
boundaries (since that would make things easier). When he couldn't even find   
Lake Obel on the map she knew that they were going to be at this for a while.  
  
  
  
The afternoon was already half over when Aucifer finally had a chance to   
grab something to eat. The famished Master was as hungry as a student who'd   
just endured one of Niethe's grueling training sessions. He made himself   
comfortable at the end of one of the longer tables with a food laden tray set   
before him.  
  
It was getting late to be having lunch, but it was the only opportunity   
his schedule allowed. The number of people who shared the Cafeteria with him   
could be counted on a single hand. That's why he was pleasantly surprised when   
two cadets sat down with him.  
  
"Master Aucifer," Jordan greeted. "I believe you met my friend Reika at   
the Trepies' tournament," she said by way of introduction.  
  
"It's good to see you again." He did remember them from the tournament.   
Jordan he already knew because of the drill team. Reika he recalled because of   
the startled expression on her face when he challenged Sierra to a duel.  
  
"How do you like it here at Balamb?" Reika asked between bites of her fish   
sandwich.  
  
"It's a beautiful facility. The people are friendly. The students are   
bright, which makes them a breeze to teach. It seems like a utopia."  
  
Jordan laughed. "I've never heard of it described that way before. Too   
bad you can't date the guys, then it would be a real utopia!"  
  
Aucifer gave her a questioning look. "Excuse me? Is only homosexuality   
allowed at the Garden? If so, I'm in over my head already!"  
  
"He's not from Garden, he wouldn't know about the rules," Reika pointed   
out.  
  
"What rules?" Aucifer gave them a charming smile. There were few better   
sources for information than student gossip. That held true regardless of what   
school one attended.  
  
"We're discouraged from entering into relationships," Jordan explained.   
"As a SeeD, we could be called off to battle and killed. It's a policy meant   
to protect us in the long run."  
  
"Not to say that we're a bunch of prudes either," Reika interjected.  
  
"A single night is seen as just that. It's two people agreeing to relieve   
the needs of the other. There is no obligation beyond that," Jordan explained.  
  
"What about love?" Aucifer asked. "I, for one, have nothing against a   
night's passion, but there are those craggy romantics out there who insist on a   
higher moral standard. How can you live with just the physical?"  
  
The two cadets exchanged a look, both frowning.  
  
"Fall in love and risk becoming like Xu." Jordan cautioned.  
  
His eyebrow arched, silently inviting her to continue. This bit of gossip   
was becoming all the more interesting. "Xu's a lovely woman. Becoming like   
her would be a bad thing?"  
  
"He wouldn't know about Sean either. So much for you being the   
Instructor, Master," Reika teased lightly.  
  
"That's why I'm always willing to listen to my students," he replied,   
while continuing to thickly lay on the charm.  
  
"When Xu was still a cadet she was pretty tight with another cadet named   
Sean," Jordan explained.  
  
"Just try to get them to admit it!" Reika chimed in.  
  
"They wouldn't admit it, even to themselves. The day of Xu's field exam   
Sean took her roommate, Quistis, to the Training Center. A T-Rexaur attacked   
and killed Sean with Quistis escaping unscathed physically, but she was a mess   
emotionally for a while there," Jordan finished.  
  
Reika nodded solemnly. "Yeah, she saw Sean and Xu as older siblings who   
watched out for her."  
  
"Xu passed the exam. Her night of celebration was anything but once she   
learned of his death. I know that I would have been crushed if it'd happened   
to me!" Jordan shook her head ruefully.  
  
"The Headmaster sent Xu to Galbadia for a couple years. When she came   
back, she was different..." The two cadets nodded at each other as though   
they'd discussed this several times before. "She was stronger and focused, but   
at the same time, confused. That sounds odd, doesn't it? When it came to   
being a SeeD, she's the best. But when it came to being *Xu*, she was no   
longer sure of herself."  
  
"She never got over Sean," Reika surmised.  
  
"She will never get over him, even if she lets another man catch her.   
Xu's like that," a small smile came to Jordan's lips. "She's fiercely loyal.   
Once you have her love and support, you'll never lose it."  
  
"Has another man caught her? Even for a night?" Aucifer asked, completely   
drawn into their story.  
  
Reika and Jordan exchanged another long look.  
  
Jordan shrugged, "Don't know, but I'd wager not. Look at the schedule she   
maintains. She's in the training room from morning 'til night almost every   
day. I think her current love is her work."  
  
"I have seen her in Balamb occasionally. She seems to like looking out   
over Balamb Bay for as much time as she spends on the docks," Reika added.  
  
"You never told me that," Jordan gave her friend an accusatory glare.   
"Sean used to love fishing off the docks."  
  
"The story of a tragic romance," Aucifer commented without sarcasm.   
"Thank you for sharing it with me."  
  
Reika nodded while Jordan gave him a sly look. "So, now that you know her   
sob story, are you going to sweep her off her feet? Be her knight in shining   
armor? Teach her to not be cynical when it comes to matters of the heart?"   
Aucifer could almost see the stars in her eyes.  
  
He gave a bark of laugher and shook his head. "No, she's not my type.   
Besides, I'm afraid that she might put me in my place," he winked. The two   
cadets giggled and they finished their lunch while speaking amiably about other   
topics.  
  
  
  
Three more cadets entered the Cafeteria during this time, but paid little   
heed to the room's other occupants. Fujin and Seifer claimed a table where   
they could watch the flow of people coming in and out while Raijin got them   
something to snack on.  
  
The disciplinary committee had already written up three people today.   
Fujin had mixed feelings about their work, but Seifer seemed proud of the swath   
they were cutting in the 'unruliness' of the Garden. Yes, it did say in the   
Handbook to not run in the halls, but did it really hurt anyone if the person   
running was late to a class..?  
  
She could only console herself in the belief that there was no such thing   
as a 'victimless crime'. What if that running person crashed into someone else   
and knocked them over, possibly hurting them? When she looked at it that way,   
what they were doing was improving the quality of Garden life.  
  
Fujin knew that Raijin hadn't put nearly as much thought into what they   
were doing as she had. He was content to follow Seifer's lead without   
question. Likewise, Seifer was unconcerned, but perhaps for the wrong reasons.   
He saw it as his duty to enforce the rules and didn't care why the rules were   
put into place to begin with. Such a straightforward approach undoubtedly made   
life easier when one didn't question their actions.  
  
Her thoughts moved along to one of Cid's lectures about the morals of   
being a SeeD. In a way, it was like they were getting extra practice before   
they took the test to join the SeeD ranks.  
  
In all honesty, she didn't know what she was going to do with herself once   
she finished her schooling here. All the scenarios she envisioned included   
Seifer and her childhood friend Raijin. She couldn't imagine going off into   
the world without them backing her up. They were an inseparable team and   
steadfast friends.  
  
  
  
"So all the little villages around Lake Obel weren't part of any country   
prior to the War," Zell rocked on his toes as he intensely scrutinized the   
appropriate part of the map.  
  
"Technically they were independent. Though for your test you'll want to   
say that Timber controlled the entire Lake Obel region," Sierra clarified.   
"The villages were being incorporated one by one, but the War halted the   
process and then Galbadia hurried it along when they seized the region."  
  
Zell nodded and continued to study the map. The cynical part of her would   
be surprised if he recalled what she taught him outside of this room. On the   
other hand, he really did seem to understand what they covered. It didn't   
matter. She did what he asked her to do. How well he did on his test was his   
problem.  
  
She sat down at her desk and resumed slugging away at her homework while   
he continued to study the wall. A few minutes later he had another question   
for her.  
  
"Say, Sierra, why do ya look up to him?"  
  
"Look up to who?" She asked, not even glancing from her work.  
  
"Your grandpa."  
  
That caught her attention. She gave Zell a warning glare. He blanched a   
bit and began babbling in self-defense.  
  
"Well, 'cause, my grandpa was a hero, y'know? I was wonderin' if yours   
was too? Just curious..." he trailed off.  
  
Sierra carefully marked the page she had been reading before answering.   
"My grandfather didn't fight in the War, but he was still brave. He left his   
home as a young man and traveled all over the world exploring its wonders.   
When he discovered Trabia he decided that's where he wanted to start a family.  
  
"I admire him because he was strong both physically and in spirit.   
Nothing could keep him down when he set his mind to it. That and I loved to   
listen to his stories. He visited so many places. Joining SeeD is my best   
chance to explore the world like he did. Things have changed a lot since then,   
but I still want to see them."  
  
"Yo, that's cool," Zell grinned broadly. "I hope you make it!"  
  
She managed a small smile in response. "You should get going or you'll   
miss the hot dogs, it's just about dinner time," she pointed out.  
  
"You're right! Comin'?"  
  
She shook her head. "I ate a late lunch."  
  
"Thanks for the help!"  
  
"Good luck."  
  
Zell gave her a thumbs up before letting himself out.  
  
After he was gone Sierra got up and stood in front of her maps. With a   
light fingertip she traced back her grandfather's adventurous route. Trabia.   
Esthar. Balamb. Dollet. Galbadia. She let her finger drop off as it hovered   
above Winhill. Damn them. Damn them a thousand times over for driving him   
out.  
  
*****  
  
Aucifer's training session didn't go well to put it mildly. He tried to   
catch the attention of one of the Faculty, but was having no luck at drawing   
one of them over. How the hell did Xu tell them apart? They all looked the   
same to him.  
  
Thankfully, Xu was in her office the entire time conducting student   
evaluations. If she'd come out and witnessed the horseplay that was going on   
she would have had a fit. It wasn't that he *allowed* his students to goof   
off, but it was hard to keep them under control when they were using tricks   
that he couldn't match or thwart.  
  
The first of such pranks came when someone cast a Float spell on him as he   
was demonstrating a kicking technique he wanted them to mimic. He would have   
fallen flat on his back if it weren't for the effect of the spell that lifted   
him up off the ground. Even worse, he didn't know how to free himself of the   
magic's effect. He tried to continue the demonstration despite being nearly a   
half meter up, but he wasn't accustom to fighting that way and kept bumbling.  
  
His relief came by way of Squall Leonhart. The stoic student was trying   
to practice his bladework in a quiet corner of the room but was unable to   
concentrate with all the laughing going on. He drew his right hand in front of   
his nose in a near imitation of the SeeD salute before extending hand out and   
releasing Aucifer from the spell. The Master fell awkwardly onto the mat,   
causing another round of guffaws.  
  
Squall didn't so much as crack a smile at Aucifer's humiliation. He   
simply knelt down and set a small handful of beads onto the mat before   
returning to his corner.  
  
Aucifer briskly went over and picked up the beads. They rolled around   
between his fingers. "What are they?" He asked the student closest to him.  
  
"Dispel," the cadet answered with as much composure as possible   
considering that he'd been gasping for breath just a few short moments ago.  
  
The Master gratefully pocketed the spells. He'd gotten the impression   
that Squall was a cold fish, but maybe he wasn't such a bad guy after all.  
  
He gave his students a long look, trying to determine which one was the   
prankster. He'd allow them their fun at his expense this time, but next time   
he would be the one with the last laugh.  
  
  
  
After classes had let out for the day, but before the dinner rush, Sierra   
went into the training center to get in some extra weight training. She'd   
chosen this time of day with hopes of avoiding anyone who might have a reason   
to speak with her. Most students spent the afternoon either doing homework or   
taking a break before they put their noses to the grindstone.  
  
Sierra's plans for avoiding people were shattered by the ever-cheerful   
Zell.  
  
"Yo, Sierra!" he jogged up to her and bounced from foot to foot. "I aced   
my test thanks to you!"  
  
"Congratulation," she said simply.  
  
"Zell says there's no one better at geography," Xu chimed in from behind   
him. "Ever thought of becoming an Instructor?" She asked lightly.  
  
Sierra shook her head. "I couldn't stand the students long enough to   
teach them."  
  
Oblivious to Sierra's desire to avoid the topic, Zell continued, "Sierra's   
da bomb! She's got all these maps all over her wall and knows exactly where   
everything is on them. Not only that, she knows the history of all the places   
too!"  
  
Sierra put a hand on top of Zell's head and forced it down while messing   
his hair. "Instructor Xu doesn't care about all that."  
  
The conversation lapsed until Xu suggested that Sierra spar with her.   
Sierra tried to get out of it by saying that she just wanted to do weight   
training. There was no need to spar now when they were going to do it again   
later tonight.  
  
Xu waved that aside. She might not have the chance to work with Sierra   
individually tonight, so now was as good of time as any. With a sigh, Sierra   
nodded her agreement. If Xu wanted to fight her that bad...  
  
Both women did their stretches before meeting in the center of one of the   
practice mats. Sierra cockily rubbed her thumb across her nose before putting   
her arms up in a guarded position. It was obvious that she was shining Xu on   
and that this would be one hell of a fight even if it was just for 'practice'.   
Xu arched an eyebrow and then set herself into a guarded position. Aucifer   
called the match and they began.  
  
Xu was quick, incredibly quick. Sierra had a difficult time keeping up   
with the jabs and feints that the Mistress threw at her. Anything that the   
cadet tried offensively Xu turned back around on her. It was a technique that   
infuriated Sierra as much as it had frustrated Xu the first time she   
encountered it while fighting Master Talasu.  
  
Unfortunately, Sierra had two advantages that Talasu didn't: strength and   
size. Sierra chased Xu around the mat until she finally caught her superior.   
She pulled Xu into a strong body hold before lifting her up off the mat as   
though she weighed nothing..  
  
Xu tried to move her center of gravity, but it was too late. A solid thud   
resounded throughout the room when Sierra slammed her down onto the mat. Xu   
head bounced hard, leaving her stunned by the fall. The way they landed had   
Sierra's head being cushioned by her Instructor's chest. She took her face out   
of Xu's chest to look up at the dazed woman.  
  
Xu opened her eyes and tried to blink them back into focus. The impact   
muddled her brain, for all sorts of random thoughts occurred to her. Most   
immediate was noticing for the first time just how delicate Sierra's features   
really were, what with her fine nose and slightly high cheekbones. That and   
her eyes somehow reminded Xu of Kei's... Then she thought of how she'd   
promised to play a game of Triple Triad with Kei last week, but hadn't because   
a Grat had put her cards to sleep...  
  
Sierra snorted before leaning forward to push herself up with her arms.   
The motion jarred free a necklace that had been tucked safely away under her   
shirt. The trinket on the chain bobbed above Xu's nose and her eyes tried to   
focus on the shiny object.  
  
Ai... Ai...  
  
Sierra stood up and purposefully put the chain back under her shirt before   
backing away.  
  
Aucifer's face replaced the trinket above Xu's nose. It was uncomfortably   
close and distorted. His lips were moving. He was speaking to her. Her head   
hurt so much...  
  
"Xu! Are you okay?"  
  
His face fell in and out of focus again. Mustn't go to sleep, she knew   
that much. Got to stay awake. Got to answer his question. What was the   
question..?  
  
Xu rolled over onto her side muttering softly, but he couldn't understand   
a word of what she was saying. She was speaking a language he didn't know.   
Aucifer had already called for Kadowaki to come immediately. He tried to keep   
Xu from moving around too much, but she was dazed.  
  
"She's going to throw up," Sierra knelt down next to the Instructor with a   
towel in her hand. "She's nauseous."  
  
'Yes, nausea, that was a symptom of a concussion,' Aucifer recalled.  
  
Sierra placed the towel in a position to catch the vomit should Xu bring   
anything up. She was speaking incoherently. Aucifer cooed at her   
reassuringly, hoping that she would start speaking standard before too much   
longer.  
  
Kadowaki arrived with a pair of Faculty in tow. She was quick to take   
charge of the situation and get Xu moved to the Infirmary.  
  
Sierra looked as unhappy as Aucifer felt. Likely she was feeling guilty   
for injuring Xu. No one should go hard on Sierra. The very nature of the   
profession risked injury. While her fighting style was unorthodox, she didn't   
do anything that was backhanded or cowardly (like kicking someone while they   
were down). He didn't foresee a reprimand in her future for this   
transgression, but that wouldn't relieve her sense of guilt.  
  
Aucifer rubbed his smooth chin in thought. An incident like this could   
mellow the fiery Sierra. It was something to hope for at least.  
  
  
  
"What's your name?" Kadowaki asked gently of the woman who was on the   
examination table.  
  
A slurred 'Shuuuuu' was her answer.  
  
"Where are we?" The Doctor pressed.  
  
Again, the answer was one she didn't understand but was fairly certain was   
correct. She glanced over at Kei, who was holding onto Xu's limp hand, and   
confirmed the answer. "The Infirmary of Balamb's Garden," Kei translated.   
"Her speech is slow, is she going to be okay?"  
  
Kadowaki pointed a penlight into Xu's eyes. The pupils narrowed   
immediately and there seemed to be intelligence behind those eyes.  
  
"Yes, but give it time. A sharp blow to the head can addle a person's   
mind. It might take a bit for things to settle down again. I'd like you to   
keep asking her simple questions. See if you can coax her into answering in   
standard. Once she's collected her wits about her we can establish if there's   
been any memory loss."  
  
Kadowaki left the small examination room and closed the curtain behind her   
to give them some privacy. It didn't surprise her when she found Cid speaking   
softly with one of the Faculty while waiting for her to finish examining Xu.   
Balamb's Headmaster had a concerned look to him that caused there to be a   
crease across his forehead.  
  
She motioned for him to sit before he could ask her how Xu was doing. "A   
mild concussion caused by a sharp blow to the head when she was slammed down on   
a training mat. I can't tell you more than that until she's recovered. I'd   
say a few days of rest and she should be fine unless she takes a sudden turn   
for the worse," Kadowaki answered without a question being asked.  
  
Cid's mouth turned into a small frown. "I would feel better if she'd   
broken an arm instead of a concussion. An arm can easily be mended with   
magic."  
  
"You can't choose the injuries," Kadowaki chided lightly. Cid was   
knowledgeable enough in the ways of magic and medicine to know that a   
concussion was best treated over time without magical interference.  
  
"May I see her?"  
  
Kadowaki nodded and motioned for him to follow her to a small observation   
room. Kei had her back to the observation window and was speaking to Xu.  
  
"Come on, Xu, answer me in standard," Kei begged softly. "I know you can   
understand me."  
  
Xu's eyes wandered around the room before falling back onto Kei's face. A   
small smile touched her lips. "Speak Anshin when alone," she intoned slowly in   
standard.  
  
Kei's expression contorted at Xu's stubbornness. "This isn't the time,"   
she scolded.  
  
Xu's gaze moved from Kei's face and she nodded slightly in the direction   
of the observation window. "We're not alone."  
  
Kadowaki came around the barrier and pushed aside the curtain. Xu angled   
herself up to greet the Doctor.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Kadowaki asked while taking another look at her   
eyes.  
  
"My head hurts. Not sick anymore. Tired."  
  
The Doctor hmm-ed to herself as she took stock of Xu's condition. "I'm   
sorry, but I can't let you sleep for a few hours at least. Kei's volunteered   
to keep you company in the meantime. What's the last thing you remember before   
coming here?"  
  
Xu blinked, suddenly realizing the oddity of her being in the Infirmary.   
"How did I get here?" She asked in turn.  
  
"You hit your head on a mat while training. Now, what do you remember?"   
Kadowaki insisted.  
  
Xu crinkled her nose in a visible effort to recall. "I had breakfast with   
Aucifer. Academic reviews. Zell did well on his geography test because Sierra   
tutored him. Sierra... Something to do with Sierra, but I can't remember..."  
  
Kadowaki gave her a reassuring squeeze on the arm. "You were sparring   
Sierra when you were injured. How about after arriving here, what's the last   
thing you remember then?"  
  
"Kei talking about word puzzle books..." Xu gave her cousin the most   
severe look she could muster. "You know I dislike word games," she added   
sourly.  
  
"You're going to be fine," Kadowaki said on the end of a chuckle. "I want   
you to stay here for a couple hours longer and then you're free to leave. I've   
already given Kei instructions on how to care for you tonight."  
  
"It'll be just like old times," Kei said smugly. "Remember when I used to   
baby-sit you?"  
  
Xu rolled her eyes. "It was the other way around. You were the one they   
didn't trust to be left on her own."  
  
Kadowaki left them again. Cid joined her from the observation room. "I'm   
glad that she'll be okay," Cid said with a sigh of relief.  
  
"Just a bit of a scare to keep us on our toes," Kadowaki agreed.  
  
  
  
Not since Sean's death had so many people stop by Xu's quarters in a   
single day. Sierra was among the first to come around after Kadowaki released   
her from the Infirmary.  
  
"I'm sorry for hurting you," Sierra apologized with all sincerity.  
  
Xu accepted her apology even though Sierra didn't really owe one.   
"Accidents happen. I'm glad that you're on our side," she jested. Sierra   
looked puzzled by her saying that, but let it pass without further comment.  
  
As soon as his shift was over Aucifer came by. Kadowaki had called him   
after Xu regained her senses to let him know that she was all right. Even so,   
he wanted to check up on her himself.  
  
The Headmaster showed up as well to see how she was doing. Xu was touched   
that he'd take time out of his busy schedule to see her.  
  
It was getting late in the evening and Kei was still attending to her.   
Finally Xu asked her cousin if she intended to go back to her own quarters   
tonight. Kei shook her head to the negative. "Kadowaki said that I should   
wake you every couple hours after you went to bed and ask you some questions.   
I can't very well do that if I'm in my quarters, can I?"  
  
Xu was appalled. "You're going to stay up all night?"  
  
"That's the plan, yes," she agreed with nonchalance.  
  
"Kei..."  
  
"Don't worry. I'll get my sleep in once I'm assured that you'll be okay.   
Besides, I have a puzzle book I've been meaning to finish. Go on, get some   
rest."  
  
Xu wanted to protest, but knew that Kei wouldn't listen, especially if   
Kadowaki backed it up. She went into her bedroom and slipped out of her   
clothes before getting into bed. Once again she marveled at how she ended up   
with such a staunch defender as her cousin.  
  
*****  
  
Xu was none the worse for wear after recovering from the mild concussion,   
though she had a gap in her memory of about an hour. That bothered her more   
than it should have. Kadowaki assured her that such a thing was a normal   
consequence of the injury she suffered, but she felt as though she'd forgotten   
something important that happened during that time. Try as she might, she   
couldn't quite put her finger on it. A part of her wanted to say that it had   
something to do with Sierra, but she just couldn't recall.  
  
Going on a hunch she pulled up Sierra's student file and read through it.   
Yes, it felt like she was on the right track by looking into Sierra's history,   
but what was she searching for? There wasn't anything out of the ordinary to   
be found that she could see. Giving the lump on her head a tentative rub, she   
wished once again that she could remember.  
  
  
  
Aucifer gave his troublesome afternoon session an appraising look before   
beginning today's demonstration. Twice the prankster had cast Float on him   
since Squall gave him the Dispel. His patience with such nonsense was wearing   
thin.  
  
His first attempt to detour the culprit was to make everyone in the class   
cast Float on themselves and practice fighting while hovering. Many of them   
grumbled under their breath about how difficult it was to maintain their   
balance when attacking, but it did strike Aucifer as a legitimate exercise.  
  
When that didn't head off the hazing, he brushed up on what sort of spells   
were available to him. One of which gave him an idea...  
  
The prankster wouldn't remain anonymous for long if they tried it again.  
  
During his demonstration of a throwing technique they were going to   
practice, he saw the shimmering of a cast spell reflecting off of the magical   
barrier he had cast on himself before the session. A cadet in the back row   
rose off the floor, a startled expression on his face.  
  
"Ah," Aucifer stopped his demonstration and approached the floating cadet.   
"Are you aware of what class you're in right now?" He asked without reprimand   
or sarcasm.  
  
"Beginning unarmed combat," The guilty cadet answered sheepishly.  
  
"That's correct. You are likewise aware that this is not a spell-casting   
class?"  
  
The cadet's Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped before answering with a meek,   
"Yes."  
  
"Then I trust that this will be the last time you cast a spell during my   
class," he said sternly. He then turned to address all of the cadets, since he   
was convinced that the red handed cadet wasn't the only one in on the pranks.   
"That goes for all of you. If I catch anyone disrupting my lessons from now on   
I'll turn you over to Xu's mercies, which aren't many from what I hear.   
Understood?"  
  
As one the cadets acknowledged his warning.  
  
Truth be told, his threat was a bluff. He got the impression that Xu had   
the authority to make their lives hell, but wasn't sure what she would do.   
Were this Mistress Niethe's school, she'd make them run laps until their legs   
gave out. Not to say that the Garden lacked proper discipline, it was just a   
different method than he was used to. No matter, now that the culprits knew   
that he was onto them, they'd be wise to take the hint.  
  
*****  
  
Even though Xu was excused from her regular duties, that didn't exempt her   
students from their training. Much to Sierra's annoyance, Aucifer suggested   
(ordered) her and Zell to go fight monsters in the Training Center for the   
afternoon. Sierra didn't know if this was Aucifer's way of punishing her or   
what. It certainly felt like punishment, being stuck with Zell as her partner   
and all.  
  
For his part, Zell was ecstatic about going into the Center with her. He   
had this crazy notion that they'd beat down a T-Rexaur and drag its hide back   
like some sort of trophy. A scathing remark had dissuaded him of the idea, but   
not of the enthusiasm he was bubbling over with.  
  
"Stop being so damned happy," Sierra grumbled as Zell bounced along beside   
her.  
  
The younger cadet threw a couple punches and continued to weave about.   
"I'm just warming up, y'know?"  
  
"We did that back in the training room."  
  
Zell didn't respond since a Grat caught his attention. He ran off of the   
dirt path so that he could engage it. Sierra shook her head and followed him   
into battle.  
  
She had to grudgingly admit that it sounded like it hurt when Zell's fists   
slammed against the Grat. He'd already managed to break two of its long limbs   
so that they lay limply on the ground before she had her first chance at the   
monster.  
  
Sierra pulled the shotaxe from the harness on her back and flipped the   
head into place. "Leave something for me!" She yelled to Zell before charging   
towards the Grat. With a mighty overhead swing she brought the axe down into   
the belly of the monster and then yanked it free again. Blood flowed from the   
wound she'd created, making the ground around them moist.  
  
Taking his cue from her, Zell confronted the monster again, deftly   
avoiding a desperate swipe by one of its limbs. He got in close and then   
delivered a hard kick to the injured belly. Blood squirted up and splattered   
him. The Grat writhed in the pain of death before succumbing to it.  
  
"Bloody hell," Sierra said dryly as Zell tried to get the mess off of his   
face. Nothing short of bath would get it out of his blonde hair. "There's a   
stream nearby. Let's get your eyes washed out and face cleaned off."  
  
If there was one recurring theme when it came to the design of the Garden,   
it was flowing water. The stream she had in mind was hidden from the path by a   
line of thick brush. She hacked a path through it while leading the half-blind   
Zell along.  
  
Sierra was watching him clean up when a noise caught her attention. She   
looked further downstream to see a T-Rexaur looking right back at her. It'd   
been drinking when two snacks conveniently presented themselves.  
  
Before the T-Rexaur took more than a lurching step forward Sierra had   
grabbed a hold of Zell's uniform and dragged him until he started running on   
his own. The T-Rexaur perked up as it saw them getting away. It swung its   
huge body around and gave chase..  
  
"Zell!" Sierra yelled, pointing ahead at the barred grating that the water   
they were sloshing through was flowing from.  
  
"I see it!" The smaller cadet ducked his head down and pumped his legs to   
push himself along faster. He turned himself sideways and slipped between the   
bars without missing a step. The momentum that carried Sierra through the gap   
caused her to slam into Zell, sending them both to their knees.  
  
The T-Rexaur roared in protest. It hit its enormous head up against the   
grating with hopes of breaking through to get at them. Sierra unslung her   
shotaxe and was about to fire a round at it, but Zell placed a restraining hand   
on her arm.  
  
"I don't think it'd be a good idea to piss it off. Let's just get out of   
here."  
  
Sierra nodded and put her weapon away. Their choices at this point were   
limited; sit and wait for the T-Rexaur to go away or explore. Neither of them   
had any idea where these drainage systems led, but it would be more interesting   
to explore than to sit around. That and it would get them out of sight of the   
angry monster. Out of sight, out of mind after all.  
  
It was happy coincidence that Sierra made a habit of keeping a small   
flashlight on her utility belt. Then again, the harness Sierra wore for her   
shotaxe had so many pouches and rings on it for carrying items that she could   
likely go for weeks before she'd have to stop and resupply. Sierra's   
eccentrics would pull them out of this, or so Zell hoped.  
  
The waterway narrowed so that they had to slog single file though water   
that went up to their hips. They twisted and turned for roughly 300 meters   
before the passage opened up again. There was a definite stench in this room   
that caused Zell's nose to twitch. It reminded him of manure. He was fairly   
sure that they weren't in any sort of sewage waterways, so such deposits could   
only mean one thing...  
  
"I gotta bad feelin' about this," Zell said softly.  
  
"Me too." Sierra shone the light around the chamber they were in, noting   
that there were passages in front of them and to each side. Then her light hit   
upon something that reflected it back. A shadow separated itself from the   
others and slinked towards them.  
  
"Crap," Sierra muttered and drew her weapon. Fighting in the near dark   
wouldn't be easy.  
  
"Got anything that can light this room up?" Zell asked, already standing   
in a defensive position waiting for whatever it was to attack.  
  
The flashlight moved off of the creature ahead of them as Sierra rummaged   
around in her pouches. "I'm not sure how much this will help..." Illumination   
exploded in her hand.  
  
"You had a flare this whole time and didn't use it?!"  
  
"No one's perfect," Sierra waved the flare ahead of them, trying to spot   
where the monster was. Shadows danced erratically as the light hit them. Then   
one of the shadows popped up and struck with its claw-like hand. Sierra   
dropped the flare into the water because of the unexpected attack. Zell was   
quick on the uptake and punched at the area right in front of Sierra. Whatever   
it was screeched and retreated.  
  
"Now's a good time for ideas." Zell tried to distinguish which shadow was   
the one who attacked them. It likely wouldn't leave them alone now that he'd   
given it a lump.  
  
"Yeah, FIRE!" There was no way Sierra could target the monster without   
being able to see it, but she could use magic to cause an explosion of fire   
above their heads... Zell spotted the out-of-place shadow and lunged for it   
before the magic's effects wore off. Sierra kept the air above them aflame   
until he had beaten down their attacker.  
  
"That monster gave me the creeps," Zell shivered.  
  
"Me too. I wonder what it was?" Sierra cast a Cure spell on herself to   
heal the monster-inflicted scratch across her face.  
  
Sierra pulled out the flashlight again and pointed it towards the   
passageway straight ahead of them. Forward led to a small hole in the wall   
that was grated over. They weren't going to get out that way. Nothing   
attacked them when they re-entered the site of their previous battle.  
  
Zell chose the direction this time. The passage seemed like it would go   
on forever until they spotted light up ahead. They resisted the urge to run   
towards it. Something didn't feel right about this either. The two cadets   
slipped through the grate to find themselves standing waist deep in one of the   
pools of water that could be found all over the place in the Garden.  
  
"Where are we?" Zell could tell that this wasn't one of the ponds that   
circled the main 'gear' of the Garden. The pond was too narrow -- being only a   
couple meters wide -- and the wall that enclosed the pond was roughly a meter   
above water level, which was too short. They could hoist themselves up and   
over, but...  
  
Sierra lifted herself up so that she could look around, then immediate   
ducked back down again when she spotted a Shumi coming. They put their backs   
against the inner wall and hoped that it wouldn't stop at the edge of the pond   
and look down. The Shumi did stop at the pond's edge. Sierra held her breath,   
willing the Faculty to go away. Then another one greeted it and stopped to   
talk.  
  
"NORG is not pleased."  
  
"There is nothing to be done. Cid won't know until Edea..."  
  
"This is not what NORG intended."  
  
Their conversation died off as they walked away and the cadets relaxed.   
After a few minutes passed Sierra stuck her head up again for another look.  
  
"Is the coast clear?" Zell asked.  
  
Sierra shook her head. "Let's keep going. I don't recognize this area of   
the Garden. I'd be willing to bet that we've stumbled into Shumi territory.   
It wouldn't be good to be caught here."  
  
Zell's eyes grew wide and he nodded his agreement. The pair inched along   
the wall silently until they could slip through the grating at the other end of   
the pond. They followed the stream for a couple hundred meters before   
encountering another place to go out into the open.  
  
"Think this is still in the Shumi part of the Garden?" Zell asked, looking   
out through the grate in hopes of spotting a human, or even better, spotting no   
one at all.  
  
Sierra shrugged. "The water's deeper here. We'll have to swim across."  
  
They entered the water and stuck close to the inner wall to avoid   
detection. The wall in this section of the Garden was steeper, reaching nearly   
three and a half meters up. They'd have a tough time climbing it if they chose   
to get out here.  
  
Their problem was solved for them when a boy who was sitting precariously   
on the edge of the wall spotted them. His startled exclamation brought those   
around him to his side, and they, in turn, attracted the attention of a passing   
Instructor.  
  
"What on earth do you two think you're doing?" Xu asked, leaning across   
the ledge to look down at them.  
  
"Runnin' away from a T-Rexaur," Zell answered sheepishly. "Will you help   
us up?"  
  
With the use of a rope and the help of another cadet named Nida the two of   
them were pulled out of the pond. They were thoroughly soaked and reeked of   
something foul. Xu took a polite step back away from them. "After you've   
showered come by my office."  
  
"Yes, sir," Zell saluted. Sierra followed suit after a moment's   
hesitation.  
  
Xu didn't bust them once she knew their story. Like Sierra, she hadn't   
realized that there was a whole network of drainage systems connecting various   
areas of the Garden together.  
  
"It makes sense when you think about it," Xu added thoughtfully. "Just   
don't make a habit of going down in there, agreed?"  
  
"You got it 'structor." Zell felt safe in speaking for the both of them.   
They didn't want to explore the waterways again.  
  
  
  
"I heard that you took a little swim today," Seifer leaned over Sierra as   
she tried to eat her dinner. She had no interest in talking to the annoying   
little man and so she ignored him.  
  
His smirk turned into a frown when Sierra didn't respond. "Swimming in   
the waterways is forbidden."  
  
Sierra maintained her indifference towards him. Pointedly ignoring him,   
she dug her fork into the mashed potatoes on her plate before taking another   
bite. Losing patience with their little game, Seifer slammed the palm of his   
hand on the table to startle her into paying attention.  
  
The outburst left her unfazed, but she did respond. "If you're trying to   
bust me, you're too late. Instructor Xu already got to me. Better luck next   
time."  
  
Seifer's hand clinched into a fist at hearing that. "What authority does   
she have?" He growled more to himself than to the person he was trying to   
intimidate.  
  
Sierra took the opportunity to twist the knife on Seifer's ego.   
"Apparently she thinks that she's an Instructor. Somehow that's given her the   
funny notion that we should respect her or something. Wonder how that   
happened?"  
  
Seifer visibly stiffened. "Don't you get smart with me."  
  
"It's not hard to be smarter than you," she drawled.  
  
"I'll get you, just you wait."  
  
She stabbed her potatoes with her fork, 'accidentally' squishing them in   
Seifer's general direction. "With bated breath."  
  
He gave her seat a solid bump as he went by. Seifer wouldn't be dissuaded   
now that he'd made up his mind. Sierra de Ling will go down.  
  
*****  
  
Xu insisted that she lead today's drill team session. It was her first   
full day back and Aucifer would have preferred to see her taking things easy.   
Instead she seemed hell bent on pushing herself as hard as possible, as though   
she wanted to either prove that she was well again or break herself trying.  
  
Much to her credit, Xu wasn't afraid to jump back into the saddle after   
being thrown from the Chocobo. Today's lesson was focused on ways to break or   
reverse holds. Xu's emphasis on countering such techniques could be seen as a   
broad shot at Sierra since that was the cadet's usual method of fighting. As   
it was Sierra held an advantage over her teammates because of her unorthodox   
style and Xu needed to close the gap.  
  
"I don't see what the big deal is," Zell spoke up. "As long as ya keep   
moving, Sierra can't grab ya."  
  
"Is that so? Then let's see you move," Xu invited Zell onto the mat with   
a gesture.  
  
"Your mouth has gotten you into trouble this time, Dincht!" Red ribbed.  
  
"You shouldn't be so hasty to challenge a Master," Aucifer said   
off-handedly. He kept his concern to himself. Just because this was the type   
of injury Xu had so recently suffered didn't mean that lightning would strike   
twice. But if she were to get slammed down again...  
  
'Maybe challenging Xu wasn't such a hot idea...' Zell thought. He cracked   
his knuckles before settling into his opening stance. Xu set herself up   
opposite him. Once they were ready, Aucifer gave them the signal to begin.  
  
Zell jumped forward, intent upon landing the first blow. The Instructor   
intercepted his fist by knocking it aside. He tried again with the same   
result.  
  
He suddenly recalled something they'd been trying to teach him. Throw   
less punches and try more kicks or grappling. If he did the same thing every   
time, his opponent could anticipate and defeat him before the battle even   
started.  
  
Zell put thoughts into motion and grabbed a handful of Xu's shirt. He   
then twisted and threw her over his shoulder. On the sidelines Aucifer winced   
as his mind played back Xu's bout with Sierra earlier in the week.  
  
Zell didn't realize the mistake in his technique until he heard the   
tearing sound of fabric.  
  
He looked at the shirt in his hand while Xu landed on the mat and rolled   
back to her feet. She didn't give him the chance to digest what she looked   
like in just a bra. She almost clotted him upside the head with her open hand.  
  
Even though Zell was too busy saving his hide to ogle his Instructor, that   
didn't keep his classmates from admiring the view. Admittedly, half the female   
cadets chose to practice wearing sports bras with no shirt, but seeing their   
Instructor that way was different; especially their well-built and lithe   
Instructor. A small smirk came to Aucifer's face as he likewise studied his   
co-worker.  
  
Zell couldn't escape from the hold Xu kept him down on the mat with. It   
was a reversed position in which Xu's head was on his chest and her chest   
comfortably close to his face. It was a hold Xu had taught them how to break   
out of before she was injured.. He squirmed under her in a desperate attempt   
to get free.  
  
"Yield!"  
  
Xu pushed herself off of him. Zell sat up and hung his head in shame. It   
was like getting his ass kicked by Sierra. He should have paid more attention   
in class. Xu had been pulling apart Sierra's tricks and teaching the drill   
team how to get around them.  
  
"You did well to maintain your concentration after the conditions of the   
battle changed," Xu complimented.  
  
"These," she gestured to her breasts, "will get you killed if you lose   
your focus."  
  
"At least Zell would have died a happy man," Sierra quipped. The wise   
crack got chuckles from the males in the room.  
  
Xu lectured her students on the values of concentration while Zell's mind   
was already off somewhere else. She had her back completely to him as she   
spoke, thus giving him the opportunity to study her tattooed back. It was   
awesome. Instructor Xu was already one of his favorites. Her having such a   
cool tattoo raised her up several notches in his book.  
  
"Isn't that right, Mister Dincht?" She turned to him.  
  
"Yes, Instructor," he immediately agreed without knowing what to.  
  
A curious expression crossed her face. "You like pain?"  
  
Uh... "Yes, Instructor. I don't learn things unless they're pounded into   
m' noggin," he improvised. A snicker ran through his teammates.  
  
Xu blinked. "We'll talk after class, Zell. As for the rest of you, let's   
hope that a pounding isn't required. Master Aucifer, what's the next item on   
this evening's schedule?"  
  
Aucifer took over the class from there.  
  
After class was dismissed, but before Zell could slip into the locker   
room, Xu pulled him aside.  
  
"Do I really need to pound you to make you pay attention? You did so well   
during our bout. Is there something distracting you?"  
  
"Your back," Zell answered.  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"You've got the most bad ass tattoo I've ever seen. You're cool, but I   
didn't know you were *that* cool. Where did you get it?"  
  
Xu pinched the bridge of her nose. "Zell..." she sighed. When he was in   
battle, he was unflappable. The rest of the time a shiny rock could distract   
him.  
  
"What?" he asked innocently enough.  
  
She put her hand down before answering. "It's a mark of adulthood where   
I'm from."  
  
"Really? That's awesome!"  
  
"Kei wouldn't agree," Xu muttered under her breath. Raising her voice,   
she continued, "Tattoos aside, how about paying more attention during the   
lessons? You should have broken free of the hold I had you in."  
  
"I know," he admitted. "I'll try harder."  
  
"Good," she squeezed him on the shoulder. "You better get changed or   
you'll miss the hot dogs again."  
  
His eyes went wide. "Tch! Gotta go. Thanks, 'structor!"  
  
  
  
Some members of the drill team had taken to spending time together outside   
of the training room, during meals especially. Thus it wasn't unusual that   
Red, Zell, Jordan, and Sierra gathered for a late snack after their session.  
  
Zell's fight with Xu was turned into to an opportunity to tease him.   
Despite managing to get her shirt off and her later reprimanding him for not   
paying attention, his mind was still focused on one thing.  
  
"I'm telling you, man, it's awesome!"  
  
"You're messed in the head, Zell. Staring at some tattoo while missing   
out on a fine example of a woman," Red shook his head ruefully.  
  
Jordan scowled, "You shouldn't say such things, especially about an   
Instructor."  
  
"Hey, I'll compliment a woman when I see one that catches my eye," Red   
retorted.  
  
"You're lucky she doesn't have a boyfriend, else breasts really could   
kill." Jordan said dryly.  
  
The only person who hadn't added anything to the conversation was Sierra,   
who was eating her meal intently. Zell turned to her as his last line of   
defense.  
  
"C'mon Sierra, don'tcha agree, it was cool?"  
  
She shoveled the last forkful of peas into her mouth before standing up   
abruptly and leaving.  
  
"I guess she doesn't agree," Red intoned dryly.  
  
*****  
  
Aucifer wasn't all that surprised when he found Xu in her office on the   
Garden rest day. His chat with Reika and Jordan had given him many insights to   
his co-worker's habits. Students had a way for learning not only their   
lessons, but their teacher's habits as well.  
  
He allowed his eyes to linger perhaps a bit longer than manners would   
permit as he took in her lithe form in a SeeD combat uniform. He reminded   
himself that the skirt and tunic she sported around the Garden weren't the most   
practical outfit on the battlefield. The olive green jumpsuit she wore was   
better suited for such things. An accompanying helmet with a technologically   
augmented face shield sat on her desk.  
  
She hadn't noticed him watching her, and so he leaned up against the   
doorframe and admired the view before speaking.  
  
"Going off to a war that I don't know about?"  
  
Xu glanced up from lacing her boots. "Aucifer," she acknowledged without   
giving him the courtesy of her undivided attention. "I'm going to train   
today."  
  
"Do you usually train in full body armor?" He gestured at the helmet on   
her desk and the utility belt that she was currently securing around her slim   
waist.  
  
"Not usually," she replied, still playing coy with him.  
  
"Ah, well then, if you're going somewhere that requires such precautions   
then you'll likely need assistance as well. So where are we going?" He pushed   
himself off the doorframe to present himself as a willing training partner.  
  
"*We* aren't going anywhere," a sarcastically dry voice said from behind   
him. He turned around to find another SeeD dressed as Xu was with a helmet   
cradled under her left arm.  
  
"SeeD Kei, I presume? A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance," he   
stretched out his hand to shake. Kei regarded the offered hand for several   
long moments before grasping it with her own. Her grip was powerful for a   
woman's, but nothing that he couldn't properly meet.  
  
"Master Aucifer, it's a nice day outside. Why don't you take this   
opportunity to familiarize yourself with Balamb and we'll see you tomorrow?"  
  
Aucifer continued smiling kindly as he disengaged his hand from Kei's.   
Though her suggestion was worded politely enough, he could see a threat when it   
was so thinly veiled. He could understand why Xu advised him to avoid her   
cousin. Kei had a presence that warned against trifling with her, but Aucifer   
had spent enough time around strong spirited women that the effect didn't   
intimidate him as it did countless others.  
  
"Exploring Balamb was one of the first things I did when I arrived.   
Friendly people, beautiful bay, and a junk shop that does fine weapons work."  
  
Xu looked from Aucifer to Kei and back to Aucifer again. "Kei, please   
take Aucifer to requisition a helmet. He's going to need one if he's coming   
with us."  
  
Aucifer knew that Kei wanted to protest his coming along, but she didn't   
say so much as a word. She gestured with her right hand for him to follow her   
to requisitions. Once they were well out of earshot of Xu's office she stopped   
him. "You're a ghost, understand?"  
  
"I'm only here to help out should you find yourself in trouble," he said   
even though he didn't know what exactly they were doing or where they were   
going. A small part of his brain wondered if this was such a good idea, but he   
disregarded that whisper (as he usually did when it conflicted with his   
impulses).  
  
Kei got a helmet for him to wear. The face shield only covered the upper   
portion of the wears' face and had a triangle of red sensors for visual   
pickups. He carefully examined it, testing its weight in his hands before   
trying it on. He was unaccustomed to wearing headgear and especially to not   
seeing things with his naked eyes. He felt Kei placing her hands on the helmet   
before he could see her. She tapped a few buttons and the visual display   
flared to life and then went blank when she lifted the face shield up.  
  
"Why do I have to wear a helmet?" He asked on their way back to Xu's   
office.  
  
"We're going to explore the waterways that Zell and Sierra stumbled into,"   
Kei explained. "From what they told us we know that it's not lit and that   
there are monsters. Unless you plan on holding a flashlight while fighting   
you'll need the optics in that helmet to see."  
  
"Makes sense," he conceded.  
  
Aucifer didn't say another word as he followed the two SeeDs into the   
Center. It took them a while before they were able to locate the trench that   
Zell had gotten into. Only dumb luck would have allowed the cadets to find it   
and the grating it led to. The underbrush in the immediate area was thick   
enough that he wouldn't have thought to look.  
  
Kei helped him to get his helmet adjusted, and familiarized him with the   
basic controls and display. He still felt uncertain about his ability to fight   
with it on, but he'd find a way. Xu had taken careful notes on where the two   
cadets had ventured when they reported to her afterwards. They came across the   
chamber that contained the Creep that they fought. Xu led them away from the   
open ponds for now, she was more interested in the waterways and chambers that   
were down here.  
  
The cousins didn't speak much while they explored. Occasionally one would   
say something and the other would give a single word response. He wondered if   
his presence here was preventing them from saying more, but he didn't think so.   
He was careful to stay a couple steps behind them and to not make his presence   
known.  
  
Kei ducked into a side chamber at Xu's prompting and scooted back out   
again. "There's a rather large and ugly monster in there," she reported   
calmly. Either the monster hadn't seen her when she looked, it wasn't   
interested in a fight, or it was too big to fit through the passageway to   
attack them. From how Kei described it, the latter reason was the most likely.  
  
"What do you think?" Xu asked her cousin.  
  
"It was a good sized chamber. What we're looking for is more likely to be   
in there than out here in the waterways..." she observed thoughtfully.  
  
"Fight it is, then."  
  
The three adventurers advanced into the room. The monster was large and   
ugly. It struck Aucifer as some sort of overgrown insect. The Grand Mantis   
(as Xu called it) was nearly twice his height with six long legs holding it up   
off of the ground. They kept whittling away at it with their weapons. The   
beastie's stamina seemed to be endless.  
  
"Don't kill it," Xu ordered when it looked like the monster had been   
significantly weakened.  
  
That puzzled Aucifer. If they didn't kill it how were they going to   
explore this room in peace? Kei's solution was simple, if not violent. She   
rushed at the staggering creature and cracked it upside the head with the hilt   
of her sword. The Grand Mantis immediately dropped to the damp floor. Aucifer   
wasn't sure if Kei's blow had killed it or not, but she assured them that it   
hadn't.  
  
"Why spare the monster?" He asked Kei as Xu began to explore their   
surroundings.  
  
"I don't think anyone would appreciate the stench of a rotting corpse   
coming from the water source of the ponds," she shrugged. "That's Xu's logic   
at least. I'd just as soon kill the damned things."  
  
"Kei, help me move its leg," Xu called. With all of them working on it   
the Mantis was shoved away from the part of the wall that Xu wished to examine.   
She ran a hand along it, scraping off a layer of caked on grime. With one hand   
she turned a flashlight onto the wall and with the other removed her helmet.   
Kei did likewise with Aucifer following suit as they all crowded around to see   
what had caught Xu's interest.  
  
There were faint designs on the wall that were more significant to her   
than to him. She and Kei spoke in hushed tones so that he couldn't hear them.   
He stepped back and looked at the rest of the wall. Now that he knew what to   
look for he could see that the entire thing was a giant mural. What could it   
possibly be..?  
  
"This is Centra," Xu brushed her hand across a broad area at the bottom of   
the wall.  
  
Hum... Yes, it did look like a crude map of sorts. It was heavily   
stylized and the continents were out of proportion, but everything was in the   
right geographical locations, he noted.  
  
The SeeDs continues their hushed discussion. They looked like they were   
going to be at it for a while so he began wandering around the room. It was   
damp, stinky, and not all that pleasant of a place to be hanging out. He   
looked down at the ground. It was soiled with a layer of silt-like crud. He   
dug the toe of his boot into it to see how deep it was. There was some sort of   
pattern beneath the layer. Idly he brushed more of the silt away with his boot   
until he was able to see most of the design.  
  
"Check this out," he called over to the two women. He realized that he   
wasn't acting the part of a ghost at this point, but this was something they'd   
be interested in. Xu was the first to come over and immediately crouched down   
to examine the design closer. She put her helmet back on for a minute, then   
pulled it off again. Their helmets must have some sort of image capturing   
capability built in.  
  
"Would you look around the rest of the room and see if there are any more   
designs like this?"  
  
He nodded his agreement and started scuffing the ground to see if he could   
uncover anything else. There wasn't much more to be found except for some line   
patterns. Kei examined the walls while Xu continued to take images of the map   
they discovered.  
  
They didn't explore much further after that one chamber. It was getting   
late and all three of them were beginning to itch to see light again. They   
left the waterways though the passage they entered through. No monsters were   
foolish enough to attack them as they worked their way back to the training   
room. Aucifer half suspected that it was the stench that drove them away.  
  
Kei relieved him of his borrowed helmet before he meandered into the   
locker room for a nice hot shower. He was in there far longer than he usually   
allowed himself. The water cascading down his body felt so good.  
  
On his way out of the training room he ducked by Xu's office and saw that   
she was in there working. She wasn't long out of the shower herself. Her damp   
hair clung to her neck as she brushed a wayward lock of it behind her ear. She   
wore a loose tee shirt and a pair of sweatpants instead of the soiled jumpsuit.  
  
"Did you find what you were looking for?" He solicited.  
  
She glanced up at him, her rich brown eyes hinting at how deep of thought   
she was in. He belatedly realized that he was interrupting her for the second   
time today.  
  
"I'm not sure what we found," she commented thoughtfully. "It's odd, this   
is the last place I would have expected to find..."  
  
"Oh? What we found is familiar to you?"  
  
She pursed her lips together tightly as she continued to think. She was   
obviously considering how much information she could trust him with. "Didn't   
anything that we saw down there look familiar to you?" She asked finally.  
  
He thought about it. Except for the stylized map, he couldn't recall.  
  
"Of course, you're still new here, but look around you. Notice how each   
doorway has ornate designs painted around it. The flooring is the same way.   
Everything in this Garden is done with the same artistic flare."  
  
"Yeah..." Aucifer felt as though he was missing something. Such attention   
to detail wasn't unusual. In fact, it was quite common in some parts of   
Galbadia.  
  
Xu frowned slightly, noticing that the point was lost on him. "Why would   
the *waterways* be as equally ornate as the public areas of the Garden?"  
  
Dawning realization hit him as he caught onto what she was driving at. To   
carry the question one step further, why did the Garden even have such an   
elaborate maze of passages to begin with? They only scratched the surface of   
what was there this afternoon.  
  
"Are you going to ask Cid about it?" Aucifer inquired, caught up in the   
mystery now.  
  
Xu shook her head. "No, it's not that important. This is more of a   
curiosity than anything else."  
  
He accepted that. Xu had a lot to do and didn't need idle curiosities to   
clog up what little free time she had. Maybe they could go down there at a   
later date and dig around again. There wasn't much more to be added to their   
day of adventuring. With a small bow, he left her to her work.  
  
  
  
  
Xu watched Aucifer until she was certain that he was gone before going   
back to examining the images she had taken. Most of them were a mystery to   
her. Most, but not all. It was the image that she had on her display, and had   
been studying intently since she got out of the shower.  
  
On the map in roughly the right area was the character for Anshin. The   
map was old, very old. She only recognized the other symbols on it in the   
vaguest of senses. Like she should recognize them, but didn't. She did   
recognize the locations that were marked with characters though. There was a   
marker for the Centra Ruins (which likely weren't ruins when this map was   
created) and another for the Chocobo Forest. The most startling part of the   
map from the Centra region was that it lacked the gaping hole that was the   
Centra Crater. Centra looked odd without a sea in the middle of it.  
  
The northern part of the map also lacked many of the landmarks that she   
was familiar with. There was no Trabia Crater. In fact, Trabia as a whole   
looked different, there was no Winter Island. Did the sea drive a wedge   
between the island and the mainland at some point?  
  
Even more so, what was such a glimpse into the world's history doing in   
the *waterways* of Balamb Garden? That's what puzzled her the most.  
  
  
  
Wun discretely watched Xu through the half-opened door to her office.   
It'd watched her go into the waterways this afternoon. It didn't know what the   
human was doing down there, but was certain that she was up to no good. It   
would make certain that the proper authorities were made aware of her   
activities.  
  
-----  
  
Please visit our website at http://www.centragarden.net 


	17. Part 17

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 17  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans   
edited by Helen Fong   
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C.   
  
  
  
Xu strolled down the cobblestone sidewalks of Balamb without drawing any   
undue notice to herself. In the spring dress she wore today she was just   
another local enjoying the favorable weather.  
  
A scowl came to her face as she recalled Aucifer's comments before she   
left the Garden. When he spotted her in this dress and she told him that she   
was going into town he asked if she had a hot date. And Aucifer, being the ass   
that he is at times, just had to quiz her about what kind of man might have   
caught her interest. It was enough to make her want to put her fist into his   
face.  
  
In fact, she had been invited to Balamb for dinner, but not with a   
possible suitor. Doctor Kadowaki asked Xu to her Balamb home. Xu knew that   
Kadowaki didn't live in the Garden though she maintained quarters there. Xu   
had never been to Kadowaki's house. And why Kadowaki asked her over was a   
complete mystery to Xu. As fond as she was of the Doctor, she doubted very   
much that this was going to be a social visit.  
  
The whitewashed stone building that was Kadowaki's home blended in with   
those around it. The most distinguishing characteristic was a row of potted   
flowers lined up against the front of the house. The interior showed more   
flavor with tastefully displayed model ships and seashells.  
  
"My husband's a fisherman," the Doctor explained when she noticed Xu   
admiring one of the larger models.  
  
"I didn't know that you were married," she admittedly sheepishly. "Will I   
have the chance to meet him?"  
  
"Frank's out at sea right now."  
  
"Aren't they following the largest school of Balamb fish that's been   
spotted in quite some time?" Cid's voice added from the kitchen. He meandered   
from the kitchen to join them in the living room. Unlike the two ladies, he   
was dressed as he would normally be were they at the Garden. His right hand   
raked back his hair before he continued speaking.  
  
"I also hear that the usually placid sea monsters have become more   
aggressive as of late. I trust that the boats have sufficient protections   
should a monster attack?"  
  
A concerned expression came to Kadowaki's face, but she nodded   
nonetheless.  
  
It seemed as though Xu arrived in the middle of a conversation that they   
were only now finishing. Xu wasn't sure she'd be as outwardly calm as Kadowaki   
was if she knew that her significant other was at risk. Then again, if monster   
attacks were a common hazard, then the fishermen should be prepared for it.  
  
The three of them returned to the kitchen where they sat around a small   
table to eat. Cid's presence made it clear to her that this gathering was all   
business. There was something that they wanted to discuss with her outside of   
the Garden. But why couldn't they meet in Cid's office, or hers for that   
matter? Did they fear that the walls had ears?  
  
She'd never know the answers to her questions if she didn't voice them.  
  
"Hmm, yes, I wanted to discuss some matters with you in a location that   
provided comfort and privacy," Cid confirmed her suspicions.  
  
Xu straightened up in her seat, preparing herself for whatever it was Cid   
had to say.  
  
The Headmaster began his characteristic fidgeting. Why was he so nervous?  
  
"Ah... Where to begin?" The question was a rhetorical one, though Kadowaki   
supplied an answer.  
  
"Quistis."  
  
"Yes... Quistis..." he drawled.  
  
When he failed to say more, Kadowaki continued. "Her first mission made   
it clear that people will have a hard time granting a 15 year old the authority   
a SeeD should command by name alone. Though Quistis made no mention of it in   
her report, Skye described the skepticism of her abilities that Quistis was   
faced with. That or they treated her like a specimen just like those monsters   
they're so fond of!"  
  
"So you sent Quistis to Galbadia to wait for her to physically grow up?   
It sounds as though you're discounting her because of her age as well. Are you   
even going to allow her to teach?" Xu asked with a scowl.  
  
"That has yet to be decided," Cid said. "She's painfully young for her   
post. I don't want to hold her back and so I must find other ways to occupy   
her time. She will learn a lot from the Galbadians, just as you learned much   
from them. She needs to mature both physically and emotionally before she's   
ready for what I will require of her."  
  
Xu arched an eyebrow at his choice of phrasing. "And what will you   
require of her?"  
  
Cid's eyes slid over to meet Kadowaki's. She gave him a small nod, but he   
shook his head in disagreement. "Now isn't the time to discuss Quistis'   
future. We asked you here to discuss *your* future."  
  
Kadowaki snorted in obviously disagreement with his decision to put her   
off, but said nothing. Xu didn't press the issue, instead waiting for him to   
continue.  
  
"I sent you to Galbadia to learn more about the Gardens. Next week I will   
be attending a conference in Trabia between the Garden Headmasters. I would   
like you to accompany me. It's important that you become intimately familiar   
with the inner workings of SeeD."  
  
"Yes, sir." The words fell from her lips, but her mind questioned in what   
way she lacked knowledge of how the organization functioned.  
  
"Xu," he stretched his hand across the table and clasped it firmly around   
hers. "I cannot emphasize enough the amount of trust I'm placing in you today   
and the days to follow. SeeD's work is more important than providing   
mercenaries. We will change the world through our actions."  
  
And in the moments that followed as Cid's eyes searched her own, she knew   
that he had every intention of carrying out what he just declared. But how did   
he mean to change the world? She had no doubts that his intentions were good,   
she wouldn't be here otherwise. Cid Kramer was a wily man capable of many   
things, and a fearful adversary for those who drew his ire. With the best   
soldiers in the world under his command, he could accomplish just about   
anything.  
  
"What are we going to do?"  
  
"I think it would be best for you to save your questions until after our   
business in Trabia is concluded." He squeezed her hand again. "A lot will be   
explained there, along with many new questions being raised."  
  
Xu bowed her head. The entire matter was suspicious, and not just because   
of how Cid was acting. She *knew* that the Gardens weren't what they seemed,   
at least Balamb wasn't. What she found in the waterways confirmed that. On a   
hunch, Xu asked her next question.  
  
"Does this have anything to do with the waterways under the Garden?"  
  
Cid straightened up abruptly, withdrawing his hand from hers. "The   
waterways that feed the ponds? What about them?"  
  
"I had reason to explore them recently," she admitted. "Have I ever told   
you how the Garden always makes me feel at home? It wasn't until I went down   
there that I realized why..."  
  
"The architecture and artistic style should be familiar to a native of   
Centra," Kadowaki interjected. She had a look to her that could be described   
as pleasantly smug. As though she had a bet with Cid as to whether Xu would   
ever piece this puzzle together or not, and she had just won.  
  
"The good Doctor is correct," Cid admitted hesitantly. "The Garden is a   
refurbished Centra shelter. Because of cost considerations we decided to   
re-commission a shelter rather than build the Garden from the ground up."  
  
"Well, Balamb is hardly the only shelter laying around," Xu conceded. The   
ruins of the shelters could be found most commonly in Winhill, Dollet, and   
Esthar. Only those who reveled in the artifacts of the past even took notice   
of the vehicles that brought settlers north after the Lunar Cry destroyed   
Centra. She had to admit that resurrecting a derelict shelter was a sensible   
move on his part.  
  
"You have a sharp eye and a keen wit," Cid complimented. "Keep them about   
you next week. You'll need them."  
  
*****  
  
"Don't you have a hall to monitor?" Sierra said with a touch of annoyance   
when Seifer slid up behind her in the lunch line. He picked up a tray to   
maintain the pretense of being here for a meal. There was only one reason   
Seifer came to the Cafeteria and purposefully crossed paths with her: to cause   
trouble.  
  
"I wanted to schedule a meeting with you, Pinky," he said in a hushed   
whisper as she pointed to what she wanted to eat.  
  
His 'nickname' was meant to barb her. Only an insensitive bastard like   
him would poke fun at the fact that she was missing part of that finger. When   
she first arrived to the Garden she let his words get to her, but now she stuck   
to a cool demeanor that infuriated him. It was much more satisfying to see him   
being flustered than letting herself be upset by his childishness.  
  
"You make what you do sound so official. Why don't you just tell me what   
you want and stop wasting my time?"  
  
He followed her into the seating area. She found a place to sit and he   
joined her without invitation. "If you haven't figured it out yet, no one here   
likes you. You're a disgrace to the Garden. If you won't leave willingly or   
have the decency to flunk out, I'll beat you 'til you go crying for your   
mommy."  
  
Sierra shook her head and smirked. "Dumbshit, my mother died years ago.   
You should be ashamed for insulting her memory."  
  
Seifer left after that, though he wasn't abashed by his insensitivity. He   
continued to pester Sierra at every meal for the rest of the week and into the   
next. Sierra was ready to agree to just about anything Seifer demanded just to   
get him out of her hair.  
  
What he wanted was a grudge match...  
  
*****  
  
Xu wasn't pleased to be back in the Infirmary so soon. This time it was   
Cid who was in need of medical attention. They were in his office going over   
the final details of their trip when he collapsed into her arms.  
  
Kadowaki wasn't pleased to see them either. "How many times have I told   
him..?" She muttered darkly as she went about her work.  
  
Xu sat in the waiting area until Kadowaki came out of the examination room   
to speak with her. "How is he?"  
  
"He'll be fine," Kadowaki assured. "He pushes too hard and doesn't take   
proper care of himself. His illness would have been a minor one if he'd slowed   
down and took a day off. Instead he kept going full speed ahead until it   
caused his collapse."  
  
Xu was relieved. His collapse frightened her more than she was willing to   
admit.  
  
"You," Kadowaki continued while waggling a finger at her, "were smart and   
took my advice when injured. Cid, on the other hand, is going to have to stay   
here until he's fully recovered."  
  
"As you say, Doctor." Xu knew better than to protest on Cid's behalf. If   
Kadowaki went to such an extreme step it was for his own good. "What of the   
meeting in Trabia?"  
  
"You'll have to go on your own. I won't let Cid leave this Infirmary   
until he's well. I know that he trusts you to keep the Garden's best interests   
at heart. You can do it."  
  
Xu accepted Kadowaki's assurances, though she didn't share them. She'd   
never meet the Trabian Headmistress before, not even in correspondence.   
Martine would be there, but he'd never thought much of her. If only Cid could   
be there to ease the way...  
  
*****  
  
Long vessel rides had always lulled Xu into a peaceful state of mind. The   
rhythmic swaying of the ship was soothing to her. Probably because it reminded   
her of the long trips she took to and from Centra. She reluctantly pulled her   
thoughts out of their restful state to figure out how much longer they had to   
go. By her reckoning they were about half way.  
  
Gone for only a few hours and already she felt a twang of unease. She   
couldn't quite pinpoint what was causing the small knot that was uncomfortably   
settled in her stomach. Worrying over her meeting with the Headmasters   
wouldn't do her any good, so she'd already set that nervousness aside.  
  
Perhaps it was due to leaving the Training Center in Aucifer's care. A   
skilled Master he was, a responsible one she still questioned. No, that wasn't   
fair. He was responsible as well. It was his personality that she took issue   
with. She had a hard time differentiating when he was just talking big and   
when he was earnestly being an ass about something.  
  
Like this trip.  
  
Why did he have to make light of it when he knew that she was nervous? Oh   
sure, it might have been charming that he teased her about a romantic   
rendezvous. But he was no Sean. Xu winced on the inside. No, he wasn't Sean   
at all...  
  
She forced her thoughts away from that and looked around her in the small   
cabin.  
  
Seated across from her was Myn. He was occupying his time by reading a   
book. Next to him was Nym. She was pounding furiously on the buttons of a   
small handheld gaming device. Xu was mildly surprised when she realized that   
the clicking noise of the buttons wasn't bothering her as much as it could   
have. The steady hum of the ship's engines did well to mask other sounds.  
  
Cid had mentioned that the twins requested some leave so that they could   
visit their parents. She didn't think he meant that they would be traveling   
with her as a sort of unofficial escort. It didn't matter. They were each   
going to Trabia for their own reasons.  
  
"Yo teach, this your first time to Trabia?" Myn asked after noticing that   
she was looking around. Nym's hand moved like lightning to poke him in the   
side for being so informal, then it was back on the handheld without missing a   
clickety-beat.  
  
"Yes, this is my first time," Xu confirmed.  
  
"I hope you're ready for some cold weather." Myn grinned slyly. "Trabia's   
nothing like Balamb. It's icy there year-round!"  
  
"So I've heard," Xu replied wryly.  
  
The cold was something that concerned her. She was most definitely a   
warm-weather person. The Serengetti Plains were usually hot except in the dead   
of winter. Likewise, Balamb enjoyed a temperate climate. Trabia's tundra was   
something she wasn't used to and not looking forward to experiencing.  
  
Xu boggled at the sight of the Garden once they arrived. Towering   
mountains surrounded it on three sides. The Garden itself looked to be a fort   
in the midst of winter's besiegement. The inside was much more welcoming than   
the outer walls implied. A statue of a gargoyle stood watch over the central   
courtyard that all who entered the Garden had to pass through.  
  
The three Balamb SeeDs made their way into the Garden proper, each with a   
sack slung over their shoulders. Myn began to tell a story about the statue   
when they heard a female's voice calling for them.  
  
"Assistant Headmistress Xu! Assistant Headmistress Xu!" A cadet waved   
vigorously before running at full speed to meet them.  
  
Xu caught the questioning look that Nym shot her at. Before she could   
answer the cadet caught up with them, her cheeks flush from her efforts to   
locate Xu. She had an odd flip hairstyle and seemed to radiate cheerfulness.  
  
"I finally caught up with you! My name's Selphie Tilmitt. Headmistress   
Rebecca told me to escort you to her office, Assistant Headmistress." The cadet   
saluted promptly to add weight to the order.  
  
"Selphie!" Myn beamed broadly.  
  
"Nym, Myn!" She greeted happily, momentarily forgetting the orders she was   
about to discharge. "Want to get together later?"  
  
"Definitely," Nym bobbed her head in agreement. "I can tell you all about   
the hunks at Balamb. You won't be disappointed once you transfer there!"  
  
With good humor Xu allowed them their opportunity to catch up. A few   
minutes delay in meeting the Headmistress wouldn't hurt anyone.  
  
Once they'd gotten their social lives in order Selphie led Xu to Rebecca's   
office, leaving Nym and Myn to go on their way. It surprised Xu in an ironic   
sort of way that Rebecca's office turned out to be on the ground floor. In   
Galbadia, Martine's was on the second, and in Balamb, Cid's was on the third.   
She idly wondered if any conclusions could be drawn from that. Selphie showed   
her to the door and then retreated from the Headmistress's domain.  
  
The Headmistress herself was a startling tall woman with a cascade of   
strawberry blonde curls flowing across her shoulders and down her back. Xu   
felt like a midget when she approached the woman to shake her hand. Rebecca's   
grip was a strong one that challenged the person on the receiving end to show   
her any weakness. Her eyes were an icy blue that seemed fitting given the   
climate she lived in.  
  
She wore a long dress made of heavy cloth. The dress's cut was simplistic   
and distracted none from the business-like nature of the woman wearing it. Xu   
had to give Rebecca credit for creating an air of complete control and   
competence in her persona (which was a sharp contrast to Cid's constant motion   
and deceptive bumbling). Standing before her like this, there was no doubt as   
to who was in charge in the room. Even so, Xu didn't feel uncomfortable being   
around such a strong presence.  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Headmistress Rebecca," Xu greeted formally.  
  
"And you, Assistant Headmistress. I've been curious to meet the woman   
Cid's chosen as his right hand," she replied lightly.  
  
Xu blushed. "I'm flattered, but I'm just an aide. All SeeDs assist   
Headmaster Cid in one way or another, this is what he's asked of me."  
  
"Modest, too," she drawled. "Answer me this, if Cid were to to die who do   
you think would take over Balamb Garden?"  
  
All pretense of a casual meeting shattered. Xu stiffened, not liking the   
question in the slightest. "I suspect the other Headmasters would find a   
suitable replacement should such a misfortune befall him," she answered coolly.  
  
"So we would. Do you think Kadowaki is a suitable replacement? Would she   
lead SeeD into battle? She's a good friend, but she isn't there for the fight.   
First and foremost she's a healer.  
  
"Should Cid become unable to carry out his duties as Balamb's Headmaster,   
*you* will be the one to replace him," Rebecca pinned her back with a long   
fingertip lightly digging into her shoulder. "Your credentials are impressive   
and you've done well when put to the test. Don't let misguided modesty detract   
from the weight of your post. You are the Assistant Headmaster of Balamb   
Garden and while a guest of Trabia I expect you to act it!"  
  
Xu was stunned by the unexpected reprimand. Yes, she was a member of   
Cid's inner circle, but she would never have presumed to place herself after   
him in the chain of command.  
  
Rebecca's expression relaxed into that of a knowing smile. "I hear that   
Cid is ill. Now tell me the truth."  
  
Xu was thrown off balance yet again by the direction this interview was   
taking. "I'm afraid that is the truth. I was at Cid's bedside before I left   
Balamb to come here," she replied. She didn't know why Rebecca would doubt   
that, not unless she thought that he was up to one of his tricks. But he   
couldn't be. Xu had taken him to the Infirmary herself and he didn't look well   
enough to do much of anything when she left him this morning.  
  
"Interesting. I was wondering when he'd reach his limit..." Her voice   
trailed off before her mind jumped tracks again. "I've assigned Selphie to be   
your guide and assistant while you're here. If you need anything, just ask   
her."  
  
When Xu left Rebecca's office she found Selphie in the hallway waiting on   
a bench for her. Upon seeing her, Selphie sprung to her feet and skip-hopped   
over to Xu. "What can I do for you, Assistant Headmistress?"  
  
Xu favored her with a wry look. "You could start by addressing me as Xu,   
or if you must use a title, SeeD Xu. A couple years in Galbadia made me sick   
of such things."  
  
Selphie saluted with a grin on her face. "Yes, sir."  
  
"I thought you and the twins were going to go do something together?"  
  
"Yeah, we will later, but I should show you around the Garden first."  
  
And so she did. Basketball was the sport of choice at Trabia Garden.   
Every court had people playing on it. Selphie told her about the student   
basketball league. As they were leaving the courts the twins met up with them   
and joined the tour.  
  
Of the three Gardens, Trabia was easily the smallest, and was seemingly   
the friendliest. It could have been because of the company Xu was in, but she   
didn't think so. Students waved at them as they went by, or stopped long   
enough to exchange a few words of greeting before continuing on.  
  
Xu shook her head ruefully as a thought occurred to her. Nym noticed the   
action and asked what was on her mind.  
  
"It's odd that Sierra's from such a friendly place," Xu shrugged and   
grinned to take the sting out of her observation.  
  
"Aisierra de Ling?" Selphie asked, not sure who they were talking about.  
  
"She'd pound you if she ever caught you using her full name," Myn lightly   
poked Selphie to remind her. "'Member the bloody nose she gave Teddy?"  
  
"No, I was in the other class," Selphie defended.  
  
"I seem to remember her doing it during recess on the back court," Nym   
chimed in thoughtfully. "You missed that?"  
  
Selphie nodded woefully. "Everyone was up in arms about a fight and that   
Sierra and Teddy were involved, but I wasn't there."  
  
"You should have seen the fur fly once Rebecca got her hands on Sierra. I   
swear she wasn't able to sit properly for a week after the thumping her butt   
took!" Myn added before Nym bopped him for laughing at Sierra's pain.  
  
The story-telling was completely lost on Xu, her mind still reeling from   
what Selphie had said. Her name was Aisierra..? Xu rubbed the bridge of her   
nose as she tried to concentrate. The important thing she couldn't remember   
because of the concussion seemed all the more urgent.  
  
"Are you okay?" Nym asked, finally looking behind them to discover that Xu   
had stopped walking several meters back.  
  
Xu sat down on a nearby bench and continued to rack her brains. She was   
so close. It was like a word that was caught on the tip of her tongue. If she   
could just rattle it free! Think... Think!  
  
Myn, Nym, and Selphie were standing in a half circle around her with mixed   
expressions of puzzlement. "Xu..?" Nym persisted.  
  
"Give me a minute," Xu muttered. She then stretched out her right hand   
and began drawing something on the bench with a fingertip. Suddenly the fog in   
her mind lifted and the pieces of the puzzle she'd been missing came into   
place. As abruptly as she had stopped, she stood up again. "Selphie, take me   
back to the Headmistress's office please."  
  
"O- okay," Selphie gestured in the direction they needed to go.  
  
"What's gotten into you?" Nym scowled.  
  
Xu shook her head and smiled, a reaction that confused Nym even more.   
"It's okay, I got my memory back."  
  
"That's good, isn't it?" Myn asked hesitantly. The way Xu was acting   
caused him to doubt the benefits of her sudden recollection.  
  
When they got to Rebecca's office, Xu dismissed Selphie and the twins.   
She might be a while if she got what she asked for. What she wanted was to   
look at Sierra's student file. Her Trabia records should contain things her   
Balamb ones don't, such as her original application to the Garden.  
  
"What are you looking for?" Rebecca asked as she pulled up the file. She   
was understandably curious to know why Xu was asking, but saw no reason to deny   
her the information.  
  
"Her name," Xu answered, her eyes quickly scanning back through the   
records to find the ones she was interested in.  
  
"Aisierra?"  
  
"Yes, Aisierra," Xu agreed, only half paying attention as she read. "But   
she goes by Sierra..."  
  
"There's nothing wrong with a nickname," Rebecca pointed out. By now she   
was thoroughly confused as to where Xu was going with this. The woman was   
obviously struck by some sort of inspiration, but the motive was a mystery.  
  
"No, but it's not on any of her Balamb records. Her transfer forms say   
her name is Sierra, not Aisierra."  
  
"Probably a minor oversight. When you always address a person by a   
certain name, it tends to stick. I don't see why it matters so much to you,"   
the Headmistress admitted, becoming impatient to see Xu's logic.  
  
Xu looked up from the terminal, her eyes gleaming. They held the same   
inspired genius / mad scientist look that Cid's eyes did when he happened upon   
something he saw as being deeply significant. Rebecca understood all the more   
why this one was his aide. She possessed the same clever intelligence that he   
did.  
  
"It says here that her grandfather died four years ago and her father is   
her only living relative."  
  
"That's correct," Rebecca acknowledged. "de Ling is one of the Summit   
locals who works for us. He guides groups of cadets during training missions   
to the Mines."  
  
"I can see where Sierra got her knack for reading the terrain," Xu agreed,   
closing the files. She stood up from the terminal and stretched out.  
  
"What did you find?" Rebecca casually crossed her arms. Cid may be able   
to dodge her questions, but Xu wasn't going get away with all of his tricks.  
  
Xu frowned slightly. "I'm not entirely sure yet. I'll know once I return   
to Balamb."  
  
"You and Cid are too much alike. Heaven help us."  
  
"Eh?" That statement confused Xu. She didn't see herself as being all   
that much like Cid. The Headmaster had a vision for the future. She saw it as   
her mission to bring that vision into reality. Besides, wasn't she supposed to   
work in tandem with him? The more inline with his thinking that she was, the   
easier it would be to execute his plans.  
  
  
  
When Martine arrived at Trabia Garden later that afternoon everyone knew   
it. His booming voice echoed across the courtyard as he yelled at a student   
who was in pursuit of a wayward basketball that hit him in passing. The   
student was quick to offer his apologies, but that didn't seem to satisfy the   
grumpy Galbadian. Eileen, who was accompanying him, tugged gently on his coat   
sleeve and pulled him away.  
  
"I see that you're moving up in the world," Eileen greeted Xu as Rebecca   
met privately with Martine in her office.  
  
The two women chatted easily, catching up on what's happened in their   
lives since they last spoke until the two Headmasters presented themselves.   
"We'll have dinner in the west conference room at 1900," Rebecca informed the   
two aides.  
  
Xu found her way back to the guest quarters she'd been assigned and   
cleaned up. A half-hour before dinner she heard a knocking on the door.   
Selphie had likewise changed and was there to lead Xu to the west conference   
room when she was ready.  
  
"Why don't you go off and do something with the twins? I'm sure I can   
find my way there without too much trouble," Xu offered.  
  
"Thank you, SeeD Xu, but while you're at Trabia Garden I'm going to be on   
you like a hawk!" Selphie smiled cutely. She was entirely too happy for   
someone who was given what could be considered a shit job.  
  
"Does Martine have a guide?" Xu couldn't imagine him taking well to have a   
cadet underfoot. He'd be too inclined towards kicking them.  
  
"No, sir, he has Ms. Pearcy. They've been here before, so they know their   
way around the Garden," the cadet answered brightly.  
  
Xu sighed softly and resigned herself to the fact that she was going to   
have Selphie at her side while she was here. When they arrived at the   
conference room, Selphie stopped at the door and ushered Xu in, but didn't   
follow. Martine, Eileen, and Rebecca were already there speaking amongst   
themselves.  
  
"Do you live in that uniform?" Martine asked snidely after noticing her   
arrival.  
  
Xu smiled tightly. "When in doubt as to what etiquette requires, wear your   
uniform," she answered in a tone that was more forgiving than she felt.  
  
Rebecca flashed her an understanding smile while Eileen chuckled lightly.   
Martine hmph-ed and slouched further in his seat. Xu sat down across the table   
from Martine at Rebecca's left. Eileen sat next to Martine on his right. A   
silence settled between them. Several minutes passed and Xu wondered what was   
taking the servers so long in presenting the meal.  
  
"Where's Centra?" Martine sighed impatiently.  
  
"As I explained this afternoon, they were running late. They should be   
here any time now," Rebecca replied.  
  
Xu couldn't believe her ears. Centra? Was there a Garden there? Where?   
How come she'd never heard of it before?  
  
Those questions occupied her mind until the door at the end of the room   
opened and a man stepped through. He was dressed in a uniform that was white   
from his boots to the band around his head. It was a startling contrast to his   
rich brown skin. His posture and movements told Xu that he was well-trained in   
the physical arts. The door behind him closed and he bowed to those assembled.  
  
Before Martine could scold him for his late arrival Rebecca spoke.   
"Jerrick, I see you made it safely. Please have a seat," she gestured to the   
chair next to Xu.  
  
Xu was captivated by how fluid his movements were, as though he flowed   
from one location to the next. There wasn't any hesitation or awkwardness in   
his demeanor.  
  
"Allow me to introduce you to Xu from Balamb Garden. She's Headmaster Cid   
aide," Rebecca said.  
  
Xu offered her hand to him. He took it in his own and gave it a firm   
squeeze. "It's an honor to meet someone who is so well regarded among our   
superiors and peers. I'm Jerrick. Please excuse my forthrightness, but where   
is Headmaster Cid?"  
  
"At Balamb confined to the Infirmary. He had a spell of weakness and I   
came without him," Xu explained.  
  
Jerrick's lips pressed together with concern.  
  
"Where's Edea?" Martine asked in turn.  
  
"Likewise she has turned ill," his dark eyes shifted from Xu's to meet   
Rebecca's.  
  
"It's no coincidence that they're both sick," Martine grumbled, though   
more thoughtfully than with any true complaint.  
  
"I'm afraid that you are right, Headmaster. Edea's condition has worsened   
considerably since we last gathered. I fear that we haven't much time left..."   
Jerrick stopped speaking when the door opened again to admit the servers.  
  
Xu knew when she was in over her head and right now she was drowning. Who   
was Edea? She'd never heard the name before. The man sitting next to her was   
an enigma. She felt like she was oddly detached from those around her. As   
though she was witnessing a conversation instead of taking part in it.  
  
Their host gently directed the conversation away from business and onto   
more neutral topics. From what Xu could gather, Jerrick had spent most of his   
life in Centra. He had an impressive knowledge of the geography and knew   
things only a native could. She wondered what region he hailed from. As far   
as she knew the Anshin compound was the largest settlement in the south, and   
that would only pass as a small village by the standards of the north. There   
could be other, smaller settlements of people who wished to live in isolation,   
but she was certain there weren't many.  
  
To her unending embarrassment the conversation kept working its way back   
to her. Jerrick and Rebecca didn't know much about her except for what was   
written up in official reports and Cid's own correspondence. Martine had   
plenty of stories to share. Fortunately Eileen was there to bring his tales   
back into the realm of reality.  
  
Dinner ended with the understanding that they would meet again in the   
morning. From what little Jerrick had said already, they were assured to have   
a lively discussion come the morrow.   
  
When Xu left the conference room she found Selphie sitting on a bench with   
her head leaned up against the wall sleeping. Xu gently nudged the girl to   
wake her. The cadet's eyes snapped open and she bolted to her feet,   
embarrassed at having been caught.  
  
"Have you been here the whole time?"  
  
"Well... I did leave briefly to get a bite to eat, but I came right back!"   
Selphie hedged around the question, hoping to avoid a reprimand.  
  
Xu shook her head with bemusement. "Show me back to my quarters and then   
go find your bed. We have an earlier start tomorrow."  
  
"Excuse me, Madam Xu," Jerrick approached them from behind Xu. "If the   
hour is not too late, may I speak with you privately? I will guide you back to   
your quarters whenever you wish."  
  
"Alright," Xu agreed. "Selphie, get some rest."  
  
With a small bow Jerrick directed Xu down the hall. He walked next to her   
in his fluid glide-step. To someone whose profession involved watching others   
movements, he was fascinating. He led them through a long breezeway and out to   
an open courtyard. Xu refrained from shivering, though she wanted to. Her   
body wasn't used to the chill and wouldn't put up with it for long.  
  
"What did you want to discuss?" Xu asked politely. She could think of at   
least a half dozen things she would like to ask him, but figured that she'd   
give him the first shot.  
  
"I was curious to know how one of the Anshin became a Black SeeD."  
  
She blinked, taken aback by his question. She glanced down at her uniform   
and then gave him a puzzled look. Yes, she supposed that you could call her a   
black SeeD. Did that make him a white SeeD?  
  
"Is there a difference?" She asked in turn. Not sure how to answer his   
question until it was framed in some sort of context.  
  
"There is quite a difference. How odd that the one who is Cid's aide does   
not know," he mused aloud. "I apologize, please, allow me to explain. There   
are SeeDs all over the world. The SeeDs of the north: Galbadia, Balamb, and   
Trabia. And the SeeDs of the south: The White SeeDs."  
  
"Why two groups?"  
  
"Because we have two distinct missions. The SeeDs of the south are to   
protect the Sorceress from those who would cause her harm. The SeeDs of the   
north are to kill her if she turns towards evil. I was curious to know why an   
Anshin would join the SeeDs whose mission it is to destroy instead of the ones   
who protect."  
  
Xu sat down on a nearby bench so numbed on the inside that she didn't   
notice the cold surface against the back of her thighs. Her mind reeled as she   
tried to make sense of what he was saying. She knew that there were   
Sorceresses, but had never met one, and certainly didn't see it as her mission   
to kill one. And here he was telling her that there was a group of SeeDs out   
there she hadn't know about yesterday whose mission it was to protect the   
Sorceress from those who would want her dead. Wasn't it a contradiction to   
both protect and destroy her?  
  
"Where is she?" Xu asked in a hollow voice.  
  
"The Sorceress the White SeeDs protect? She resides in Centra. I   
apologize, but I cannot be more specific than that."  
  
"Yes, that makes sense," she intoned.  
  
"Madam Xu, are you all right? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so   
forward. Let me show you to your quarters." He politely held his hand out to   
her to help her up. She accepted the hand and mutely followed.  
  
"Rest in peace," he gave her another one of his courteous bows before   
leaving.  
  
Xu wanted to call for him to halt, but her tongue was silent when she   
opened her mouth. Rest in peace. It was a saying used in the north to wish   
the dead a long and restful slumber. In Centra the phrase lacked the morbid   
implication since the spirit was finally waking up from its sleep when one   
died. She'd only once made the mistake of wishing someone from the north a   
peaceful rest.  
  
Stretching out across her bed, she silently wished for him to rest in   
peace as well.  
  
  
  
The brisk evening breeze that played havoc with a few loose strands of her   
hair annoyed Sierra. Where was Seifer? He's the one who wanted to meet out   
here in the courtyard after curfew to have it out. Punk ass upstart, thinking   
that a kid like him stood a chance against her.  
  
She slipped back into the shadows to avoid a Shumi patrol. They'd have 15   
minutes to beat the shit out of each other before another patrol made its   
rounds.  
  
With increasing aggravation she glanced down at her watch. Seifer had   
already managed to waste four minutes. That didn't leave her much time to   
smear him across the courtyard. Where the hell was he?  
  
"Cadet Sierra de Ling," she erk-ed at hearing her name. Silently she   
cursed Seifer time and again before turning around to face the Shumi that had   
shone its light on her. "Student out past curfew. Faculty will take Student   
back to quarters."  
  
"Thanks for the escort," she said glibly.  
  
The Faculty stood there for a moment as it evaluated her response. It   
finally shook its robes disapprovingly at her. "Cadet is being disrespectful   
to Faculty. Headmaster will know tomorrow."  
  
"Isn't he laid up in the Infirmary right now? I'm sure he has more   
important things to do than be bothered with this. How about I go back to my   
room and we call it even?"  
  
"Faculty will not cut deal with bad Cadet." Sierra snickered. The way it   
phrased that would imply that she was a poor student when what it really meant   
was that she was ill mannered.  
  
Its robes shook more violently with growing agitation. "Cadet think   
Faculty funny? Cadet not think that morning!"  
  
Sierra burst out laughing. Its use of the language was too funny! This   
Shumi must be one of the newer ones to the Garden. It would have to be if it   
was stuck with doing the nightly rounds.  
  
"Come!"  
  
The cadet continued laughing softly as she followed the Faculty back to   
her quarters.  
  
*****  
  
"Cut the flowery speech and get to the point, Jerrick. How much time do   
we have left?" Martine insisted. They hadn't been gathered for more than a   
hour and already Martine's temper betrayed him. Eileen tried to keep him in   
check, but the Headmaster wasn't in the mood for Jerrick glossing the situation   
over.  
  
"I cannot give an exact answer, Headmaster. The early signs have begun to   
manifest themselves and show no indication of recessing. It could be a week,   
month, or over another year before the corruption consumes her heart."  
  
Xu was grateful to Eileen, and for her willingness to be dragged out of   
bed in the early morning hours to give Xu a crash course on the Sorceresses.   
The time difference was most severe for the Galbadians, and so Eileen had   
already counted on getting little rest while they were here.  
  
The Sorceress they were discussing was named Edea. Edea Kramer to be   
exact. She was the wife of Headmaster Cid. If Xu hadn't so recently   
experienced the awkwardness of not knowing that Kadowaki was married, Cid not   
telling her that he was as well would have hurt her. At this rate *she* was   
married and didn't know it...  
  
Xu was a bit fuzzy on this next part, but apparently the powers of the   
Sorceress had a corruptive effect on ones mentality. In short, as long as Edea   
had the power within her, it would eat her alive from the inside out. This is   
what was currently being discussed. The corruption was beginning to manifest   
itself physically. Jerrick hadn't gone into any details when describing how it   
was changing her, except to say that it was grotesque.  
  
More regarding the intentions of the White SeeDs and their 'Garden' was   
cleared up by her conversation with Eileen. The White SeeDs lived on a ship   
that traveled the world over, never staying in one place for long. The total   
occupancy of the ship including the children that were schooling there was in   
the mid-forties. Keeping on the move was used as an added security measure.   
Edea was the captain of this ship until recently.  
  
"She doesn't know how much longer she can resist the madness," Jerrick   
continued. "She has already returned to the seclusion of her Centra home. The   
location of the White SeeD ship is a mystery to us, as we had intended.   
Jessica is with the Sorceress now. We will continue our protection of her."  
  
Xu shook her head, confused by all of this. "I'm sorry if I don't   
understand, but the White SeeDs are supposed to protect the Sorceress. Why are   
most of them abandoning her?"  
  
A sad frown marred his expression. "She has ordered us to leave her.   
There are others that we must protect. Her heart turning towards the darkness   
is inevitable. Jessica and I are her two assistants, along with Madam Ellone.   
Ellone's protection is a priority for us all. She is in seclusion along with   
the other White SeeDs and the children."  
  
Xu was appalled. After all this talk of protecting Edea, the White SeeDs   
were going to abandon her. Didn't protecting her mean staying by her side   
during thick and thin?  
  
Eileen set her hand over Xu's. "We've been planning this for a very long   
time. It's for the best that the northern SeeDs take over at this point. The   
power of the Sorceress is too much for a 'Garden' that has less than two dozen   
SeeDs. We'll protect the world from her, and Edea from herself."  
  
  
  
There was a loud pounding on Sierra's dorm room door. She rolled out of   
bed and groggily went to answer it. What she found on the other side didn't   
please her in the least. A pair of Faculty framed the doorway.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Cadet Sierra de Ling will come with Faculty to see the Headmaster," the   
one on the right said after a small robe shake.  
  
Sierra crossed her arms and hmph-ed. "May I at least take a shower   
first?"  
  
"No," the one on the left answered. "Cadet will come with Faculty now or   
SeeD will escort Cadet to Headmaster."  
  
It was then that Sierra saw that a SeeD was standing at the ready in the   
shadows of the Faculty. Shit, she was in for it now. She ran her fingers   
through her tousled hair in a vain attempt to straighten it out some.  
  
"Fine, but don't blame me for the morning breath."  
  
The two Faculty escorted her to the Infirmary with the SeeD remaining   
several paces behind them. Kadowaki gave her a disapproving scowl as she was   
lead past the Doctor's desk to the small recovery room Cid was in. The   
Headmaster looked like he was fighting off one hell of a cold. His face was   
gaunt with perspiration mating down his hair. Without his glasses on he looked   
younger and more vulnerable.  
  
He weakly waved for the Faculty to wait outside. Sierra's audience with   
him would be a private one. She pulled up the stool at his bedside so that he   
could speak softly and still be heard.  
  
"I'm afraid that last night was the proverbial straw that broke the   
Chocobo's back," he said. "You're confined to quarters until I'm well enough   
to handle the situation properly."  
  
Cid leaned back into his bedding and closed his eyes, effectively ending   
the discussion (such as it was). Sierra sighed heavily and left. The Faculty   
led her back to her room and reiterated that she wasn't to leave unless the   
SeeD that was posted outside her door escorted her. Dammit all, she even   
needed an escort if she wanted to go across the hall and use the lavatory.   
That annoyed her more than anything else.  
  
  
  
Eileen and Xu were sharing eating lunch in the Cafeteria between meetings.   
Selphie was seated across the room to allow them their privacy. When Xu   
returned to the condiment island to get some soy sauce, Selphie was at her side   
in an instant to offer her assistance. The SeeD couldn't help but crack a   
smile at such youthful enthusiasm.  
  
Currently the two Headmasters were speaking privately with Jerrick. That   
gave Xu the opportunity to ask more questions of Eileen without embarrassing   
herself.  
  
One of the questions Xu asked was why she had yet to meet Rebecca's aide   
if all the Headmasters had one. The sad look that shadowed Eileen's eyes told   
her that she'd stumbled onto a sensitive subject.  
  
"He died of exposure while searching for a team of lost cadets in the   
Summit Mines," she explained. "The bodies of the cadets were found a few days   
later. They died when the shaft they were in collapsed. We'll never know why   
they were in a closed off area. Rebecca suspects that they were searching for   
a Yeti."  
  
"Yeti? A monster?"  
  
Eileen shrugged. "Who knows? No one's ever seen one. It's a myth that's   
told by children in these parts."  
  
They continued eating in silence. Every once in a while Xu would cast a   
discreet look over her shoulder to see if Selphie was still there. The cadet   
continued to patiently wait for Xu to finish her lunch. When Myn and Nym sat   
down at Selphie's table to eat, Xu chuckled.  
  
"What's so funny?" Eileen asked between sips of her soup.  
  
"I'm wondering if I'll be able to sneak out of the room without my shadow   
noticing," she said with a touch of playfulness in her voice as she motioned   
behind her.  
  
"You'll get Selphie in trouble if you do that, and she's a good kid,"   
Eileen warned. "You really don't like having her around, do you?"  
  
"It's nothing personal, I just prefer to do things on my own. If I'm not   
capable, then sure, help me, but I can read a directory as well as any first   
year cadet. I shouldn't rate a guide."  
  
Now it was Eileen's turn to chuckle. "Ah, but you do. Enjoy it while you   
can. There are plenty of other opportunities in life to get your hands dirty   
with the details."  
  
They couldn't spend the entire afternoon in the Cafeteria talking. Eileen   
needed to get back to Martine and likely calm him down from whatever's got his   
tail in a knot this time. That left Xu to pick up her escort and kill a bit of   
time. She carried her tray over to Selphie's table and sat down to finish   
drinking her tea.  
  
"How do you like it here?" Nym asked before poking her twin for shoving an   
entire bun into his mouth. In a remarkable display of skill he managed not to   
choke while wiggling away from her prodding.  
  
"It's too cold for my blood," Xu admitted, cradling the warm teacup   
between her hands. "Eileen was telling me a bit about the Summit Mines. They   
sound like a dangerous place."  
  
"You don't go wandering around in there without a SeeD accompanying you,   
that's for sure!" Selphie piped up.  
  
"I'd go so far as to say that the Mines are more dangerous than the Fire   
Cavern in Balamb. Did she tell you about the cadets?" Nym paused as Xu nodded.   
"I can't recall anyone who's gotten lost in there and made it out alive."  
  
"Sierra," Myn croaked out between chews.  
  
"You should have better manners when around your Assistant Headmistress,"   
Selphie hissed to Myn in an aside.  
  
"You should have better manners regardless," Nym clarified. "Mom would   
tan your hide if she saw you now."  
  
Xu coughed to get their attention off of Myn and back on the topic she   
wanted to know about. "Tell me about Sierra getting lost in the Mines."  
  
"Yeah, tell me too, I don't know this story," Selphie bounced in her seat.   
She was young enough that even students Sierra's age were aloft upperclassmen   
to her. She wanted to hear about their adventures when they were younger.  
  
"Well, as I recall she and her dad were scouting in the Mines when they   
became separated. Every able-bodied man in Summit went looking for her. No   
monster, not even a Yeti, was going to prevent them from finding the lost   
child. Her grandfather found her a couple days later huddled up at the end of   
a shaft. She's damn lucky to be alive," Nym concluded her story with an   
authoritative head nod.  
  
"I heard she ran away," Myn said before bringing his glass of milk up to   
his lips. The hard whap on the back that his sister gave him caused him to   
spit the milk in his mouth back into the glass.  
  
"Idiot! Who would run away to the Mines? That's the stupidest thing I've   
ever heard!"  
  
Myn pouted while carefully wiping a few spots of milk off of his shades.   
"How come I'm always wrong? One of these days I'm going to be right."  
  
  
  
Seifer had a smug sway to his step today, more so than usual. Fujin and   
Raijin followed a couple paces behind him as they did the afternoon rounds.   
The hallways in the dorms were vacant except for the lone SeeD that stood guard   
outside of Sierra's door. Fujin swore that she saw Seifer skip a step as they   
passed by the SeeD.  
  
It elated Seifer to have one of the thorns in his side pulled out, but she   
wondered if it was right of them to set Sierra up like they did. Seifer never   
intended to meet Sierra for the duel that he arranged. He set her up and then   
tipped off the Shumi patrol that he saw a student sneaking around.  
  
When she asked Seifer about it he felt no remorse for what they had done.   
He did have a point when he ticked off Sierra's numerous transgressions on his   
fingertips. She was teetering on the edge of expulsion as it was. They just   
cut to the chase and gave her that final little nudge. Was it wrong for them   
to speed along the inevitable?  
  
  
  
With an eerie sense of deja vu, Jerrick once again sought Xu out once   
their business for the day was done. Selphie was dismissed so that the two   
SeeDs could speak privately. Unlike last time he spared her the chill of   
outside, instead inviting her to his quarters.  
  
He presented her with a thick leather-bound volume to take back with her   
to Balamb. When she promised to deliver it to the Headmaster, he shook his   
head at her.  
  
"It is for you, Madam Xu, from the Sorceress. She instructed me to   
deliver it to your hands should our paths cross at this junction."  
  
Xu was left speechless as her hands ran over its cover. Why would a woman   
she'd never met, never even known of until yesterday, want her to have this?   
She felt as though she was still being deceived, still being manipulated by   
those around her. There was no escaping what Cid had drawn her into, she knew   
that, but if she could at least know who all the players were!  
  
Her mind drifted away from that thought and stumbled along another.   
Jerrick would know things she didn't if she simply asked him. And where else   
to start by at the beginning with...  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
His lips quirked up into a half smile as he regarded her from the chair he   
was seated in. "I am Jerrick, a White SeeD."  
  
Xu flustered, the book on her lap forgotten as she attempted again to pry   
more information out of him. "How did you get to be a White SeeD?"  
  
"Like all the children on Edea's ship I was rescued when the world would   
have abandoned me. Edea took me in, fed me, schooled me, and gave me a purpose   
in life. The White SeeDs are both her children and her guardians. We would do   
anything for her."  
  
"Including abandoning her?" Xu asked without meaning to be snide. Jerrick   
struck her as a fiercely loyal person, she couldn't understand how he was okay   
with their abandonment.  
  
"As much as it pains me, yes. Protecting Ellone is more important.   
Jessica and I will accompany Edea, all that matters is that the other children   
are safe."  
  
"Who is Ellone and why is she important?" The name kept coming up in   
conversation, she noticed.  
  
His eyebrows knitted together as he considered his answer. "Ellone is our   
older sister. Beyond that, I cannot tell you why she is important except to   
say that it has always been part of our mission to guard her. It is a question   
you would have to pose to Edea herself."  
  
Xu shook her head. "I doubt we'll ever have the chance to meet."  
  
"I wouldn't discount the possibility," he said kindly, putting a   
thoughtful hand under his chin. "Now it is my turn. Returning to my question   
from the previous night, how is it that you became a Black SeeD?"  
  
"Honestly, I don't know how things ended up this way. I saw Balamb Garden   
on the newslinks and knew that I wanted to attend school there. I put up quite   
a stink to the elders about being allowed to go. I think they finally did just   
to be rid of me," she smiled fondly at the memory.  
  
"Ah... And so there was a draw for you. Yes, I can see that. Magic tends   
to move people in," he paused to find the right word, "interesting directions."  
  
Xu shot him a puzzled look. "What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Pardon me, I was just commenting on how magic can influence our lives. I   
have grown up with a woman who exudes magical essence. In much the same way, I   
can sense the magic of your being. You're not a Sorceress, that essence I am   
familiar with, but something else," he stretched out his hands, unable to   
decipher Xu's secrets.  
  
She looked away from him, searching for something more comfortable to gaze   
at besides his kind eyes. She was cautious about becoming too fast of friends   
with this stranger. He was familiar with her homeland, he understood her in   
ways few did.  
  
He leaned forward and smiled at her. "You needn't explain yourself to me,   
Madam Xu. But should we meet again and Sorceress Edea is accompanying us,   
please trust her as you would her husband. The Kramers have what's best for   
the world at heart."  
  
"I trust that they have honorable intentions, but how did they decide that   
they knew what was best for the world?" Xu wondered aloud.  
  
"Your question has merit," Jerrick agreed. "I do not believe that someone   
would go to the lengths that the Kramers have without some knowledge of what   
might come to pass. Edea is a Sorceress, after all. While I can hardly speak   
for what powers she may or may not possess, if she were to have a reasonable   
suspicion that this world was facing a grave threat, then I would be glad to   
help her defend against it."  
  
"That makes sense..." Xu allowed slowly.  
  
"I suspect there are countless matters you and Edea could discuss at   
length. Please read the book she sent. Perhaps it will prove to be   
enlightening."  
  
"You don't know what it's about?" Xu asked, mildly surprised.  
  
He shook his head. "It wasn't meant for me, only you, Madam Xu. With the   
enchantment of a Sorceress upon its pages, its words will only be revealed to   
you."  
  
Xu looked down at the book in her lap. She couldn't feel any magic on it,   
not that she was able to sense magic to begin with. He assumed that she had   
some power about her. With the exception of her bond with Carbuncle, she was a   
weak magic user.  
  
Magic was a subject that she was thrown into the middle of (mostly because   
of her Anshin heritage), but never understood well. By her simplistic   
reasoning, the world was filled with magic. Magic being the means used to   
explain the unknown, like the Puzzle Stones. There may be a perfectly   
reasonable explanation for them, but she didn't know it, and so it was magic.  
  
Sorceresses were those who understood the complexities of magic. At   
least, that was Xu's definition for them. And using that definition, there was   
very little that she could teach a Sorceress, thus she didn't see why Jerrick   
was so intent on her and Edea meeting some day. Was this an indication of what   
was to come..?  
  
  
  
Sierra watched the moonlight as it traced through her darkened room and   
played against the far wall. She wanted to be out there. Out under the stars   
smelling the crisp night air and basking in the moonlight. Maybe now that   
she'd pushed too hard she would be allowed to return to Trabia. She'd be   
considered a failure, but even being a SeeD dropout was better than...  
  
She abruptly rolled over onto her side, facing away from her map covered   
wall. Why did those memories have to haunt her on nights like this? On nights   
when she should be free...  
  
*****  
  
Xu was thoughtful on the return trip from Trabia Garden. Many puzzles lay   
before her and she lacked all the pieces to put them together. She knew more   
about the meaning of SeeD than she could have imagined.  
  
She was uncertain as to how she felt about the organization to which she'd   
dedicated herself. On one hand she felt daunted, yet proud, of the deeper   
meaning to its existence. On the other, she felt betrayed because she didn't   
know what she was getting herself into. The thoughts running through her mind   
were overwhelming in a way. If only she could make them be silent, then she   
could make sense of this all.  
  
Later that night Doctor Kadowaki needlessly cautioned Xu to speak softly   
when she approached the Headmaster. He was still terribly weak, but showed   
signs of improvement. She pulled the stool up to his bedside and leaned close   
by him.  
  
He stretched a hand out and placed it on her arm. "Did you get the book?"  
  
Xu sat back in surprise. She hadn't expected him to ask her about it.   
With a slight nod she answered, "Yes, I've got it."  
  
He looked to be oddly relieved by that. "Good. Absorb its wisdom, I'm   
sure you'll understand its meaning more than I ever will," he gave her a   
lopsided smile.  
  
Xu knew better than to test Kadowaki's patience by pestering Cid with more   
questions. Whatever he meant, she'd figure it out on her own.  
  
Kadowaki entered the small recovery room after Xu had left. "What was   
that all about?"  
  
Cid nuzzled his way deeper into the mattress of the bed, making himself   
comfortable. "I can't say-" Kadowaki was about the protest when he interrupted   
her interruption. "No, not because I'm being cryptic. I know better than to   
hedge with you.  
  
"I won't pretend to understand all the mysteries of the world. Heh, I'm   
married to one and have another for an aide. There's a certain kinship to be   
had between enigmas, wouldn't you say? I wouldn't be surprised if they each   
have questions that only the other can answer."  
  
A frown traced along Kadowaki's thin lips. "Aren't you afraid that if you   
play with fire you'll be burned? The forces you hope to harness have unmatched   
destructive power. I wonder if all we're doing is setting the stage for the   
next Sorceress War..."  
  
"We are," Cid's eyes focused off into the distance. It was an oft   
repeated argument. He didn't doubt the Doctor's resolve in helping raise his   
SeeDs, but there was no mistaking the fear she occasionally showed him.  
  
Fear was an instinctive response, meant to provoke one to either fight or   
flee. Fleeing wasn't an option. The world was huge, but the last War had   
proven that even the vastness of the planet wasn't a big enough place to hide.   
No, this time, next time, and forever more the people must be able to stand   
strong and defend themselves from the power of the Sorceress.  
  
He knew deep down that there would be another War. It was an opinion that   
Edea shared.  
  
And so they set about laying down the groundwork for a force that could   
defeat the Sorceress. Slowly, one piece at a time was brought into place. The   
schools, the students, their training, all of it was carefully planned out.   
When he was through, the planet would have its defenders. That's what he and   
Edea wanted. That's what they will have.  
  
  
  
Xu ignored the blinking terminal light that indicated she had a message.   
Right now her brain was riveted upon the book that lay across her lap. She   
carefully opened up the cover to find a slip of paper tucked within. She   
pulled it out and unfolded it. The first thing she noticed was the scrawled   
handwriting it was done with. The second, more startling thing, was that it   
was written in the Anshin language.  
  
A cursory flip through the book's pages revealed that the first several   
chapters were written in an older Centra dialect. The reading would be slow   
going, but the dialect wasn't outside of her abilities. Paging deeper in the   
book showed a change in language to the standard. There were a couple of   
chapters written in the Estharian language. She wouldn't have a chance when it   
came to reading those without the help of someone else who was fluent. Was   
there anyone stationed at the Garden who was familiar with the language of the   
reclusive people of the east?  
  
It quickly became apparently that what she held in her lap was a   
collection of journals that reflected the times and origins of its authors. In   
the margins, and sometimes entire inserted pages, notes were written in Anshin.   
These must be Edea's additions to the story.  
  
Xu turned back to the briefly forgotten note. It was addressed to her.  
  
  
  
  
Xu, child of the Centran blood, avatar of the Spirits, protector of this   
world and the next, I send you my greetings and warmest regards. I have known   
of you since you were a child. I have waited for you to rise up and bear the   
mantle that fate held for you.  
  
In this world a fragile balance is maintained, a peace that is all too   
easily broken. Fate has chosen for us to stand in opposition of each other,   
but it needn't be that way. I have sent along this book, a history that you   
will not find in any Traveler's library, to begin to bridge the gap between us.  
  
The Great Hyne did not intend for us to fight. Explore the history of the   
Sorceresses and at the same time, learn of yourself as well.  
  
  
Sorceress Edea Kramer  
  
  
  
Xu's eyebrows were so tightly knit together from confusion that they   
ached. What on earth was Edea driving at? She gave the pages another flip and   
knew that she was going to be reading for quite a while if she wanted answers.  
  
*****  
  
As much as she would have liked to spend the night studying the mysterious   
book, Xu had her teaching duties to resume. Aucifer hadn't terrorized the   
students while she was away, which she was grateful for. In fact, everything   
appeared to be as she had left it.  
  
It wasn't until the evening session that Xu noticed someone hadn't shown   
up yet today. She went back to her office to glance over the schedule of   
students for today. Maybe the schedule had been changed without her knowledge.   
Aucifer poked his head in when he spotted her ruffling through the files on her   
desk.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"Have you seen Sierra? I know that she avoids me, but I usually manage to   
spot her while she's working. Is she sick?" Xu started to put a call in to   
Kadowaki to ask where her missing student was when Aucifer stopped her.  
  
"You're out of the loop," he shook his head ruefully. "She finally pissed   
off the wrong person and is presently confined to her room until Cid decides   
what to do with her. I wouldn't be expecting her back."  
  
Xu was flabbergasted. She was only gone for *three days*! How could   
Sierra dig herself into that deep of a hole in such a short time?  
  
"What did she do?"  
  
Aucifer leaned against the doorframe and shrugged. "Nothing you wouldn't   
expect. Got caught sneaking around after curfew and then mouthed off to a   
Shumi. It was the last straw."  
  
"Spirits," Xu muttered in frustration. She began to massage her nose   
while thinking. "I'll go talk to Cid."  
  
"Why bother?" Aucifer challenged. "Yes, she's a good fighter, but she's   
also a loose canon."  
  
"I can't explain why, but I'm certain that she's a good person on the   
inside. She's just... reacting to some hurt."  
  
He scowled. "You should cast a Cure spell on that bleeding heart of   
yours."  
  
"Shut up, Aucifer."  
  
He retreated from the doorway when she came through it and closed the door   
behind her.  
  
True to his stated intentions, Cid wasn't going to make a decision in   
Sierra's case until the Doctor gave him a clean bill of health. That would   
give Xu some time to dig around. Her trip to Trabia had proven fruitful in   
regards to ferreting out the truth about the grouchy student.  
  
...  
  
If she were allowed to remain a student. Cid was always hesitant to expel   
someone except in the most extreme of cases. Regrettably, Sierra had a rap   
sheet that stretched back to when she first enrolled at Trabia. She was a wild   
one that neither age nor training had been able to tame. If Sierra was going   
to have a chance as a SeeD, Xu would have to step in.  
  
  
  
Sierra glanced up from her book to glower at the door with annoyance when   
she heard talking out in the hallway. She was stretched out on her bed and saw   
no reason to go to the door to tell them to knock it off. A moment later the   
door opened and Xu stepped in after giving a brief bow in greeting. She went   
to Sierra's desk and sat down in the chair and relaxed.  
  
The scowl didn't leave Sierra's face. "What do you want?"  
  
Xu continued to make herself right at home. Sierra wanted to snidely ask   
her if she was comfortable, but didn't. It was odd for Xu to forego her stoic   
SeeD act, especially in front of a student. Adding weight to Xu out of   
character demeanor the fact that wasn't wearing her uniform, which was   
something she always did on school days. Instead she wore one of the dresses   
that Sierra had spotted Aucifer ogling over. Her break from the norm piqued   
Sierra's curiosity, though she wouldn't admit it.  
  
"To talk," the Instructor said lazily.  
  
"There isn't much that hasn't already been said. I don't know why Cid   
hasn't expelled me yet," she replied.  
  
"I asked him to let me speak with you before he made his decision," Xu   
admitted.  
  
Sierra rolled her eyes and then sat up on the bed. Obviously Xu wasn't   
content to let matters stand as they were without meddling. She's as bad as   
Cid was rumored to be. "Yeah?"  
  
With one hand Xu pulled out a blank sheet of paper from the sheaf on her   
desk and picked up a pen. She carefully drew something on the page and then   
held it out to her. "Do you recognize this?"  
  
The blood drained from Sierra's face. The drawing on the page matched the   
trinket she wore around her neck. The necklace her grandfather made for her.  
  
"I'll take that as a 'yes'. Do you know what it means?"  
  
"'Mountains'," she whispered.  
  
"Close," Xu corrected. "More exactly it translates to 'love of the   
mountains'. A fitting name, don't you think, Aisierra?"  
  
Daggers shot from Sierra's eyes at having the woman she despised use her   
full name.  
  
Xu gave her a fleeting smile. She had Sierra by the tail and wasn't about   
to let go. "A name like yours is fairly common among Anshin females. In fact,   
my mother's name is Ailuna and my cousin's mother is Aiterra. 'Love of the   
moon' and 'love of the earth', beautiful names.  
  
"You've made your dislike of me fairly obvious. If you have a reason I'd   
like to hear it."  
  
Sierra cursed bitterly.  
  
The corners of Xu's lips twitched up.  
  
"I know you're an adult. If you think I'm going to respect you because of   
that then you can kiss my ass. I'm not bound by their traditions," the cadet   
growled.  
  
Xu's smile continued to grow. "No, you're not bound by their traditions,   
but you are bound by the rules of this Garden. As much as it may pain you, I'm   
the closet thing you have to a friend right now. Tell me about yourself,   
truthfully, and maybe I can help dig you out of your hole."  
  
"Why should you give a fuck about me? I made my own bed, let me lay in   
it!" Sierra flopped back on her bed, putting words into action.  
  
"Very well," Xu got up and went to the door. She paused to get off a   
parting shot before leaving. "It's natural to attack indiscriminately when one   
is injured. Understandable, but it won't help to relieve the pain."  
  
Once again the room was silent. Sierra was left to simmer in her own   
juices.  
  
*****  
  
That night, Xu began reading the book in earnest.  
  
  
  
In the time before the creation of this World all that existed was the   
Void. Mystic creatures that later came to be called Spirits populated the Void   
and watched over its vast expanses.  
  
The Great Hyne traveled into the Void in search of a Path through it.   
Along the way he had many adventures and gained great power from his   
experiences. The Spirits watched him as he traveled and sometimes offered   
their assistance.  
  
After completing his journeys down the Path he decided that the Travelers   
who followed the trail he blazed would need places to rest. He used a fraction   
of his power to create Dream Worlds for the weary Travelers. The Path through   
the Void was now established and would become easier to traverse with each   
Traveler who followed it.  
  
Yet, the Great Hyne was not finished preparing the way. He asked the   
Spirits that watched over him to monitor the other Travelers as well. And   
especially the Dream Worlds, for the Travelers would be vulnerable while   
resting there. Should there be a threat, the Spirits would enter the World to   
honor his request and prevent it from coming to irreversible harm.  
  
  
  
Xu paused in her reading to rub her eyes and try to reconcile how that fit   
in with Anshin myth. There wasn't much when it came to how the world was   
actually created. Most of it focused on this world being a dream and the Path   
of Life being the 'real world' as it were. From the Sorceresses' version of   
history, it all seemed to jive. But where did the Sorceresses fit in? She   
paged ahead until she found the passage that explained.  
  
  
  
The Great Hyne looked upon the Dream Worlds with satisfaction. They would   
welcome the Travelers into a peaceful rest. The Spirits would act as Guardians   
should an ill fate threaten the Dream's existence.  
  
Yet, the Great Hyne was not finished preparing the way. Within the Dream   
Worlds he implanted a part of his power to be passed from Guardian to Guardian.   
The Guardians would maintain the balance of magical power within the World.   
Should an internal force threaten the World, the Guardians will use the power   
granted them by the Great Hyne to protect his creation.  
  
  
  
Xu read and reread that passage until she finally realized that 'Guardian'   
was not referring to Guardian Forces, but to the Sorceresses. Edea had written   
some notes along with this passage. Xu read those next.  
  
  
  
It is said that the power of Hyne was never meant for the Travelers who   
rest in this World. It was meant to go to the Spirits whom he convinced to   
take up residence here, but squabbling amongst the Spirits infuriated him.   
With disgust he declared that the Spirits were too immature for such   
responsibility and gave his powers to a young girl instead. She was the first   
Sorceress.  
  
Our powers flow like a river from person to person. When one of us dies,   
we must release the power into another. We cannot take it back with us to the   
Path, it is something that is native to this World. As a general rule we try   
to keep our powers consolidated between as few Sorceresses as possible. That   
way, if we are needed to protect this World, our power would not be thinned to   
the point of being ineffective.  
  
There is a price to pay for hosting the power of Hyne within us. It is a   
greater force than our frail incarnations of this World. If we are not strong   
the power will consume our hearts and we will turn towards evil. Such is the   
price of power.  
  
Throughout the centuries we Sorceresses have relied upon our Knights to   
preserve our sanity. The confidence that is gained from knowing that there is   
someone who will always love us and support us fully is enough to maintain most   
Sorceresses. (Since most who have held the power are inherently good, though   
there have been exceptions).  
  
Cid is my Knight. I love him dearly. He loves me as me, Edea, and didn't   
turn away when he learned of my true nature. He married me knowing full well   
of the trials he would face because of our association, and willingly took them   
on.  
  
It is with much fondness that I think of him. He is a man of many   
adventures. You don't know him as I do, but I can tell you that he has stopped   
to rest along the Path many times. He is a frequent visitor of the Dream   
Worlds.  
  
  
  
Xu followed what Edea was saying until the last two paragraphs, then she   
turned into a sappy romantic. And what did she mean that Cid was a 'frequent   
visitor'? She made it sound like he never got anything done because he was   
always *here* resting. Well, that might not be true. It likely wasn't always   
this World, per say. There are countless Worlds according to this book. He's   
probably bound and determined to visit them all. That sounded like the Cid she   
knew...  
  
*****  
  
Though Instructors like Aucifer were more fun to study under, Xu was one   
of the most approachable of the Garden staff. She was thoughtful, fair, and   
her door was always open (both figuratively and literally) for a student who   
needed someone to talk to. That made her a favorite among the students and   
encouraged those who normally wouldn't to approach her.  
  
Fujin knocked softly on the doorframe of Xu's office. "Busy?"  
  
"Not if you've got something you'd like to talk about. Please come in,"   
she invited. "What's on your mind?"  
  
"Seifer," Fujin admitted.  
  
"It is odd that your posse isn't around. Did you all have a falling out?"  
  
She shook her head. "Sierra trouble."  
  
Xu arched an eyebrow. "How could she be causing more trouble? She's   
confined to quarters until further notice. I don't doubt that the disciplinary   
committee had a rap sheet as long as my arm on her."  
  
Guiltily, Fujin turned away from her. "Setup."  
  
That caught the Instructor's attention. "Who was setup? Her? Now that you   
mention it, she never did explain why she was out and about when she was   
caught. Let me guess, she was going to duel with Seifer and Seifer called the   
Shumi on her."  
  
Fujin nodded slowly.  
  
Xu let out a heavy sigh. This certainly cast the situation in a new   
light, though it didn't change the outcome. Even if Seifer did set Sierra up   
to be caught, she *was* caught being somewhere she wasn't supposed to be and   
then compounded the problem. And if Seifer hadn't been such a chicken shit,   
she might have done something that would have landed her in even deeper   
trouble.  
  
"Thank you for coming to tell me. It doesn't help Sierra out of her   
situation, but I appreciate the honesty."  
  
Fujin saluted and left Xu's office. Why had she felt compelled to tell   
the Instructor that? She'd just betrayed Seifer's trust in her, but Seifer   
wasn't the one who got her in trouble. Sierra got herself in trouble. So it   
was the right thing to make sure that the matter was clarified.  
  
  
  
Sierra was growing increasingly annoyed by the number of disturbances that   
took place on the other side of her door. She wasn't one to spend all her time   
in her room, so she didn't know if this was the norm or not. The noise died   
down and she returned to her book. About twenty minutes later it started up   
again. It continued until the door was opened and Zell bounced through.  
  
"You've got 15 minutes, Dincht," the SeeD warned before shutting the door.  
  
Sierra was so surprised to see Zell that she was left speechless. Zell,   
ever the lacking master of social graces, didn't notice the awkward pause and   
started jabbering. "I figured that you might be gettin' lonely in here so I   
asked Cid to let me visit ya."  
  
"You shouldn't have," she muttered.  
  
"You're my friend, o' course I'd come visitin' ya!"  
  
She darkly wondered since when they'd been friends. Sure, they'd done   
plenty of things together scholastically, but she didn't choose to spend time   
with him socially.  
  
Or did she?  
  
Class didn't force her to eat meals with the other members of the drill   
team, nor did it compel her to go with them to Balamb last week. She went   
because she was bored. That's right, she was bored of hanging around the   
Garden and it seemed like a good way to kill time. She was never bored when   
Zell was around. He had so much energy that it could charge a Blitz.  
  
She shook that thought off and stared at the black mark along the side of   
his face. Pointing she asked, "What the hell happened to you?"  
  
He grinned broadly, pleased that she noticed (even though it was   
impossible to miss). "I got it the other day. 'Structor Xu inspired me!"  
  
Sierra screwed her face up with displeasure. With any other person she   
would have told them what a fool she thought they were, but she didn't have the   
heart for some reason. She added Zell's tattoo to the list of reasons she   
hated Xu. If it weren't for her he wouldn't have gotten such a stupid idea   
into his head.  
  
Oblivious to Sierra's opinion of the marking, he got down to business. "Ya   
know, I was thinkin', you should go speak with 'structor Xu."  
  
Sierra was immediately suspicious. "Did she send you here?"  
  
Zell stopped his bouncing to scratch the back of his head. "No... Why   
would she? I was just thinkin' that she's nice. Maybe she'd be willin' to   
help you out 'cause you're a member of the drill team and all; make you run   
extra laps or something. I'm sure with her on your side you could cut a deal   
with Cid to get out of here."  
  
She sighed, squeezed her eyes shut, and turned away. "You think too much.   
Please go away; go beat up a Grat for me or something."  
  
"Hey, what's up-" she batted his outstretched hand away from her. "A   
Grat, eh? Okay, you got it. I'll go kick one's ass for you right now."  
  
"Thanks..."  
  
After she heard her door open and close she rubbed the palm of her hands   
across her teary eyes. She didn't want Xu's help. Stupid Xu for being so   
fucking nice! Why wouldn't she go away and stop meddling in her life?  
  
In a flash of anger she threw the book she was reading against the map   
covered wall. It hit Winhill squarely in the center and then the book slid   
down the wall, catching the edge of the Centra map. The map was torn from its   
tacked on place and fell to the floor.  
  
The SeeD hastily opened up the door to see what the noise was. She gave   
him a lame excuse about accidentally dropping a textbook and he went away.  
  
With detachment she examined the white textured hole in her map   
wallpapering. If only it were that easy to make Centra fall off the face of   
the planet.  
  
  
  
"It's been four days. Why hasn't Cid expelled her yet?" Seifer grumbled   
after making the rounds past Sierra's guarded door.  
  
"Reconsider?" Fujin asked.  
  
"He must be if he's taking this long." Seifer's expression soured and he   
stroked his hand through his short hair. "We've still got the SeeD wing to do,   
let's go."  
  
Fujin followed a step behind the moody cadet. Why didn't he reconsider   
his opinion of Sierra? He's been on edge ever since she was suspended. Didn't   
he realize that his 'victory' over her wasn't as sweet as he had hoped it would   
be?  
  
  
  
Stretched out on her bed with the book lying beside her, Xu's latest   
studies had left her feeling enlightened and thoughtful about the history of   
the world. She had honestly never cared much about it up to this point. The   
stories of the Anshin were just that to her, stories. She didn't see them as a   
part of world history, but perhaps they were.  
  
Edea had provided an opportunity most historians would give up their first   
born for; a candid glimpse into the lives of the Sorceresses. As Xu absorbed   
the stories of the woman who held that title one theme was echoed time and   
again: despite the power, they were human. Human in that they felt the   
enchantment of love and the accompanying hurt that could go with it. They had   
hopes and fears, dreams and disappointments. For as distant as many believed   
the Sorceresses to be, they weren't that different from any other person.  
  
Only when the dreadful power corrupted them were they released from their   
humanity, and the consequences of that were devastating. Some of those   
consequences were still being felt today. One of the stories told of how a   
Sorceress summoned the Lunar Cry to crush Centra. Even if it did happen more   
than 3500 years ago, Xu felt a twinge of pain. Centra has been smashed and   
destroyed so many times. It was like there was a gigantic target on it that   
encouraged those with evil intentions to attack it.  
  
She set the volume on the nightstand beside her bed before turning off the   
reading lamp and nuzzling in for a peaceful sleep.  
  
  
  
In the misty fog of a place that she did not recognize she materialized   
onto the field of battle. Looking across from where she stood, a nasty   
creature with a beastlike head that bore a passing resemblance to Ifrit was   
batting away the troops who fought it as though they were Bite Bugs.  
  
She surged forward, wishing to add her attacks to the battle against the   
beast. It was incredibly powerful. A single dance wouldn't destroy it, unlike   
the creatures she was used to encountering. While preparing for the next   
charge she saw that another warrior joined the fight. Even though Xu couldn't   
see her face beneath the helmet, she knew that it was Kei. Her cousin was   
dressed in full armor, yet remained nimble when she dodged a ball of energy   
that cut a path right where she had been standing.  
  
Their commanders gave the order for them to attack. Xu and Kei worked in   
unison to try to overwhelm the monster, but it was too powerful. More warriors   
were called into the battle as the bodies of the ground troops lay scattered at   
the clawed feet of the beast.  
  
They were ordered to attack again. Xu rushed forward, intend on planting   
her sai into the flesh beneath the beast's muzzle. It saw her coming and   
pulled its muscular forearm back before swinging forward and capturing her in   
its claws. Its grip around her tightened as sharp claws punctured her flesh,   
causing her lifeblood to spill freely. Xu felt herself becoming weaker with   
each passing moment before her suffering was put to an end with a finalizing   
squeeze.  
  
  
  
Xu snapped awake with a scream. Anxiously she ran her hands up and down   
her sweaty body searching for any puncture marks. It was only a dream, only a   
dream. Shaky hands flipped on the lamp as she pulled a bathrobe around her for   
comfort. She paced around the living room for several minutes, but was unable   
to ebb the haunting images from her mind.  
  
After a few more minutes of contemplation, she slipped out of her quarters   
silently and walked down to Kei's. As softly as possible (so that she didn't   
wake the neighbors and thus be caught wandering around in a bathrobe) she   
knocked on Kei's door. A moment later Kei groggily opened it. Her hair was   
plastered to the side of her head in such a way that Xu would have laughed if   
she weren't currently preoccupied by her dream. Both cousins returned to Kei's   
living room.  
  
"Were you asleep?" Xu asked after sitting down.  
  
Kei just blinked at her and scrubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Obviously."  
  
"Dreaming?"  
  
Kei nodded.  
  
"What about?"  
  
Kei sleepily scratched her tummy as she tried to recall. "You and I were   
having lunch at a cafe and some jackass with a carp's head was ogling you."  
  
"You didn't dream of a battle?"  
  
"I get enough fighting while awake, why would I want to dream of it as   
well?"  
  
That didn't alleviate the unease Xu felt, but Kei did have a point. It   
was just a silly dream, nothing more.  
  
"Thanks, sorry for waking you," Xu got up and let herself out.  
  
*****  
  
In the days that followed Xu found herself unable to shake the sense of   
dread. That dream... That dream made it all too clear what sort of power they   
were up against. She couldn't place the creature that she battled, but knew   
that it held only disdain for the world it existed in. What if a Sorceress --   
Edea? -- were to summon it? That thought chilled Xu to the core.  
  
The future was never something she'd given huge amounts of energy towards   
thinking about. She always figured what would come, would come. She preferred   
the simplicity of day-to-day life.  
  
But now her thoughts were occupied with scenarios of SeeDs hunting down   
the Sorceresses. Xu wasn't stupid, she realized that what Cid proposed   
amounted to war. A war that few saw on the horizon.  
  
Her mind agonized over finding another way to accomplish their ends, but   
no suitable answers presented themselves. If Edea were to die, the power would   
be passed along to another and the cycle would begin anew. Regrettably, the   
Kramer's solution seemed to be the most reasonable; prepare a fighting force to   
conquer the power should it fall out of check.  
  
It was a heavy burden to bear. And so, Xu concerned herself with other's   
problems rather than with her own; namely Sierra's. Pulling Sierra back into   
Cid's good graces seemed like a leisurely task compared to some of the more   
daunting ones he had for her.  
  
Fortunately for Xu's peace of mind, she didn't have to wait long before   
Sierra called an end to their stalemate.  
  
"You wanted to see me?" Xu asked with polite interest after she was   
comfortably seated at Sierra's desk.  
  
Sierra had her characteristic sour expression on her face. "Yeah... And I   
didn't ask you to come just so you help me, either. I don't care if Cid kicks   
me out of the Garden or not."  
  
"Then why..?" Xu inquired without expressing the hope she felt that Sierra   
might finally take off the mask and let Xu see what she was really like.  
  
The student's lips thinned before she spoke. "I still don't like you...   
But maybe talking to you will ease the hurt..."  
  
As Sierra told her tale, the unhealed wounds to her family's pride became   
apparent.  
  
She was of Anshin blood a couple generations removed. Her grandfather was   
a storyteller. A position much respected because they were the clan's link to   
the past. They remembered the lessons learned and taught them to each new   
generation. They were also often sought as advisors because of their wisdom   
gained from history's insights.  
  
Unsolicited by the elders, Sierra's grandfather offered them advice. Such   
impertinence wasn't an offense, to the contrary it was often welcomed, but the   
nature of the advice angered them. The storyteller suggested that they send   
ambassadors to the north to represent their interests. As he saw it, it   
wouldn't be long before they were 'discovered' once again and people from the   
north would seek them out. He wanted to be the assertive party in the eventual   
contact so that they had the upper hand.  
  
It was an idea that was before its time. Even with Xu's undesired   
authority as a Spirit and a couple generations since, the idea of coming out of   
isolation was still balked at.  
  
Had Sierra's grandfather let the matter lay he would have been fine. But   
in true Anshin form he was insistent that they needed to proactively embrace   
the world around them. The elders decided that if he loved Out There so much,   
he could go live among the people of the north. They banished him.  
  
"You're angry at them, the Anshin, on your grandfather's behalf? Did he   
hold such bitterness towards them?" Xu wouldn't have blamed him if he had, but   
the way Sierra described him it would have been out of character. The   
impression she got was of a wise man gifted with patience and understanding.  
  
"No, dammit, he wasn't angry at all when he had every right to be. In   
fact, he wanted me to go spend a couple years with them, but I refused."  
  
Her grandfather had petitioned the elders to take Sierra in, citing that   
*he* was the one being punished, not her. She deserved the opportunity to grow   
up in an Anshin environment. After due consideration, the elders agreed to his   
request and a date for her to arrive was set.  
  
Sierra ran away to the Summit Mines to escape being sent to Centra. It   
was the only place she could think of to go where they might not find her. The   
peril that her life was put in hadn't even crossed her mind. All that mattered   
to her was escaping being sent to *them*.  
  
The consequences of her poor judgment were something she had to live with   
for the rest of her life. Squirreled away in the chilly depths of the Mines,   
frostbite had settled into her fingers and toes. Her grandfather was the one   
who found her before more life threatening damage could be done. It was   
apparent that she wouldn't leave Trabia willingly, and so she was allowed to   
remain.  
  
Her father was disappointed that she wasted an opportunity that he'd never   
been given. Sierra didn't care. She knew of how they turned away from her   
grandfather, the man that she admired the most, and would have nothing to do   
with them.  
  
After things had settled down from her life changing adventure, her   
grandfather presented her with a pendant he made from some mythril ore he found   
while searching for her. It was shaped into the character that was her name in   
his native language. It was her grandfather who had chosen Aisierra as her   
name. It, along with the adopted family name of de Ling, represented both her   
Anshin and Trabian heritage. Just as the pendant represented her dual   
citizenship.  
  
"I loved him more than anything else," Sierra said softly, a crestfallen   
expression on her face. "He had always supported me when I tried new things.   
He wanted to see me grow into a strong woman. As a child, I loved to curl up   
in his lap and listen to the stories he told. I even miss the Anshin stories I   
never understood well. Those stories make up a majority of what I know of the   
language. He tried to teach me more, but I was too stubborn at the time to   
learn."  
  
"It sounds like he was a great man."  
  
"The greatest," Sierra agreed.  
  
Their conversation lapsed into silence, during which time Xu examined the   
wall of maps Zell had told her about. There was a conspicuous hole where a map   
of Centra should have been. She gave Sierra a questioning look, but the cadet   
turned away.  
  
With a sigh, Xu pressed forward to the next topic weighing on her mind.   
"I've done nothing to harm you."  
  
"I know," Sierra admitted meekly, "but you're one of them."  
  
"So are you."  
  
Sierra didn't have an answer for that.  
  
"I guess this means we can add another Anshin outcast to the Garden   
roster," Xu commented thoughtfully before turning away from the maps.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
The SeeD smiled cryptically. "You aren't the only one who's broken ties   
with them." Xu walked over to the door to let herself out.  
  
That puzzled Sierra even more. Was their conversation over? "Where are   
you going?"  
  
"I'm going to champion a clansman. Hopefully Cid's in a forgiving mood.   
I'll return later," Xu promised before leaving.  
  
To an empty room Sierra replied, "You don't need to do that..."  
  
  
  
When Sierra was next seen outside of her room, Xu accompanied her to the   
Cafeteria for dinner. After getting their meals they sat alone at a table.   
Zell spotted them and bounced over to join them. Xu politely, but firmly,   
turned him away, saying that he could talk to his friend later.  
  
That earned Xu a funny look. The Instructor smiled and got down to   
business.  
  
"Here's the deal; you're on probation. By tonight your new class schedule   
will be delivered to your new quarters."  
  
Sierra couldn't prevent the dumbfounded expression that crossed her face,   
but Xu wasn't finished.  
  
"You're my personal responsibility now. Instructor Aki is no longer your   
advisor, I am. Your class schedule is being changed to reflect that. I'll be   
teaching you your lessons until Cid feels comfortable enough to move you back   
into a regular class.  
  
"Your quarters will be next to mine. After we're done here I'll help you   
move your things over from the cadet wing. You may not leave the Garden   
without my accompaniment. Furthermore, when and where you're allowed on campus   
is likewise restricted." Xu's tone left no room for argument.  
  
Sierra slouched down in her seat. "It'd be easier to just kick me out..."   
she muttered.  
  
"'The difficult path is more rewarding'," Xu quoted Anshin folk wisdom.   
If she didn't miss her guess, Sierra would catch the reference.  
  
"What if I refuse?"  
  
With a deceptively sweet smile Xu placed her elbows on the table and   
rested her chin atop her folded hands. "I won't let you quit, not until you're   
ready to leave here. If it comes down to a battle of wills, we both know who   
will win: me. Accept that this arrangement is for your own good and things   
will go a lot easier."  
  
The cadet crossed her arms and rocked back in her chair. "Fuck you," she   
growled.  
  
Sierra could almost see a flicker of amusement in Xu's rich brown eyes as   
she continued to smile at her. "That's a rather forward invitation, don't you   
think?"  
  
The chair slipped out from under Sierra and she landed on her back. A   
cadet who was eating dinner at one of the surrounding tables offered her a hand   
up. She shook it off, righted the chair, and sat back down again.  
  
"Are you finished?" Xu inquired politely while gesturing at the half-eaten   
meal in front of Sierra.  
  
Sierra gave her Instructor a long hard look. "You aren't joking, are you?   
You're really going through with this, having me underfoot and all. What makes   
you think that I'm not going to be like a nail in your shoe?"  
  
"Call it a hunch," she replied with a shrug. "Now, if you're done, let's   
go."  
  
True to her word Xu helped Sierra move her things into her new quarters,   
and even the SeeD who was posted by the door pitched in. Sierra spotted Zell   
hovering around in the hallway through the half opened door. Sierra thought Xu   
would shoo him away as she had earlier, but instead she drafted him into   
service. With the four of them working on it Sierra was moved into her new   
quarters in no time.  
  
The wing Xu lived in was reserved for Instructors and those SeeDs who were   
in the Garden more often than not. The quarters included their own lavatory,   
bedroom, kitchenette, and living room. They were more like a small apartment   
than the room and common facilities Sierra was used to.  
  
"This isn't a reward," Xu reminded Sierra in an aside as Zell scoped out   
her new room. "You'll be spending a lot of time here when you're not in the   
training room or Library."  
  
"I got ya," Sierra sighed as she examined the walls to select one that was   
suitable for her numerous maps. The Trabian flag would go back up on the   
ceiling above her bed where it belonged.  
  
"So, like, you'll be with the team tomorrow, right?" Zell asked.  
  
Xu was the one to answer. "Yes, Sierra will be spending a lot more time   
in the training room from now on."  
  
"All right!" He jumped up and then scratched the back of his head at his   
elation. Xu couldn't help but grin at that. She suspected that Zell would   
play a large of part in cracking Sierra's shell.  
  
*****  
  
Sierra's first day of class with Xu involved a lot of adjustment for the   
both of them. Sierra wasn't used to being the only student in her 'class' and   
Xu's training room wasn't set up for book studies. Fortunately, Sierra had   
already finished most of her scholastic credits. For those few courses that   
required a desk and terminal, Xu offered the one in her office. After the   
first day Sierra decided that she couldn't stand the cramped little room. She   
took to sitting on the floor leaned up against the wall outside Xu's office.   
She could get her work done and watch others train when her reading got too   
boring.  
  
Zell was fond of plopping down on the floor next to her and chatting   
between his lessons. At first she tried to ignore him, but it was hard to   
ignore someone who wouldn't shut up. Eventually she gave up and talked with   
him until it was time for him to go again.  
  
Xu discretely made sure that Zell was given ample opportunity to interrupt   
Sierra's studies. With each passing day Sierra would be less irritable when   
Zell sat down next to her. Xu idly wondered if he even realized what sort of   
effect he was having on the grouchy Trabian. She wouldn't go so far as to call   
it a crush, but this might well be Sierra's first real friendship.  
  
Zell was the only one bold enough to outright intrude upon Sierra, but   
that didn't stop other members of the drill team from saying a word of greeting   
to her as they came and left the center.  
  
Seated by Xu's office as she was, it put her in the path of quite a bit of   
foot traffic. Before long she was an unofficial greeter to the center, whether   
she wanted to be or not. If Xu caught her being snide when someone wished her   
a good day, Sierra was promptly sent on a few laps around the Garden. A simple   
head nod or hello was easier than running, and so that became Sierra's   
preferred method.  
  
Civility was a two way street and Sierra wasn't the only one in need of a   
lesson. Seifer continued to glower at Sierra whenever they crossed paths, but   
he couldn't say anything to her with Xu there. The only time Xu wasn't at   
Sierra's side was when the SeeD was teaching her classes.  
  
In a room full of cadets it was easy to get lost in the shuffle. Seifer   
counted on that when he meandered over to where Sierra was studying.  
  
"Hey, Pinky, I see you're still around. How'd you manage it? By becoming   
Xu's little pet."  
  
Several responses ran through her mind. She could deny that she was Xu's   
pet, but that would indicate to him that his comments were hitting home. Her   
best option was to ignore him and hope he went away.  
  
"Hum? Cat got your tongue?" Seifer leaned over her, trying to physically   
intimidate her with his presence. He would have said more, but he caught sight   
of Xu coming this way. He straightened up and then 'accidentally' kicked her   
stack of books across the floor.  
  
Before he could get more than a few steps away Aucifer had called him to   
halt. Seifer silently bereted himself for forgetting about the *other*   
Instructor around here.  
  
"Aren't you going to help her pick them up?" The Master gestured at the   
books.  
  
"Oh, did I do that?" Seifer feigned innocence with a charming smile.  
  
"My apologies," he leaned over and picked up one of the books before   
handing it to Sierra. "You really should find another place to sit. Someone   
could trip over your books and injure themselves. That would be a shame, don't   
you think?"  
  
Sierra rolled her eyes and accepted the book.  
  
Once the books were returned to their stack at Sierra's side, Seifer made   
his way to the door. Aucifer followed him out to the hallway where he could   
speak to the cadet privately.  
  
"Watch yourself, Seifer, she's not going to put up with shit like that for   
much longer," Aucifer warned.  
  
Seifer crossed his arms and smirked. "I'm not afraid of Sierra."  
  
"Who's talking about her? Xu's the one who's got your number. Clean up   
your act or you'll find yourself on her bad side."  
  
"Whatever," Seifer waved it off. "Cid gave me charge of the disciplinary   
committee. I'm just making sure Sierra stays in line. Xu's letting her off   
too easy."  
  
That struck Aucifer the wrong way. "It's not *your* place to decide   
people's punishment or if it's just. Sierra is Xu's concern, not yours."  
  
Seifer sighed and shook his head. "Is that all?"  
  
Aucifer wanted to grab him by his collar and shake that smirk off his   
face. The boy was so arrogant. Couldn't he see that he was skating on thin   
ice? If there was one thing Aucifer was quickly learning it was that Xu's   
patience did have its limits. Xu had privately expressed her exasperation with   
the cadet before. Now he was even getting on Aucifer's nerves.  
  
"Go, and keep out trouble," Aucifer returned to the training center   
knowing that his warning had fallen on deaf ears.  
  
*****  
  
"Why do I have to come?" Sierra grumbled again at being dragged along on   
one of Xu's 'educational adventures'.  
  
"It'll be good for you," Xu answered.  
  
That was always Xu's answer when she was going to prod Sierra to do   
something that she knew Sierra wouldn't like. The vegetarian dish Xu made her   
try the other night was a good example of that. 'It's good for you!',   
bullshit! That's about what it tasted like too...  
  
Sierra *knew* that she wasn't going to like this when Xu opened the door   
to the lounge to find it full of rabid Trepies.  
  
Myn waved for them to come in. "I'm glad you were able to make it, Xu.   
And you brought a new member with you? Great! If I knew you were interested   
in the Trepies I would have invited you to join sooner, Sierra."  
  
"I don't really--"  
  
Xu elbowed her.  
  
Myn was already penciling her into the club roster. "You'll be member   
number 73, okay?"  
  
"Do I get a choice?" Sierra folded her arms across her chest.  
  
Myn laughed and shook his head. "Nope, member numbers are assigned when   
you join."  
  
"What's my number then?" Xu asked. She assumed that since she didn't join   
until Myn invited her it would be right around Sierra's.  
  
"Let's see," Myn flipped through the roster. "Sean's number 1. You're   
number 2. Eugene, Jessie, and LeVar are 3, 4 and 5. Kei is 6, though I   
haven't told her that and would be grateful if you didn't either. Enju is 32.   
I'm 33, the bastard forced me to be the president and then took the number   
before me. Nym is 34, and like Kei, she doesn't know."  
  
"Good lord," Sierra buried her face in her hand.  
  
Xu found them both a spot to sit. The Trepies were more organized than   
many of the student clubs on campus. Tonight Myn was getting the members   
rallied for an upcoming Triple Triad tournament in Balamb. The Garden had a   
reputation to maintain for its fine TT players and there were plenty of skilled   
members to defend the Garden's honor.  
  
After the meeting Sierra sulked as she and Xu returned to their wing of   
the dorms. "Why did you drag me along?"  
  
"To make friends," Xu replied lightly.  
  
Sierra grumbled, but the very next day more people were greeting her in   
the training room. She only made the mistake of snapping at them for calling   
her Trepie number 73 once. A few laps reminded her of her manners.  
  
****  
  
Sierra and Aucifer were a large part of Xu's day-to-day life now. She   
took the opportunity to give them both extra training with Guardian Forces and   
magic. Sierra needed it as part of her graduation requirements while Aucifer   
wanted his curiosity sated. She knew of the hazing he took from the cadets and   
their Float spells. The more magic he knew, the better off he was.  
  
With a chuckle Xu recalled the first time he summoned Shiva. He was left   
in a state of muted awe. "She's so... sexy," he whispered softly. A keen   
enough observation considering that only strategically placed patches of ice   
covered Shiva's lithe, blue body.  
  
Sierra would have told him to pull his mind out of the gutter, but Xu gave   
her a look that silenced her. He was a layman to the ways of a SeeD.   
Para-magic and Guardian Forces were new and amazing to him. His wonderment   
shouldn't be stifled by Sierra's cynicism.  
  
When it came time for Sierra's Fire Cavern test Aucifer wanted to tag   
along, but Xu refused. This was a chance for just the two of them to see what   
Sierra was made of. Xu didn't doubt that Sierra would defeat Ifrit in the time   
allowed. She was more interested in gauging how much Sierra had matured.  
  
The cadet's actions were controlled as she took down one Red Bat after   
another. It was a proficiency that Kei would have been proud of. After   
delivering the final blow to Ifrit, she accepted her reward without any of the   
gloating that other cadets indulged in.  
  
"You're one step closer to becoming a SeeD," Xu commented as they made   
their way back to the Garden.  
  
"I'm one step closer to getting the hell out of here," the cadet replied   
with resolve.  
  
Xu frowned. Not as much progress has been made as she hoped. 


	18. Part 18

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 18  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans   
edited by Helen Fong   
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C.   
  
  
  
Xu didn't interrupt the drill team session when she spotted Cid watching   
them from the doorway. The Headmaster quietly slipped the rest of the way into   
the room and continued to observe their training.  
  
He was in for quite a show.  
  
Zell had learned many new tricks since coming under Xu's tutelage. Sierra   
was no longer the invincible opponent that she once was. The smaller cadet   
took his time when attacking, throwing himself into the bout only when it was   
the most opportunistic for him. And that's not to say that Sierra had grown   
lazy in her efforts. They both had improved significantly since the beginning   
of last term. It's just that the odds were no longer so heavily stacked in   
Sierra's favor.  
  
When Xu called an end to the session Cid pushed away from the wall   
clapping.  
  
"Most impressive! You all do the Garden proud!"  
  
Some of the students blushed, while others accepted the Headmaster's   
praise with a nod and a grin. He had words of encouragement for them all   
before they retreated to the locker rooms.  
  
"That was spectacular," he continued when Xu and he were the only two left   
in the room.  
  
"They've put in a lot of work to get to this point. We're not finished   
yet, but it's encouraging to see how far they've come," Xu demurred.  
  
"You're too modest, Xu. They wouldn't have gotten to where they are   
without your guidance, but enough of making you uncomfortable. Do you think   
they'll be ready to go on tour by the end of the term?"  
  
"They should be," she answered after giving the question some thought.   
The term's end was over two months away. That should give her enough time to   
polish the team for presentation.  
  
"Excellent! I was bragging to Martine and he wants to see the proof," Cid   
smiled impishly. "I was thinking, perhaps it would be good for you to go out   
and scout the locations that you will be performing at. Galbadia Garden is a   
must, of course, and I'm sure someone in Dollet's aristocracy would be   
interested should we offer a performance in their country."  
  
"Well, yes, I suppose. But couldn't most of those arrangements be made   
via HD? Or is there a reason that I need to go?" Xu gave him a suspicious   
look.  
  
Cid rubbed his finger along his nose. "I'll draft up your travel   
itinerary. Please stick to it."  
  
Ah... So this was going to be another mission where she didn't learn what   
she was supposed to do until she was there. Lovely.  
  
"What about Sierra? Who's going to watch over her while I'm gone?"  
  
"Don't worry!" Cid assured, taking her by the elbow and gently leading her   
back into the training room proper. "I'll take care of Miss de Ling."  
  
*****  
  
"I'm glad we had the chance to get together while you were in town,"   
Michelle said before taking a spoonful of the thick clam chowder she was   
eating. When Xu had called her the previous day, Michelle had suggested   
meeting at a small restaurant on the wharf for lunch.  
  
Dollet was Xu's first stop in a whirlwind tour of the Galbadian continent.   
In fact, lunch was all she had time for after she met with a local event   
organizer and before boarding the train to Deling City. From there she would   
continue to the Garden and so on and so forth for a week. She couldn't fathom   
what Cid might have up his sleeve, there wasn't enough time for her to do much   
of anything!  
  
The two women caught up on each other's lives during the meal. Michelle   
showed more interest in what Xu was doing than she would have expected from the   
detective. Michelle commented that she would have be sure to get tickets to   
the event.  
  
Xu didn't know how feasible that would be. They weren't going to be   
spending much time in Dollet. Cid had penciled in only two performances here.   
One demonstration was to be held in the gym of a local high school with as many   
students as they could fit in the building. The other was an evening   
demonstration for Dollet's well-to-do.  
  
Personally, Xu would have preferred to only do performances for potential   
students, but she understood the need to demonstrate SeeDs skills to potential   
clients. In her mind, there was no doubt that SeeD was the finest mercenary   
force on the planet, but it never hurt to prove it.  
  
Though SeeD was free of any political ties, Cid understood that Galbadia   
wouldn't take kindly to them giving Timber's resistance cells ideas by   
demonstrating there. So, even though Xu would be passing through Timber, she   
wouldn't be stopping. That made for a long train ride. Luckily, SeeD had its   
own car that no one else was using. She could stretch out on a bunk and catch   
a few hours of sleep if she wanted.  
  
At least, that's what the plan had been. The train was already well   
underway when she heard the lock to the cabin door click. Hastily she got up   
from the bunk and straightened her uniform. It wouldn't do to ruin a first   
impression.  
  
The door slid open, but no one entered. A moment passed and then a woman   
with curly black hair and dark skin came in. She looked around her to see if   
anyone else was in the cabin and then went back into the passageway. Xu cocked   
her head slightly in confusion at what just happened. She was about to go to   
the passageway herself when another person entered. She recognized him   
immediately.  
  
"Jerrick?"  
  
"Madam Xu," he offered her a small bow. "Are there any others in this   
cabin?"  
  
"Just us," she answered, still wondering what was going on.  
  
He nodded and then called for those he was traveling with to come in. A   
person dressed in a heavy hooded cloak that hid their face entered with the   
black haired woman coming in and locking the door.  
  
"Madam Xu, allow me to introduce you to Jessica," he gestured politely to   
woman. Jessica bowed before putting her hand out to shake. Like Jerrick, she   
moved with a distinctive glide step. Both SeeDs were dressed in civilian   
clothing.  
  
If this woman was Jessica, then the one under the cloak must be...  
  
"Sorceress Edea?" Xu questioned.  
  
"Yes, child," the woman beneath the cloak answered.  
  
Xu offered her hand to the Sorceress. Jerrick and Jessica exchanged   
glances without Xu's notice. Hesitantly Edea met Xu's hand with her own and   
wrapped her unnaturally elongated fingers around Xu's. Xu was startled, but   
didn't withdraw.  
  
Having passed this first 'test' of acceptance, Edea drew back the hood   
that hid her face. The Sorceress wasn't what Xu was expecting at all. From   
the stories she'd read she was expecting a woman of unmatched beauty. Or   
perhaps someone whose face was filled with character. Edea was neither of   
these things. In fact, she was rather homely looking, unpresuming, and   
willowy.  
  
Her long dark hair was tucked beneath the cloak, but even still Xu could   
tell that something was amidst. It took her a few moments of what was   
undoubtedly rude staring to put her finger on it. Around Edea's ears and along   
the sides of her face dark veins were beginning to manifest themselves.   
Jerrick had said that the power was corrupting her physically. These were some   
symptoms of that manifestation.  
  
"Please leave us," Edea asked her two aides without turning her eyes away   
from Xu. The pair saluted before retreating from the cabin and locking the   
door behind them.  
  
Xu wasn't sure what the proper etiquette was when addressing a Sorceress.   
This was a woman people were taught to fear, but she couldn't bring herself to   
feel such disdain. Edea looked so defenseless. A deceptive package, yes, but   
still... She was also Cid's wife. That alone prompted Xu treat her with more   
respect.  
  
"I've been avoiding meeting you," Edea commented as she removed her cloak   
and hung it in a small closet. She spoke without accent in the Anshin   
language. It occurred to Xu that she had been biased all this time. The   
language of Centra did not belong to the Anshin alone, though they were the   
largest population base who used it.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because of what you are and what I am," she answered honestly. She   
glided over to one of the couches and sat down. With a gesture she invited Xu   
to join her. Xu did, but was careful to keep her distance.  
  
"Because I'm a Black SeeD?" Xu ventured.  
  
"No, because you are a Spirit."  
  
Xu unconsciously sucked in her breath. Yes, Edea had already indicated in   
her notes from the book that she knew the nature of Xu's place within the clan,   
but it still surprised her to be confronted with it so bluntly.  
  
Edea drew a small journal from a pocket and began flipping through the   
pages until she found the one she desired. "To begin, let me read to you a   
story that occurred over two hundred years ago. Sorceress Mirra of Esthar   
tells a tale about her predecessor, Quyza."  
  
  
  
The day Julian died was an appropriately dreary one. But unlike the   
clouds in the sky that eventually parted, the gloom that hung around Quyza's   
heart did not recede. She had often spoken of the importance of her Knight.   
Even without understanding the role Knights play, I could see the love in their   
eyes that they held for each other. He served as her protector because he   
believed her to be the most important thing in the entire world.  
  
I offered what comfort I could in the days that followed; be it a shoulder   
to lean on or a companion at night. The welfare of my friend and mentor was   
foremost in my mind. Anything I could do to help, I would in a heartbeat.  
  
Quyza's grief was all consuming. She began to change not only in heart   
but in body as well. Naive as I was, even I could tell the signs of an   
unbalanced woman. The unchecked power was beginning to corrode her heart.  
  
I begged her to let me be her Knight. I swore my devotion to her, to   
protect her until death. She was touched by my sincere gesture, but that was   
not the role she wished for me to play. She asked me to take the power from   
her when she passed. Though I tried to be strong, I could not hold back the   
tears that ran down my cheeks as what she intended to do dawned on me. I   
agreed. If that is what my mentor wished of me, how could I refuse?  
  
The tears returned as I watched her draw a knife across her wrists. Her   
lifeblood spilt upon the floor and spread out across its polished surface. The   
power within her manifested itself in a blue aura that extended itself out to   
me.  
  
What happened next will haunt me until the day I pass the power to   
another. A sickly dark essence that took up the form of a ghastly beast drew   
up from her. The hate within its eyes could kill -- it would kill. I wondered   
then if that's what the corruption that threatens our conscience looked like.   
It gave out a silent roar in protest to its host's death and dissipated into   
nothingness.  
  
  
  
Edea placed her thumb in the book to mark her place. "Many years passed   
before another mention is made of the dark creature she saw that day. It was a   
mystery that had always remained an idle curiosity for her, but she lacked the   
resources to discover its true nature. Here is another intriguing passage."  
  
  
  
While exploring the World of my own creation I had a vision. It is said   
that our unique Worlds have the power to give us the answers we seek. I hadn't   
expected a stray thought about the death of Quyza to summon such a vivid scene.  
  
I found myself standing on the edge of a battlefield. The beast stood   
defiantly at one end, while small groups of Spirits were opposite it. I heard   
a whisper of its name: Griever. A calming silence settled among the Spirits   
and then chaos erupted. I was so startled by the violence that I returned from   
my meditations. Try as I might, I could not summon the vision again.  
  
  
  
Edea slowly closed the journal before speaking. "This tale has interested   
me ever since I first took in the powers of the Sorceress. Curiosity and an   
inexplicable obsession have prodded me to study the beast called Griever. To   
understand Griever, one must understand the nature of the Spirits. To   
understand what it means to be *you*, Xu."  
  
"What do you mean?" Xu did her best to hide the sense of deja vu she felt   
at the discussion of a great battle. Was this the same battle she dreamt of   
not long ago? Images from that dream still haunted her.  
  
"The you sitting here now is not the real you, none of us are the real us.   
We spend our time in this World as avatars. For most people it will never be   
more complicated than that. When their avatar dies they awaken from their rest   
and continue on their journey. This concept is familiar to you, yes?"  
  
Xu nodded. That was the basis of Anshin belief.  
  
"And I'm sure you also know that Spirits come in two varieties. The ones   
we are most familiar with are those who are native to this World; the Guardian   
Spirits. They are weaker than the Spirits of the Path -- and even the   
Sorceresses in most cases -- because of the limitations of their permanent   
incarnation here. It is unknown if they can wake up from their rest and find   
themselves along the Path again or if they gave up their residency along the   
Path for a greater good.  
  
"The Spirits of the Path, you, are likewise limited in what you can do.   
In this World you are a human, but that does not mean all the 'rules' apply to   
you. Magic has a different effect than what is generally expected. From what   
Cid has told me, you've already uncovered some of those powers. Do not be   
afraid to explore them!"  
  
Xu shook her head slightly. "I'm not much of a mage. The physical arts   
are what I excel at."  
  
The Sorceress patted her hand. "There is more to magic than casting   
spells.  
  
"Although I cannot say this for certain, I strongly suspect that Griever   
is a Spirit from the Path and not a Guardian Spirit as I once assumed. I don't   
know why it would incarnate in this World. I can't imagine a Sorceress's grief   
being enough to summon it...  
  
"Spirits will act according to their nature," Edea paused to smile   
slightly. Undoubtedly she heard about Kei and Enju's Training Center duel that   
was brought about by their inherent dislike for the other. "While grief is not   
evil, a myriad of misfortunes live in its shadow. Little good can come from   
Griever roaming around this World."  
  
"So you're saying that this beast from Sorceress legend is out there   
somewhere preparing to destroy us?" Xu commented thoughtfully. "Why would it   
bother?"  
  
"It's not a bother, bringing grief is what this Spirit does. Just as   
protecting others is what you do."  
  
Xu felt her cheeks grow warm because of the mild reprimand. The Sorceress   
wouldn't be dissuaded from this Griever idea.  
  
"Now consider this: Spirits cannot die, but they can be expelled from the   
World they are in. Unless something unknown to us has happened, Griever must   
still be in this World from Quyza's time. It's awaiting the chance to   
accomplish its ends.  
  
"I warn you that expulsion from this World applies to you as well. Life   
magic will not resort your Spirit to your avatar. Once they are separated you   
will find yourself along the Path again."  
  
That brought Xu up short. A scowl crossed her face as she weighed Edea's   
warning. True, she'd never had to make use of a Life spell before. If Edea   
was right, death really was final in her case. Xu didn't like that idea at   
all, but was unwilling to test its accuracy.  
  
"It's nice to know that I'm an exception. Let me guess, this applies to   
Kei as well?" Xu asked wryly.  
  
"It is true for all Spirits of the Path. Your incarnation is a fragile   
one, but that is why you have extra protections."  
  
Xu recalled the wards tattooed on her back. She knew that she had an   
abnormally high resistance to magic because of them. She saw it as both a gift   
and a curse. There were definite advantages to having them applied to her, but   
on the other hand, it meant that she was likely going to need them.  
  
As Xu thought on it, the Sorceress rose from the couch and glided over to   
a small kitchenette to make herself a cup of tea. With her back to Xu she   
spoke in a softer, reflective tone of voice.  
  
"We Sorceresses inherited the power of the Great Hyne. We are entrusted   
to keep it pure and only use it in defense of this World. But power has a way   
of engulfing those who possess it. That is why we have a Knight -- a partner   
-- someone who loves *us* and will always be by our side."  
  
"I don't doubt that Cid loves you, but he spends all of his time at the   
Garden. Why don't you live together?" Xu questioned from across the room. If   
her sanity depended on another person, she wouldn't let them out of her sight.  
  
"It was at my insistence that he founded the Gardens and took up residence   
in Balamb. He trains the SeeDs of the future while I remain in Centra to take   
care of the children. It's a trial for us both, separated as we are, but it's   
what must be done."  
  
"I didn't know you and Cid had any children..."  
  
Edea returned to the couch with a cup of tea in each hand. She offered   
one to Xu before sitting down again. Another small smile played at the corners   
of her lips as she blew across the hot liquid's surface.  
  
"I've run an orphanage since the end of the Sorceress War. The children   
are my life; I would do anything to protect them. Over the years they've   
brought me such joy. I'm always sad when one of them leaves because I've found   
a family for them or they've joined one of the northern Gardens."  
  
With a sudden jolt, mysteries of the past revealed their secrets. Xu   
studied Edea's profile intently and knew that she was the same woman who had   
escorted Quistis to the Garden. Xu had only seen 'Matron' (as Quistis   
affectionately called her) briefly, but there was no doubt in her mind that   
they were one in the same.  
  
Then there was the matter of the Steelsharks. She hadn't forgotten Cid's   
cryptic comment when she asked if the smugglers really posed as much of a   
threat as he made it out to be. If the Steelsharks were victimizing the   
orphans that Edea and he felt so passionately about, then it would make sense   
for him to take it personally. They could be seen as a threat if they were   
kidnapping the children Cid hoped to enroll in his schools.  
  
It was a brilliant plan. Orphans were perfect for SeeD's calling.   
Without parents or a family except for their comrades, no one would miss them   
if they died. It was a morbid thought, but true. Looking at it in a more   
generous light, SeeD offered a way to get out of a crowded social services   
system that was riddled with cracks and neglected its charges. And, another   
part of her argued, it wasn't like anyone joined without knowing that their   
life was at risk. That held true for any military.  
  
"You're going to great lengths. I mean no offense, but I have to wonder   
how legitimate this threat is or if you're being paranoid about a possibility."  
  
The Sorceress's face became drawn. "Years ago I saw the aftermath of   
SeeD's battle with Griever. It is a battle that has not yet taken place."  
  
Xu frowned. As if things weren't complicated enough already. "Did we   
win?" she quipped dryly.  
  
Edea only smiled by way of answer.  
  
"If I was incarnated here for this fight, to protect this World, why   
prepare SeeDs? Why not let me handle Griever?"  
  
Edea took another slow sip of her tea before answering. Xu had yet to   
touch hers and guiltily took a sip.  
  
"Do you know where Griever is?"  
  
Xu flushed at the obvious answer. She'd have to find the legendary Spirit   
before she'd be able to challenge it.  
  
"There is another reason why you cannot fight it. You are not of this   
World. It isn't your place to cure its ills, only to protect those who will.   
Guard the Garden and its SeeDs with your life, Spirit. They are the ones who   
will preserve this dream."  
  
Before Xu could answer there was a knocking on the door and then it slid   
open. Jessica bowed to them. "I apologize for interrupting, but it's nearly   
time for us to leave."  
  
"I suspected as much," Edea said on the tail end of a sigh. She rose from   
the couch and went to the closet that held her cloak. "Thank you for speaking   
with me, Xu. You are one of the children we're trusting the future to."  
  
"Sorceress..."  
  
The woman pulled the hood over her head to once again hide her face. She   
then gathered Xu up in her embrace and gave her a comforting hug. Hesitantly   
at first, she returned it. The Sorceress stroked her hair reassuringly as a   
mother would her daughter and Xu could sense the caring Edea felt towards those   
who were 'her children'. Edea planted a matronly kiss on her cheek and   
whispered "SeeD wins" before withdrawing.  
  
Once again Xu didn't have the chance to thank her for her guidance. She   
was whisked from the room by her guardians before anything else could be said.  
  
It was while mulling though what was said that Xu realized why Edea had   
chosen to speak in Xu's native language. It wasn't for Xu's comfort, it was   
because the northern language lacked words for some of the concepts they   
discussed. How on earth was she going to report back to Cid without writing a   
report to explain the base terms? The problem of how to explain what she had   
learned kept her occupied for the remainder of the train ride.  
  
  
  
Sierra was seated in her usual spot on the floor by Xu's office leisurely   
reading a book she'd talked Zell into bringing back for her the last time he   
went to town. Not being allowed to go off campus was the harshest part of her   
punishment in her mind. She missed hiking along the mountains behind the   
Garden and visiting Balamb's bookstore.  
  
Turning the page, she glanced up at SeeD Jaylee, who was leaned against   
the wall across from her. The SeeD watched the cadets as Aucifer took them   
through their paces. Sierra felt a twinge of sympathy for her. Keeping a   
cadet out of trouble had to be a boring assignment when she was kept on a short   
leash to begin with.  
  
Jaylee wasn't the only SeeD to watch Sierra while Xu was gone. Every   
morning when she came out of her room to go to class it was a different SeeD   
waiting for her. They were sharing the pain.  
  
Sierra resumed reading. She'd be finished this book by dinner at this   
rate. What a drag. She didn't have any other books that she hadn't already   
read, and the Library had a crappy selection for recreational reading.  
  
"Hey, got any books I could borrow?" Sierra asked the bored SeeD. "I'd   
love to read the next one in this series, but the Library doesn't have a copy."  
  
Jaylee was about to answer when Aucifer come over. "Get suited up,   
Sierra, I need your help with the next class. Armed combat, so bring your   
weapon," he directed. "Jaylee, I'll need your help too if you don't mind?"  
  
The SeeD nodded her agreement and the two of them went to the locker rooms   
to change.  
  
By the time they were ready the next class had already arrived. It was a   
small study group with only a handful of cadets in attendance. One of which   
was Seifer.  
  
Jaylee knew that Sierra has previous run-ins with the head of the   
disciplinary committee. Hell, who didn't? Sierra seemed unaffected by Seifer   
taking part in the class.  
  
Aucifer had a deceptively blasé expression on his face as he addressed the   
gathered cadets. "During the next week we'll be doing armed one-on-one duels.   
This is your chance to demonstrate everything that you've learned. SeeD Jaylee   
and I will each be maintaining the status of a combatant. Show me what you're   
made of against an invincible opponent!  
  
"Since Mister Almasy has proven the most adept, I've got a special   
challenge for him. I've asked one of the drill team's strongest members to   
assist us."  
  
All eyes turned towards Sierra. She folded her arms across her chest and   
glared down the other cadets. Seifer's expression turned into a sneer at being   
given the opportunity to slug it out with one of his most troublesome rivals.  
  
The duelist took their places on the mat with their weapons drawn. Jaylee   
would be Sierra's back up while Aucifer covered Seifer. A slight shimmering   
was the only indication of the protective spells that were cast to dampen the   
hurt they were about to inflict on each other.  
  
No words were exchanged between the two, but their eyes said it all.   
Aucifer handed them the grudge match they'd been longing for.  
  
It was a well-fought match. By Aucifer's judgment, Sierra was the   
superior fighter, but Seifer managed to get in his hits. It was after Seifer   
took a swing at the back of Sierra's knees with the flat of his blade that   
things started to get out of hand. Sierra understandably took offense at the   
cheap shot and retaliated by pulling some poison powder out of a pouch and   
attempted to use it against him.  
  
He fought off the effects of the powder, but had enough on his face to   
cause him to wipe at it with the back of his sleeve. That was all the   
distraction she needed. She landed a solid punch against his forearm, forcing   
it against his nose. When he drew the sleeve away a thin trickle of blood   
traced down to his lips.  
  
"Bitch," he hissed.  
  
It was her turn to smirk. "You said you wanted a duel, so let's duel!"  
  
Jaylee gave Aucifer a concerned look. The Master shook it off, instead   
focusing on the battle going on before them. With a sigh, Jaylee could only   
watch the fight and back Sierra up as it continued.  
  
Whenever the fight would degenerate too much, Aucifer would call at them   
to step back and take a breath. "You're not fighting in a bar brawl, you're   
professionals. Keep your nose clean!"  
  
Seifer brought his sword around with a mighty swing and batted Sierra's   
shotaxe out of her hand. He quickly reversed the momentum and swung the other   
way to knock her away. She skittered across the floor -- likely acquiring a   
few mat burns along the way -- before stopping in a crumpled heap halfway   
across the room.  
  
Were she in charge, Jaylee would have called an end to the match at that   
point, but Aucifer didn't. Considering it later, the SeeD doubted that he   
could have stopped what was about to happen next.  
  
Slowly Sierra pushed herself to her knees. Her left arm hung limply at   
her side and a nasty welt was developing on her cheek. Her breathing was in   
gasps. A glow began to envelop her as an unnatural wind blasted through the   
room.  
  
"DON'T!!" Jaylee yelled.  
  
Sierra was about to Limit for the first time. The elder cadets who knew   
what was coming quickly grabbed their younger classmates and fled.  
  
First time Limits were often done out in the field or in the Training   
Center because there was no way to know what form they would take or how much   
destruction they would cause. As a general rule, Limits weren't allowed to be   
performed in the training room because of the inadvertent harm that could be   
done to others.  
  
And this was precisely why.  
  
It was too late to call Sierra off. She was too far-gone into the Limit   
to pull back -- even if she desired to do so.  
  
Sheets of rain began to fall, soaking those still in the room. At the   
center of the elemental onslaught sat Sierra. Clearly she was no longer in   
control of herself. "I don't care if I have to move mountains with my bare   
hands. I'll show you the Earth's fury," she growled at Seifer.  
  
In her berserk state, Sierra couldn't appreciate to look of shear terror   
that was on Seifer's face. He knew what was coming. Jaylee grabbed him by the   
wrist and ran. Aucifer had never seen a cadet discover their Limit before and   
stupidly stood there. She shoved Seifer through the nearest door and then went   
back for the Master.  
  
"Come on!"  
  
Sierra was still on her knees, shaking, raw energy crackling, searching   
for a ground to strike. Then the floor began to rumble from deep beneath it,   
like the room was being torn apart at its foundation. Splinters of concrete   
jutted through the mats, impaling anything that stood in their way.  
  
Jaylee followed Aucifer through the door and slammed it behind them. The   
hairs on the back of her arms stood up with all the energy in the atmosphere.   
The loud rumbling, howling, and booming continued for a few more minutes before   
returning to silence. She didn't ease the door open until her guts told her it   
was safe.  
  
The training room was cast in darkness except for a few flaming spots and   
the sparking of the blown overhead lighting. At the other end of the room, a   
group of SeeDs forced open the blocked doorway open. A team of medics was on   
their heels to recover any injured. They found only one person in the ruined   
room; Sierra de Ling, bruised, burned, and unconscious on the ruined mats.  
  
Aucifer looked around himself, dumbfounded as to what just occurred.   
"Think we can sweep this up before Xu returns?"  
  
  
  
Xu arrived in Deling City with her heart weighing heavier than her bags.   
She was certain that she would meet the Sorceress again some day. She just   
hoped that it was under good circumstances.  
  
She had a meeting with a local promoter in less than an hour. Once her   
business with him was finished she was going to visit Sean's family. It had   
been far too long since she last shared a meal with them.  
  
The drill team was scheduled to spend several days in Deling City. As one   
of the largest population centers in the world, there were plenty of   
opportunities for them to show off their skills. An entire evening was   
reserved for Vinzer Deling. The promoter and a Presidential liaison were going   
to iron out the details on what all that evening would entail later. Just   
getting the framework in place for the trip was good enough for now.  
  
Once they were finished with their scheduling, Xu was tempted to call Cid   
to let him know her progress. But all thoughts of contacting the Garden were   
driven from her mind when she entered Sean's parent's residence and she found   
herself buried in hyper children who wanted to greet her.  
  
Sean's youngest niece was a shy seven-year old now. The older children   
had nothing against telling 'Aunt' Xu how they were doing in school, their   
latest projects, and other notable events in their lives. Xu listened   
attentively to all of their stories and made sure that the shy girl was   
included in their discussions. Xu pulled the girl up onto her lap (even though   
she was a bit too big for that, or else Xu was a bit too small. Likely a   
combination of both).  
  
"Daddy's made a weapon he wants to show you," she confided in Xu and then   
buried her face into Xu's shoulder.  
  
It wasn't until after dinner that Xu got to see the weapon. Steven pulled   
her aside before anyone else could lay claim to her, including his father. He   
took Xu into the workshop to show her his latest creation. He'd recently   
obtained his Mastery from the Smith's Guild and was now assisting his father in   
the Junk shop.  
  
"So I get to see some of your works?" She knew that he wanted to show his   
weapons to someone who would appreciate the craftsmanship that went into   
creating them. Someone who wasn't his father. His father would always look   
down on Steven's efforts as the Master who taught him.  
  
"Oh yes," Steven beamed and unlocked a storage cabinet. He pulled out a   
tray that was covered in velvet and set it on the workbench. Three sai were on   
it, each one shimmered in a way unlike that of nickel and chromium plating or   
well polished iron.  
  
"I've never seen anything like them," Xu breathed. He handed her the sai   
with red cord twisted around the handle. Faint flame etchings were detailed   
along the prongs. The metal had a reddish shimmer to it no matter what angle   
she examined it from.  
  
"I doubt you have," he said smugly, handing her the next weapon. "You and   
father have inspired me. I'm trying to restore a lost weapon crafting art.  
  
"Life Guard is a remarkable weapon because of the magic beads father   
embedded into it, but during my studies I found reference to weapons that were   
truly imbued with magic. I know that you SeeDs can infuse your weapons with   
magic with the help of Guardian Forces. It's my goal to build weapons that   
don't require such skill to add magical power to them."  
  
Xu studied the sai in her hand with lightning bolts along it. "You've   
succeeded?"  
  
"My results have been mixed. These three weapons each have some magic in   
them, but not much. I'm not yet brave enough to try smithing with the -ga   
class of spells," he laughed at himself.  
  
She returned his laugh with a smile. "That's wise of you until you have   
more experience. Regardless of the magic's strength, these weapons are   
remarkable. Any success at all is noteworthy."  
  
He flushed at the well-earned praise.  
  
"I have a favor to ask as both a Smith and your brother. Please take them   
with you and test them. Admittedly, they're not the best weapons out there,   
but they should be good enough against weak monsters. I'd like to know how   
they do in battle and if you can boost their power by using SeeD techniques."  
  
Her smile turned to bemusement. "I'm a test subject now?" she teased.   
"You had me in mind when you crafted these weapons, didn't you?"  
  
"Well, yes," he acknowledged, "but it's easier to experiment using a hand   
weapon rather than, say, a sword. So much work goes into smithing one of   
those. Making a sai is child's play in comparison!"  
  
She chuckled at his mock display of exasperation. "Alright, as a Mistress,   
a SeeD, and your sister, I'll test your weapons for you."  
  
"Thank you!" He squeezed her arm and then bundled up the three sai. "If   
you haven't guessed yet, they're called Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder. Not very   
creative, huh?"  
  
"Not creative, but appropriately descriptive."  
  
"I should have known!" Sean's father burst into the room with his finger   
waggling at his son. "You'd monopolize Xu with your pet project as soon as you   
could steal her away from us. Go on, get. It's my turn to monopolize her!"  
  
"Yes, father," he answered meekly after handing the bundle over. "Thank   
you again, Xu."  
  
Sean's father shook his head at his retreating son. "Every Smith has to   
have a guinea pig."  
  
"I don't mind," Xu assured.  
  
"Well, *I* mind. I haven't seen you in years and he spirits you away to   
the workshop. Not that I didn't intend to do the same, but he should have let   
me have the first shot at you. Now then, did you bring Life Guard? Here, let   
me see them."  
  
Xu retrieved her sai from the drawer that they were put in before she   
entered the house. He carefully studied them, intent on giving them a once   
over while they talked. She was diligent in her letter writing duties, so she   
didn't have much news to tell him. And so they discussed other things instead,   
but Xu's mind was still focused on her conversation with the Sorceress.  
  
"What do you know about the Great Hyne?" Xu asked out of the blue.  
  
"The Great Hyne is a fairy tale told to scare children into behaving," he   
answered with disdain. "You don't know that story, do you? It's said that the   
Great Hyne is a god who created humans and then went to sleep. When he awoke   
he found the world covered in humans. Outraged, he decided to kill all the   
children. The humans fought back and trapped the god. He divided himself into   
two and gave his weaker half to the humans while running away with the more   
powerful half. Those are the origins of the Sorceresses, or so it's believed   
in the north. Personally, I like the Anshin take on it better."  
  
Xu perked up with curiosity. "What Anshin take?"  
  
"Exactly!" He agreed with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Now that I've   
told you what I know, why do you ask?"  
  
She leaned over a display rack to examine a sword that rested there. It   
was a finely crafted weapon, perfect for lopping a limb (or three) off a Grat.   
Xu sighed.  
  
"You may think I'm crazy... What if I told you that I was part of a vast   
conspiracy to save the world from the power of the Sorceress? Somehow *I* was   
chosen to take part in this adventure. Somehow *I'm* special. I don't deny   
the unusual circumstances that are a part of my everyday life... But how come   
it's always the 'special' person who saves the world? How come it's not some   
average schmuck off the street who stumbled into the role? Why is everything   
destined?!"  
  
She looked away from him sheepishly, ashamed by her outburst. She wasn't   
afraid of the tasks put before her. No, she was frustrated because this life   
seemingly wasn't her own. Whatever happened to being born, living life, and   
dying? Why did her story extend beyond the boundaries of death? Or was the   
Sorceress just playing with her mind like the Elders do? She much preferred a   
simpler life...  
  
The grizzled Weapons Smith's hands idly worked a new cord around the hilt   
of her sai as he weighed her words. He was nearly done when his response came   
in the form of a rumbling from deep within his chest. It was a guffaw of   
laughter that shook his entire body.  
  
"There is no such thing as 'destiny' no matter what the Anshin tell you,"   
he assured, giving the knot he was tying a final tug. "What you're asking   
about is the tapestry called life. Think of it this way; we're all threads on   
a great tapestry that's being woven. There will come times when patterns are   
formed despite the randomness of it all. There will be designs that are   
pleasing to the eye and others that are downright ugly.  
  
"Were there no 'Xu' thread in the tapestry, yes, the design that's forming   
now may not take place, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't come at another time.   
There is only so much randomness in the universe. That's why history tends to   
repeats itself. The pattern will always show up again in the weave.  
  
"Not to put too fine of a point on it, but you're special -- just like   
everyone else," he gave her a wry smile to show his jest. Idly he tested the   
tip of the sai with his thumb, was satisfied with its sharpness, and returned   
it to its bag.  
  
Her lips tweaked into a slight smile. He had her there. With or without   
her, the world turns. It was egocentric of her to think otherwise. She had to   
keep her eye on the ball and do what she was here to do -- to be the best SeeD   
on the planet. Edea offered her a heads up on what was to come, but she   
couldn't let that dominate her thoughts. She still had day-to-day life to   
contend with. The future will get here when it does!  
  
"Besides, as a SeeD, aren't you waiting in the wings for an adventure to   
take place that you can be a part of?"  
  
She put her hands up, admitting defeat. "I'll be ready no matter what the   
challenge."  
  
"That's what I want to hear," he said and handed the sai back to her to be   
replaced in the drawer. He couldn't have her entirely to himself any more than   
Steven could. Feeling a bit better, she followed him back into the house.  
  
  
  
It had taken Seifer nearly an hour to stop shaking when he returned to his   
dorm after Sierra destroyed the training room. Images of being impaled by   
protruding rebar danced in his head. If the rebar didn't get him, the   
lightning nearly had. He was smart enough to realize that his sword served   
only to make him into a bigger target. He tossed his weapon aside and then   
SeeD Jaylee pulled him to safety.  
  
Fujin and Raijin naturally wanted to know all the details of what   
happened. Rumors were flying around the Garden since the first cadets fled the   
scene. Who knew where they were going to have practice tomorrow. The training   
room was a mess.  
  
"She's a psychopath!" Seifer announced authoritatively to the cadets   
gathered around him in the lounge. They all murmured and gasped at his   
declaration. In a situation like this, even someone as generally disliked as   
Seifer could earn the sympathy of his classmates.  
  
"Whatever," Squall muttered from his perch on the couch.  
  
"Don't say 'whatever'!" Seifer exploded. "She nearly *killed* me!"  
  
Squall rolled his eyes. "And what did you do to get her to Limit in the   
first place?"  
  
"Since when did you become her friend?" Seifer scoffed.  
  
The stoic cadet shrugged the accusation off. "You don't just sneeze and   
Limit. It only happens after you've taken quite a beating."  
  
That seemed to appease Seifer. "You're right, I did show her who the   
better fighter was." He agreed proudly before launching into a blow-by-blow   
description of their bout. Squall sighed and returned to only half paying   
attention to Seifer's boasting.  
  
  
  
Sierra hadn't moved except to blink her eyes and respond to Doctor   
Kadowaki's instructions since arriving at the Infirmary. The first response   
medics had healed most of her wounds. Unfortunately, it wasn't that easy when   
it came to repairing the training room. She only had vague recollection of it,   
and what she recalled she didn't believe possible.  
  
When she asked the Doctor what happened, Kadowaki clucked her tongue and   
told her to not worry about it. That didn't answer her question, so she   
persisted. The only answer she was given was that she had discovered her   
Limit.  
  
Her Limit, wonderful, why couldn't she remember it? She and Xu were going   
to start practicing Limits and then Xu was sent on some assignment.  
  
Her Limit wouldn't wait, apparently.  
  
No one visited her in the tiny recovery room. She didn't know if that was   
the result of Kadowaki's restrictions or a lack of friends. Not even Zell came   
by to see if she was okay. That hurt her, a little bit, insignificantly so...   
or not. Hmph.  
  
The door opened and her theory that the Garden was snubbing her was proven   
false, or so she assumed. It all depended on what SeeD Jaylee had to say. She   
paused and saluted briefly, even though there was no reason to, not to a cadet   
at least.  
  
"You'd think that you blew up the Garden with all the guards posted   
outside the Infirmary right now," she commented while pulling up a stool. "I   
see you've come around. How's the arm?"  
  
"Eh, fine," Sierra replied. "Why are there more guards than the usual   
escort I've earned myself?"  
  
"I think the guards are there to make the Shumi feel better, but you   
didn't hear it from me. That was quite a Limit you performed."  
  
"I don't remember it," she admitted. She didn't know why Jaylee was here,   
but the SeeD was the only person she had to pump for information at the moment.  
  
"Not surprising," Jaylee replied lightly. "Berserk is a nasty status   
ailment. Not only do you lose control of yourself but your memory's scrambled   
something fierce; you often don't know what to apologize for afterwards."  
  
That made Sierra grimace. "What do I have to apologize for?"  
  
"Nothing in my opinion, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. That   
includes being sorry for scaring the living daylights out of Seifer. I've   
wanted to pop him one in the nose a time or two myself."  
  
"Well, Aucifer did give me a free pass at him..." That thought brought a   
small smile to her face.  
  
"Yes, I've never seen anything like that, to be honest. Must be a Guild   
training technique or something. I doubt he'll do it again," the SeeD shook   
her head. "Anyhow, I came to get you if you're ready to return to your   
quarters. Kadowaki says you can spend the night here if you want, but I   
figured you'd be more comfortable in your own bed."  
  
Sierra rolled off the bed and got to her feet. She was definitely ready   
to get out of this place, even if it was like being moved from one prison to   
another.  
  
Jaylee hadn't lied when she said that there was a ridiculous number of   
SeeDs guarding the Infirmary. Two started down the breezeway before them and   
two took up the rear after they passed by.  
  
"Could we go by the training room before the dorms? I want to see it,"   
Sierra asked in a hushed undertone.  
  
The SeeD didn't respond, but when they got to the end of the breezeway and   
their escort turned left towards the dorms they turned right to go around to   
the training room. The SeeDs behind them followed and the ones in front   
quickly got back into position without questioning where they were leading the   
pair. They knew what the only other place Sierra would be interested in going   
right now was.  
  
The area was cordoned off. The large double doors that were earlier   
forced open had been removed entirely and now laid on their side against the   
wall. Temporary floodlights were set up and cast the ruined room in sharp   
shadows. Contractors from Balamb were called out to assess the damage and see   
if there were any structural weaknesses that needed to be shored up   
immediately.  
  
It was like walking into another world. No longer were they in the   
familiar territory of Balamb's training room, they'd entered a battle zone.   
Scorch marks marred the walls and tore at the floor. Debris was strewn   
haphazardly, as though a temperamental child decided to throw their toys about   
the room.  
  
Sierra couldn't believe -- didn't want to believe -- that she was the   
cause of such destruction. If the Garden didn't expel her for previous   
outbursts, this was surely reason enough to do so now.  
  
"Impressive, isn't it?" Jaylee observed.  
  
"'Impressive' isn't the word I'd use," Sierra replied bitterly.  
  
It wasn't often when she felt shame for something she'd done, but right   
now she wanted to drown in it. Then she wouldn't have to await Xu's return   
with dread.  
  
Damn them all over again! This wouldn't have happened if they'd just let   
her leave like she wanted! Damn Xu for keeping her here and trying to make a   
SeeD of her. Damn Seifer for being a snot-nosed prick. Well, fine, so she was   
out of the Garden. What the hell could they do to her now? Send her back to   
Trabia? Fabulous! Her father would take her in with open arms even if the   
rest of the planet hated her.   
  
On their way out Jaylee gathered Sierra's books and they went to the   
dorms. Another pair of guards waited outside her room for her to return. They   
both saluted her as she passed the threshold. Jaylee followed her in.  
  
It was a long day and Sierra wanted nothing more than to go to bed and   
wake up and realize this was all a dream. Jaylee had some advice to offer   
before wishing her a good night.  
  
"Some people may be afraid of you, but that doesn't mean they aren't proud   
to have you as a part of our team. Keep your chin up. As I said earlier, what   
you did was impressive. It makes me wonder what other tricks you have up your   
sleeve."  
  
"Why are you being nice to me?" Sierra grumbled.  
  
The SeeD laughed and shrugged. "I have nothing against you. As I told   
Cid this morning when he assigned me to watch you, I don't think you're as   
dangerous as everyone makes you out to be."  
  
"Even now?" She challenged.  
  
Jaylee nodded solemnly. "Especially now. There's danger in the unknown,   
but we now know more of what you're capable of. You're becoming less dangerous   
with every passing minute."  
  
Sierra would spend the rest of the evening trying to decipher the SeeD's   
baffling logic.  
  
Nearly out the door Jaylee added, "Oh, almost forgot, Zell sends his   
regards. I'll see if I can sneak him in for a few minutes when no one's   
looking, eh?"  
  
  
  
When Cid sought out Aucifer to hear his version of events, he found the   
Master in his quarters trying his damnedest to drink himself under the table.   
The Headmaster invited himself in and offered his services as a sympathetic   
ear.  
  
"I tell ya, I've never seen anything like it before in m' life," Aucifer   
shook his head in disbelief before taking another swig of his drink.  
  
"I feel some responsibility in this matter. It never occurred to me that   
you wouldn't know about Limits," Cid admitted.  
  
"Oh, I've heard of 'em, just didn't know that... ya know... It was that   
powerful..." Aucifer took up the bottle between them (which Cid drank none of)   
and poured himself more of the amber liquid contained within.  
  
"Sierra's Limit was unusually violent in its invocation," Cid consoled.   
"I doubt you'll ever see anything like it again."  
  
"I just wanted to give her and Seifer a chance to settle their   
differences... But... What woulda happened if she were expelled and then lost   
'er temper? That woulda been bad ya know... She coulda killed someone... Not   
that she didn't nearly get Seifer. Ha! I wonder if he wet his pants. Were I   
him, I woulda!"  
  
Cid hastily leaned forward and steadied the bottle in Aucifer's hand as he   
attempted to pour himself more. The Headmaster gently pried the bottle from   
the Master's loosening grip and set it on the table out of his reach. He'd had   
enough for tonight.  
  
"Any person is capable of performing a Limit, we simply teach our students   
how to do it. Part of that instruction includes control. You don't need to   
worry. Now that we know the nature of her Limit, we can help her control it.  
  
"As for Seifer... I'm inclined to think that a good scare wouldn't do him   
any harm. Things that frighten us also caution us about potential danger.   
He'd be wise to remember the warning he received today."  
  
"Yer right, ya know..." Aucifer slurred, sliding further down into the   
chair his limp body was reclined in.  
  
That caused Cid to chuckle. "One of the perks of being the Headmaster, I   
suppose."  
  
Aucifer didn't hear his response. Alcohol induced sleep had already   
claimed him.  
  
*****  
  
As Quistis waited by the main entrance of Galbadia Garden for Xu to arrive   
she recalled when she did the same at Balamb Garden. A small voice in her mind   
asked her if she really was waiting in the right place to greet her friend or   
not. Quistis briskly silenced the voice of doubt. The Garden had a Garage,   
but most of the vehicles in it belonged to the Galbadian military. Besides it   
was tradition to walk the last leg of the journey from the train station.  
  
A pair of Quistis' students meandered by while she waited. No doubt they   
intended on spending their rest day doing anything but the homework she   
assigned them yesterday. She didn't blame them. It was a beautiful day.  
  
"Xu hasn't arrived yet?" Eileen asked as she approached the SeeD.  
  
Quistis shook her head in the negative.  
  
"I'll wait here with you then. Martine needs to see her as soon as she   
gets in."  
  
She wanted to ask Eileen what was up, but knew better than that. It was   
likely SeeD business that had nothing to do with her at all and it'd be best to   
keep her nose out of it.  
  
Quistis spotted Xu walking towards them before Eileen did. During the   
last stretch Xu picked up the pace to a jog so that she could meet them sooner.   
Without slinging the bag off her back first, she met Quistis with a hug.  
  
Eileen chuckled at the scene before her. "I know that I shouldn't be   
impressed by the fact that you're not even breathing heavy after jogging over   
here with that heavy sack on your back, but I am."  
  
Xu combed her fingers thought her hair, brushing it back into place.   
"Chasing Cid around keeps me in shape," she admitted with a grin.  
  
"I'm sure it does!" Eileen agreed. "I'm sorry to insist on business   
before pleasure, but Martine needs to see you before you're settled in."  
  
The SeeD was half expecting Martine to call for her the moment she stepped   
onto the campus. "I'll catch up with you later, Quistis."  
  
Quistis accepted the dismissal with good grace.  
  
"Wait, I think you should come along, Quistis. This news will interest   
you as well," Eileen said, the hint of a frown tugging at her usually cheerful   
expression.  
  
Martine was pacing the anteroom to his office where he greeted his guests.   
He frowned at seeing Quistis, but quickly shook it off. "I only called for Xu,   
but... Yes, you'll want to see this too. Come along then," he waved them into   
his office.  
  
"I'll get right to the point," he said briskly before anyone had a chance   
to make themselves comfortable. "There was an accident at Balamb Garden last   
night. No one was seriously injured, but the Garden itself sustained damage.   
Let me read part of the report Balamb forwarded: 'The accident occurred around   
1515 local time. Cadet Sierra de Ling, while training with fellow cadet,   
Seifer Almasy, unintentionally triggered her Limit for the first time. The   
Limit performed was multi-elemental and unusually potent for a first-time use.   
Heavy damage was sustained to the Garden's training room as a result (images   
attached). No serious injuries. Initial estimates bring the cost of damage to   
around 85,000 gil and it will take two weeks to complete the repairs.'"  
  
Xu was sheet white by the time Martine looked up at her from the screen he   
was reading. Her brows were furrowed and she was massaging the bridge of her   
nose. "Not again," she lamented weakly, "the facilities were rebuilt just a   
couple years ago!"  
  
"I'm still wondering how a Limit can be triggered by accident," Eileen   
admitted.  
  
"It can be done," Quistis assured, speaking from experience.  
  
Martine motioned at the images on the screen. "The report mentioned that   
she berserked before Limiting. I feel sorry for the kid. What good is having   
a powerful Limit if you can't control it?"  
  
"May I see the images?" Xu asked in a hollow voice. Her expression turned   
more crestfallen with every image he brought up. There was no doubt about it,   
they couldn't train there until it was repaired.  
  
"Would you like to call Balamb?" Eileen offered, feeling sorry for her   
friend.  
  
"Please..."  
  
  
  
Cid knew that Xu would contact him as soon as she found out about the   
training room. He'd been pacing his office for the better part of the morning   
in anticipation. When the call did come, he fumbled with the display to get it   
to focus properly. One of the Faculty discreetly adjusted the settings for   
him. He was ready for her tongue-lashing.  
  
"Ah, Xu, how's the trip?"  
  
His assistant shook her head. She wouldn't be distracted by pleasantries.   
"What happened?"  
  
He leaned back in his chair until he realized that it cut off the lower   
half of his face on the display. He righted himself and then shrugged. "An   
accident, plain and simple."  
  
Xu didn't need to vocalize the doubt she felt.  
  
"I realize that the circumstances are suspect, but that's the truth.   
Sierra had mentioned that you were about the start Limit training... I   
shouldn't have sent you away. I didn't know that she was that close to   
breaking through."  
  
"I didn't either," Xu admitted.  
  
Their conversation lapsed into a pause. He knew what she wanted to say,   
but wouldn't. She was torn between berating him for not keeping a closer eye   
on Sierra and kicking herself for not being here.  
  
"You needed to go on this trip," he said finally. "What happened wasn't   
the result of a mistake on anyone's part. It was an accident, they happen."  
  
She bowed her head in acceptance. "What about Sierra?"  
  
"She's here with me now. There won't be any more accidents until you   
return, I promise," Cid assured in a deadpan, though his eyes twinkled.  
  
With that promise to assure her, Xu bid him a good day and cut the   
connection. He turned away from his terminal and gave the room's other   
occupant a wry smile. "That went better than expected, don't you think?"  
  
Sierra didn't have an answer for him. For such a vibrant personality she   
had been usually quiet all morning. Still reflecting upon what she had done,   
no doubt. When he didn't pursue further conversation she returned to the novel   
she'd brought with her.  
  
What to do, what to do? There were consequences to her actions that he   
made certain she was ignorant of... Like the Shumi Instructor who had been   
badly injured when the ceiling collapsed in on it. There were also financial   
repercussions. A second Training Center accident within the last few years   
didn't bode well with the one who held the Garden's purse strings. Cid had   
deflected as much of that as possible, but knew that Xu would be held   
accountable regardless of her actually being present at the time or not. She   
was the one who insisted that Sierra be allowed to remain at the Garden.  
  
What was it that prompted his assistant to go to such lengths for the   
cadet? Cid had reviewed Sierra's files time and again. On the surface she had   
all the makings for becoming a SeeD: intelligence, strength, and courage. Her   
personality was abrasive at times, but under Xu's careful watch she was being   
pulled into check.  
  
Despite all that, it didn't seem to be enough. Was Xu capable of seeing   
the hidden qualities in people like Edea could?  
  
He smiled softly to himself. Yes, that had to be it. That had to be why   
Edea refused to take Xu under her tutelage when he offered to send her to the   
White SeeDs. He'd failed miserably when it came to educating Kei that first   
year, he was hoping the Edea would provide him an out when he took in Xu as   
well. By his reasoning, they belonged with Edea since she spent much of her   
time in Centra. Plus she spoke their native language, but she refused to take   
them in.  
  
'They will help you when the time comes,' she assured him cryptically.  
  
Looking back on it, he hasn't been disappointed. Kei has grown into a   
mighty warrior, one of his most dependable SeeDs. And Xu, at Edea's subtle   
prompting, a trusted confidant. They were assets that he had more use for than   
his wife. He had them -- and others -- because she refused to accept what she   
did not need.  
  
The com on his desk buzzed. "Headmaster, SeeD Myn is here to see you."  
  
Myn? He didn't recall having an appointment to speak with him. Cid   
straightened his vest before asking for him to be sent in.  
  
"Thank you for seeing me, sir," Myn came up to his desk and saluted.  
  
"What can I do for you?"  
  
"Ah," he glanced over at Sierra. He obviously didn't know that the cadet   
had taken up residence in his office. "I wanted to speak with you regarding   
Miss de Ling, sir."  
  
That caught Sierra's attention. She put her book down and watched Myn   
intently.  
  
Unphased, Myn continued speaking to the Headmaster as though she weren't   
in the room. "As you know, the Trepies have been preparing for the Triple   
Triad tournament in Balamb on Saturday. Miss de Ling is one of our players.   
I've come to ask that you allow her to go to Balamb with the rest of the club   
and participate in the tournament. I'll take full responsibility for her."  
  
"Hum? Yes, I do recall seeing Miss de Ling at the last "Meet and Greet"   
that your club hosted. I should have known that you would draft the best   
Triple Triad players in the Garden for this event."  
  
"Sierra was selected to take Xu's spot in the roster," Myn confirmed.  
  
Cid's eyebrows rose with surprise. "Is that so? Xu is quite an   
accomplished player. Hers will be difficult shoes to fill. Very well," he   
tapped the switch to the com. He waited for his Shumi secretary to acknowledge   
before speaking. "Please clear my schedule on Saturday, I'll be in Balamb all   
day."  
  
"Sir, you don't need to do that! There will be no trouble. I promise   
that we won't fail you again!" Myn protested.  
  
Cid chuckled. "If there's anyone who has failed, it's me. I promised Xu   
that I would watch over Sierra, which I haven't with as much diligence as I   
ought. I'll go with you to cheer the Garden team on."  
  
"Y- Yes, sir," Myn agreed hesitantly. He saluted again and retreated from   
the office.  
  
Sierra frowned and returned to her reading.  
  
The Headmaster regarded her for several minutes before clearing his   
throat. "As I thought, you've been set up. You've won Myn's friendship -- an   
old classmate from your days in Trabia? -- and he's trying to get you out for   
a day on the town. Do you know how to play Triple Triad?"  
  
Her frown only deepened. "Who doesn't?"  
  
"Fair point," he conceded.  
  
"And he's not my friend," she continued sourly. Belatedly realizing how   
harsh that sounded, she explained. "We were in different classes in Trabia.   
I've only seen him a couple times since transferring to Balamb."  
  
"I see," Cid said kindly, "but leaving your old school behind provided the   
opportunity to make new friends. Who are some of the friends that you've made   
here?"  
  
"I-" she paused to reconsider her words before answering. "Zell is my   
friend, I guess."  
  
His eyes crinkled shut as he smiled in amusement. "You shouldn't guess   
when it comes to knowing who your friends are."  
  
She looked away, flustered by his mild teasing.  
  
"I suspect that you have more friends than Zell and Myn," he continued   
gently.  
  
She shook her head ruefully. "Maybe Jaylee? Though I haven't known her   
long..."  
  
"She does seem to have taken a liking to you," he agreed. "What about   
Xu?"  
  
By now their conversation had gone to so many unpleasant places that   
Sierra looked as though she had eaten something sour. "I don't like Xu."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because... Because she won't give up," she answered lamely.  
  
"Most would consider that an admirable trait. Is the problem really that   
she won't let *you* give up?"  
  
Sierra obviously didn't want to continue this conversation. He would let   
her off the hook this time. "Think about it," he advised.  
  
"I will."  
  
  
  
Xu restlessly paced around the room she was assigned. Her mind was too   
worked up for her to have any chance of sleep. She worried about what sort of   
mess awaited her when she returned to Balamb. That was in addition to still   
feeling ill at ease about the matters Edea had presented.  
  
She needed to work off some of this energy, but didn't feel up to going to   
the training room. It would only remind her of her own ruined facilities. If   
she asked, she knew Quistis would stay up to talk with her, but the young   
Instructor had classes to teach tomorrow. It wouldn't be right of Xu to   
distract her.  
  
Carbuncle tickled the back of her mind. Yes, maybe it could offer her   
some guidance...  
  
When Xu entered her Puzzle Stone she wasn't in her workroom. She was   
surrounded by darkness. Carbuncle was there, wagging its tail slowly as it   
waited for her to pick it up.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
Were it possible, Xu was certain that Carbuncle smiled. It wiggled in her   
arms, indicating a direction it wanted her to go in. Xu obediently followed,   
unsure what they would find. Before long a light appeared. As they approached   
Xu could see that it was another room. It was... Her room here at Galbadia.   
She hadn't intended to enter the Puzzle Stone simply to end up back where she   
started.  
  
Her companion squirmed out of her arms and waddled into the center of the   
room. It looked at her impatiently when she didn't immediately follow. She   
knelt down next to Carbuncle to see what it was doing.  
  
"Protek," it squeaked out. Xu was stunned. Carbuncle never spoke when it   
wasn't in a humanoid form.  
  
She looked around her to see what it was referring to. Where it stood   
there was a small puddle of aquamarine. She dipped a fingertip into it and   
felt the tingling of magic. She put the palm of her hand against the cool   
surface and spread it out across the floor. The magic pooled back into the   
puddle it had originally come from.  
  
"Is this the type of magic Edea spoke of..?" Xu wondered aloud.  
  
Carbuncle whapped its tail and watched her. She dipped her hand into the   
magic pool again, rubbing it between her fingers. Why was there a pool of   
magic in her Puzzle Stone? She glanced around the room and saw a thin trickle   
of crimson forking down the wall. Xu stood up and walked over to examine it   
closer. When she put her fingers into the stream the magic burned, prompting   
her to quickly withdraw her hand.  
  
She studied the wall as she thought. What if...? She knew that the   
elders had a way to manipulate the natural energies around them. Every Anshin   
child had some idea on how to live a life that was in balance with their   
surrounds, it was nearly instinctual. Were these the energies that occupied   
this room?  
  
There was potential here. Experiementing with this discovery kept her   
mind off of other things.  
  
*****  
  
In the days leading up to the tournament, Myn held regular practices and   
strategy meetings. It was with the Headmaster's blessing and amusement that   
those meetings were held in his office when Sierra's presence was required. At   
first she tried to worm out of playing by saying that she didn't like the game.   
Myn trumped that argument by noting that for someone who dislikes the game, she   
had a wonderful grasp of the concepts. Couldn't she swallow her dislike for   
one day and help them bring honor to the Garden? She replied that there wasn't   
much honor to be had in Triple Triad.  
  
And *that* snide remark earned her several laps around the Garden. Jaylee   
snagged her by the collar and drug her down to the ground level to enforce Xu's   
form of punishment until the snarky cadet remembered her manners.  
  
"I thought you were my friend," Sierra grumbled as she passed by Jaylee   
for another lap.  
  
"I am and so is Myn. You should treat your friends better!" The SeeD   
called after her.  
  
After her laps, she apologized to Myn before the assembled club members   
and their training began in earnest. She was no Xu according to everyone else,   
but she was above average. At least good enough that she should represent the   
Garden well.  
  
Because of the Headmaster's accompaniment, the Trepies arranged to take   
two vans to Balamb instead of walking. The tournament was being held in one of   
the warehouses on the wharf. The building was thankfully free of any residual   
fishy smells. Players from around the continent would be in attendance today,   
with some coming from as far as Timber to test their skills against the best   
Balamb had to offer.  
  
The event had drawn the attention of many of the local merchants, who   
brought out their best wares for the occasion. Vendors set up booths along the   
docks selling everything from gooey snacks to hand crafted Balamb fishing   
poles.  
  
"I heard that the Queen of Cards was going to be here today to oversee the   
tournament," Myn was heard telling the Trepies around him. Personally, Sierra   
couldn't care less.  
  
Once inside they saw several long tables set up for the participants to   
play at. Myn went to the registration table to check in. When he returned he   
had a number tag to pin to each of their backs so that the judges could keep   
track of them. There were three skill classes: beginner, intermediate, and   
advanced. Myn had registered Sierra in the intermediate class. The number on   
her tag was a bright red, unlike the blue or green of the other classes.  
  
"I had to talk them into rummaging down into the box some, but I got   
number 73 for you!" He said proudly while pinning the tag to her tunic.  
  
"Ah, thanks," she replied.  
  
"Anything for our newest member!" He gave her a solid pat on the back.  
  
She grimaced. "Tell me, Myn, if I'm here as Xu's replacement and Xu's as   
good as you say she is, how come I'm not playing in the advanced class?"  
  
"Because you'd be slaughtered if you played at that level, why else?" He   
explained. "Unless you've been holding out on us..?"  
  
She vigorously shook her head to the negative. If there was one thing she   
wanted to avoid, it was getting herself drafted into future Trepie events. He   
gave her another pat on the back before going off to help the next Trepie with   
their tag.  
  
Bleachers had been set up around the large room for those who had come to   
support their friends and family. After wishing each of the Trepies good luck,   
Cid dismissed himself to find a place to observe the games. Sierra was   
surprised by how quickly the stands were filling, and with more than a few   
people clad in Garden uniforms.  
  
As she passed by to get to the tables were her class would be playing she   
heard someone yelling at her.  
  
"Hey, Sierra, play like ya wanna win!" Zell waved enthusiastically.  
  
Sierra cupped her hands around her mouth before calling back. "How else   
would I play, you goof!"  
  
He laughed and gave her a thumbs up.  
  
In her opinion, she really didn't have the cards needed to be playing at   
this level. It came as no small surprise when she was able to squeak out a   
victory in the second round with a well placed Ochu card and the Plus rule.   
Her luck held out until the fourth round when a teen from one of the southern   
coast fishing villages bested her. She lasted longer than she expected. As a   
consolation prize the judge awarded the people who were eliminated that round a   
pair of level six cards.  
  
Since no one was around to tell her otherwise, she snuck into the stands   
to sit with Zell and watch the rest of the tournament unfold. Myn was   
eliminated soon after she was. The excitement that the supporters from the   
Garden hoped for took place in the advanced class. One of them made it to the   
semi-finals before being eliminated.  
  
"It was an excellent match," the Headmaster complimented from behind them.   
Sierra didn't know when he moved to sit by them, but knew that she was the   
reason why. Zell agreed and stood up.  
  
"Look! Now that the tourney's over, everyone's pulling out their cards to   
play informally. I want to see if I can pick up some new ones. Wanna play,   
Sierra?"  
  
The cadet shook her head. "Nah, you go on."  
  
He bobbed his head and then rushed down the bleachers to find someone to   
play against.  
  
"You don't have to stay here on my account," Cid said with a chuckle. It   
was hard not to laugh when an over-excited Zell nearly bowled over a group of   
chatting girls at the bottom of the steps by accident.  
  
"I've been thinking about what you said about Xu. 'Bout why I don't like   
her," Sierra said meekly. Cid stepped down a row so that he could sit next to   
her while they spoke.  
  
"Did you come to any conclusions?"  
  
"I think... I don't like her 'cause she's perfect, you know? She's smart,   
she's strong, she's popular, she's *everything*! Man, I would *hate* to be her   
kid and have to live in her shadow. And she makes it all look so easy, like   
anyone could have her success if they tried. No one's that good..."  
  
Cid raked his fingers through his hair in one of his compulsive gestures.   
"Are you jealous?"  
  
She shrugged in response. "You asked why..."  
  
"I'm sure you realize that it hasn't been easy to accomplish the feats   
that she has. Everything -- be it rank, skill, or honor -- has all been hard   
earned."  
  
"I know that," Sierra hissed. "But I feel like... like... she would show   
me the way if I was willing to go along with her. I don't want her help."  
  
He laughed. "How very stubborn of you. Are you sure you're not Anshin?"   
He teased.  
  
Sierra's jaw went hard at his innocent stab at humor. It was a common   
enough saying, 'as stubborn as an Anshin'. It was in reference to their   
notoriously unchanging ways.  
  
"Xu didn't tell you," she whispered finally. "I thought she had when she   
said she was going to defend a clansman. So what?!" She exclaimed angrily. "I   
was born in Trabia, that's my home. The Anshin can go to hell and take Centra   
with them!"  
  
"Hum...?" was all Cid had to say about the unexpected outburst.  
  
Sierra's cheeks had turned a pinkish color from her pent up anger. She   
glared around her, daring anyone to correct her. Her eyes returned to Cid, who   
still had a thoughtful expression.  
  
"I dislike the Anshin for what they've done. Xu's one of them... and so   
am I.  
  
"Dammit... I should have never come to Balamb. I wouldn't have met her if   
I hadn't. I could have continued to believe that they were all a bunch of   
backwater bastards. By coming here I've seen how successful she is and it   
makes me angry. Yeah, I'm a fool, a fool for hating them all without knowing   
even one. I'll admit it; I'm a bad person. Now will you please expel me and   
let me return to Trabia?"  
  
The Headmaster regarded her through slitted eyes. "My dear Sierra, there   
is no shame in your heritage. Trabia is a proud land with hardy and   
adventurous people. We need Trabians like you to be advanced scouts, trackers,   
and explorers. I won't allow you to quit any sooner than Xu will."  
  
She gave him a stunned look. Had he just missed everything she admitted?  
  
He gave her a faint smile. "'You can choose to be what you want to be if   
you choose to be'," he quoted. "Or, more comforting perhaps, is the reverse.   
No one can make you into what you don't want to be if you don't let him. It's   
a bit of a brainteaser, I admit, but I won't allow you to leave Balamb Garden   
until you've chosen what you want to be. That is the least I can do for you."  
  
"Thank you, I think..."  
  
They sat there with their thoughts for several minutes before Cid broke   
the silence. "I almost forgot. Jaylee mentioned that you were looking for   
this," he handed her a well-worn paperback novel. It was the next one in the   
series she was reading.  
  
"Headmaster?"  
  
He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm a fan of the author.   
To be honest, it's gratifying to see that a student enjoys her works as well.   
I've been trying to find a way to squeeze them into the curriculum for years   
without success," he admitted.  
  
That drew a snort of laughter from the cadet. "The Library needs more   
books like this in it. There aren't nearly enough for recreational reading."  
  
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Do you think so? I'll see what I can   
do about it."  
  
  
  
It lifted Xu's spirits whenever she saw the Balamb landscape burst into   
view when coming out of the undersea tunnel that connected Balamb to Timber.   
There was something about returning to the Garden that always set her heart at   
ease.  
  
Well, almost always.  
  
There was a mess waiting for her that she didn't look forward to cleaning   
up. The last time she spoke with Cid he assured her that the repairs to the   
training room were going well, but she wouldn't truly believe that until she   
saw it with her own eyes. She also intended to train Sierra night and day if   
she must so that another accident like this couldn't happen again. That wasn't   
exactly fair to Sierra, but she needed to be completely comfortable with the   
beast within, as it were.  
  
The Triple Triad tournament was today. Cid had mentioned that he was   
going to be in attendance and that Sierra was participating. Xu wouldn't have   
thought it possible to cajole her into it, but she had agreed without a fight.   
Once again Xu was hopeful that lasting progress was being made in reforming the   
testy student.  
  
Xu decided that she would stop by the tournament to see how things were   
going before checking in with the Garden. Technically, she was supposed to   
check in with her superior as soon as she arrived, and for her, that was Cid.  
  
When she stepped out onto the platform it was to be greeted by a fellow   
SeeD. She mistakenly thought he was there to board the train when he picked up   
her duffle. "You're needed back at the Garden, ASAP. I was sent with a car to   
drive you there," he explained.  
  
"Ah..." Xu brushed her hair back and frowned slightly. "Is there an   
emergency? Isn't Cid here today?"  
  
"He's with the Trepies, yep," her escort confirmed as they walked to where   
the car was parked. "I don't know why you're needed. A Shumi ordered me to   
pick you up from the depot and said it was urgent. So here I am."  
  
"How strange," Xu mused. While the Shumi had the cadets on a short leash,   
it wasn't often that they issued orders to SeeDs directly.  
  
When they pulled into the Parking Garage there were a pair of Shumi   
waiting for them. They insisted that Xu come with them immediately. Xu had a   
bad feeling about how they were herding her around, but didn't have a reason to   
refuse them. The SeeD who drove her offered to take her things to her quarters   
so that she couldn't even use that as an excuse.  
  
The unease Xu felt didn't abate as they guided her to the central lift.   
It wasn't often that she noticed the height difference between herself and   
those around her, but these must be the two tallest Shumi in the Garden. This   
was no coincidence. Whatever was going on was carefully choreographed, and she   
was certain that she wasn't going to like it.  
  
One of the Shumi slid a key into the lift's key panel. Using a key was   
the only way to get up to Cid's office without invitation. That was on the   
third floor. Xu was caught off balance when the lift dropped downwards. It   
made sense, this had to be the way the Shumi accessed the areas that they   
resided in.  
  
The Shumi didn't allow Xu the opportunity to boggle at the wide open space   
that the elevator emptied out to. They hurried her along to the right --   
muttering things about how NORG mustn't be kept waiting -- until she stood   
before a large machine. She wondered if this is what a NORG was. The machine   
was in three sections. It had a central pod, and to either side of that were   
smaller pods with a colored lens inserted into it.  
  
She closed her eyes briefly as she felt Carbuncle stir uncomfortably in   
the back of her mind. It didn't like the situation any more than she did.  
  
"Be respectful when addressing NORG," the Shumi closest to her warned   
before retreating to the back of the room.  
  
The central pod opened to reveal a creature more grotesque than a Jelleye.   
It was the most obese Shumi Xu had ever seen. Its chin extended nearly a meter   
down its barrel chest to be like a fleshy necktie. The robes it wore were   
black with lavender sleeves and bore Balamb's SeeD emblem. NORG's eyes were   
like a pair of black beads nearly hidden in the folds of flesh that constituted   
its eyebrows. Its hands were enormous with long thick fingers that ended in   
points like the suffering Sorceress Edea's did.  
  
Xu did well to hide the repulsion she felt towards this Shumi. She'd seen   
one without its robes on before and knew that NORG was not the norm.  
  
"I am Garden Master NORG," it announced in a laborious voice. Xu got the   
impression that even drawing in breath was a challenge with all the extra kilos   
NORG bore.  
  
"Sir," Xu acknowledged and then saluted. She'd never heard of a Garden   
Master before. She didn't know where NORG fit into the chain of command, but   
apparently it felt that it was a creature of some importance and should be   
treated as such.  
  
It drew in a deep breath before leaning forward from its perch to better   
examine her. "Do you know why you are here?" It asked finally.  
  
"No, sir."  
  
It leaned back again and laced its long fingers together. "Then let me   
explain. SeeD and the Gardens are a business, an expensive business. It costs   
millions of gil a year to train new SeeDs, purchase equipment, and so on. For   
the most part SeeD is able to pay for the Gardens' activities with the fees we   
charge for our services.  
  
"It was not always this way. I am the one who financed this endeavor and   
continue to manage its finances. You can think of me as the owner of this   
Garden. I lease the facilities to SeeD in exchange for a percentage of the   
profits.  
  
"And that is why I have called you here. As the Garden's chief   
accountant, it's difficult not to notice when someone has demonstrated a   
tendency towards costing the business money. I was forgiving the first time   
you had an 'accident' in your training center, this time I will not be so   
lenient."  
  
Xu had remained perfectly still while NORG got around to the point. So,   
she was being brought to task for the damage to the training facilities. It   
wasn't uncalled for, she just didn't expect it to happen this way.  
  
"Well? Have you anything to say for yourself?" NORG invited, obviously   
not expecting her to say anything to change its mind.  
  
She could have pointed out that she wasn't even here when the latest   
accident took place, but she doubted it would accept that. As it was, she   
needed to be responsible for what happened even when she was away. Swallowing   
her pride she said, "Accidents happen, sir, and I take full responsibility for   
this one."  
  
"Hmmmm..." NORG looked over at one of the displays that surrounded him in   
his pod. "How unusual for a human to not try to squirm out of a situation of   
their own making. I admire that. The Garden will pay for half of the repair   
cost. You will pick up the other half of the bill."  
  
The restraint that came with her SeeD persona kept her from voicing her   
protest to such an arrangement. Instead she bowed in agreement. "Thank you,   
sir."  
  
"I trust there won't be any more accidents in the training facilities for   
years to come."  
  
Xu felt that their meeting was over at this point and waited for NORG to   
either say more or dismiss her. The Garden Master did neither as it   
contemplated something that it didn't voice. It seemed like she had stood   
there for more than ten minutes before it remembered that she was there and   
spoke again.  
  
It pointed a long finger to one of its assistants. "Give her a key." He   
then turned his attention back to Xu. "You seem to be an intelligent woman of   
enough influence around the Garden to have some observations to share. You   
will come down here once a week to share them."  
  
"Yes, sir," she said while accepting the key from the assistant.  
  
"Very well, you may leave."  
  
Xu saluted once more before exiting the Garden Master's chamber.  
  
The assistant who had handed over the key into Shumi territory came   
forward. "Master, is this wise? It is common knowledge that Xu is completely   
loyal to Cid."  
  
"I am aware of this. That is why I want to speak with her -- to learn   
things from her that Cid does not tell me. I suspect that he has holds foolish   
romantic notions of SeeD saving the world from a danger that does not exist."  
  
  
  
"Did you have fun today, Zell?" Cid asked congenially as he and the   
Trepies walked down the hall from the Parking Garage.  
  
"You bet I did!  
  
"Hey, I won this for you, Sierra," he added while bouncing around those   
they were walking with. He pulled a Triad card out of his shirt pocket and   
handed it to her. "It's a Grat, since they wouldn't let me drag one of the   
training center to give you, eh?"  
  
"Silly boy," she shook her head and Cid thought he caught a hint of a   
smile upturning her lips. "Thanks."  
  
The Trepies went their separate ways when they hit the end of the   
corridor. Most of the cadets turned towards the dorms to get a head start on   
their homework. The SeeDs all decided to go to the Cafeteria for a late   
dinner. Sierra really didn't want to be sent back to her room yet. The   
Headmaster left open the option to accompany him to his office and that seemed   
infinitely more interesting. Zell tagged along as well.  
  
When the lift let them out on the third floor they saw that Xu was sitting   
in the office anteroom with her arms crossed and her eyes closed. Sierra would   
have assumed that Xu was napping if she didn't know better. Her grandfather   
had a habit of doing exactly the same thing when he was deep in thought.  
  
Cid was unphased to find Xu sitting there. "I'm surprised that you didn't   
go to the tournament once you returned."  
  
"I've had an eventful afternoon," she answered, finally opening her eyes.   
"Do you have some time to talk privately?"  
  
"Of course," the Headmaster agreed.  
  
"Zell," he placed a hand on the startled cadet's shoulder. "You're in   
charge of keeping Sierra out of trouble until curfew tonight. I'll have no   
mischief or Limit Breaks from either of you, understand?"  
  
"Y- yes, sir!"  
  
Sierra only arched an eyebrow in response to Zell being her escort. She   
expect Xu to protest such an absurd arrangement, but the SeeD said nothing.   
They left Cid and Xu alone to discuss their business.  
  
  
  
Cid closed the double doors behind him and tumbled the lock. Xu sat   
herself down on one of the couches while he got them something to drink.   
Usually he would have offered tea, but he had a feeling that brandy would be   
more appropriate.  
  
"What's on your mind, Xu?" He asked while pouring her a glass of the   
liquor.  
  
"Ah..." she cradled her glass between her hands as she thought. "I've   
learned a lot in the last couple of months -- in the last week even. I met   
Edea, she's quite a woman. This afternoon I met NORG..." she stopped to sip   
her drink.  
  
Cid bowed his head, knowing that the meeting couldn't have gone well.   
"And?"  
  
"And I'm curious as to who is in charge of the Garden. What actions are   
planned for us? You've given me many pieces to the puzzle, care to put it   
together?"  
  
The Balamb Headmaster scratched the back of his head and leaned forward to   
top off her glass. "It started around ten years ago when Edea had a vision.   
After that she was convinced that there was going to be another Sorceress War   
and that we had to do something about it. I'm no hero, Xu, but that doesn't   
mean I can't raise them. At least, that was the logic Edea used on me.  
  
"We didn't have the money to start up the Gardens. I arranged the   
financial backing we needed from NORG. That was probably my biggest mistake.   
I've entered a pact with the devil just to get this operation off the ground.  
  
"He is the Garden Master. Technically, he has control of the Gardens, but   
not SeeD. He stays out of the day-to-day operations unless something happens   
that catches his attention..."  
  
"Like destroying the training room," Xu noted wryly.  
  
"Yes, exactly. Greedy bastard," Cid finished off the brandy in his glass   
and poured some more.  
  
"He wants me to report to him once a week," she confided.  
  
Cid snorted. "I don't see why. He already has his Shumi spying on you, or   
have you not noticed?"  
  
Xu bowed her head. She knew that something was amiss with how the Shumi   
treated her, but not what. Wun's attitude towards her had always been cool   
despite her gestures of friendship. Tou and Sree were socialable, but she   
wouldn't consider them anything more than co-workers.  
  
"I'm not sure what's planned for SeeD, to be honest," Cid admitted slowly.  
  
Xu was visibly stunned. Everything Cid had done up to this point was   
executed with the precision of a carefully crafted plan. Surely he had have   
*some* idea of what to do with SeeD when the time came!  
  
The Headmaster shrugged. "I only know one thing when it comes to SeeD's   
future: Squall Leonhart will be a part of it."  
  
That revelation deserved another drink. Cid was betting their future on   
Squall? Well, it could be worse. He could be putting it all on Seifer's   
shoulders. Squall was a competent student, a bit humorless, but she felt   
confident that he wouldn't get himself killed by doing something stupid.  
  
"What do you want me to do?"  
  
He had an impish gleam in his eyes as he raked his fingers through his   
head. "Do as you have been. Continue to help me raise our SeeDs. When the   
future is now, they must be ready!"  
  
Xu shook her head with bemusement. "To the future then," she raised her   
glass.  
  
"To our future," he agreed and clinked his glass with hers.  
  
*****  
  
When Sierra poked her head outside her room the next morning Jaylee   
greeted her. Jaylee explained that Xu had gotten an early start on a busy day   
and wouldn't have time for Sierra until this afternoon. She sent her apologies   
for putting her charge off for another day, but it couldn't be helped. Sierra   
didn't have any problems with Xu leaving her alone for a half day longer.   
Hell, if she would do it indefinitely, Sierra would be happy.  
  
Training sessions were temporarily being held in the auditorium. Mats had   
been thrown out onto the polished marble floor. They weren't allowed to do any   
weapons training in this room for fear of damaging something expensive. The   
stark contrast of grunting, sweat covered students in a room of such elegance   
wasn't lost on Aucifer. He tried to hide the reservations he felt about   
practicing here, especially after what happened to the regular facilities. The   
guilt and anxiety he felt were as plain as day. Cid had assigned extra SeeDs   
to assist Aucifer in his teachings. If asked, the SeeDs maintained that they   
were there to assure that the cadets didn't do anything to damage the   
auditorium. The truth was that they were there as a form of moral support for   
the rattled Master. There was no reason for him to be afraid of teaching his   
students.  
  
At the training room, repairs were on budget and on schedule. The   
contractors (the same ones was called in from the last time the training   
facities was damaged) had a lot of work to do before they were finished. First   
the foreman brought in his chief electrician to repair the lighting systems.   
Then they had to take out the floor entirely so that they could replace the   
rebar and assure that the rooms below was properly insulated from the noise   
above. Once the floor was replaced they would begin work on patching the   
walls. From there it was on to the cosmetic repairs like a fresh coat of paint   
and installing new mats.  
  
For as kind as the foreman had been last time, Xu was dismayed to have to   
see him again. He was sympathetic to her situation and assured that he'd do   
his best to get the facilities repaired quickly.  
  
"It's hard to believe that your SeeD magic did all this," he admitted as   
they surveyed the work area. "It makes my wife's Sorceress stories all the   
more frightening."  
  
Xu didn't want to admit it, but he had a point. If a cadet without   
control could bring this much devastation, what was a powerful Sorceress   
capable of? She didn't want to be afraid, but only a fool wouldn't be.  
  
The foreman continued. "I didn't know when you were going to return. Cid   
said to restore the room to what it was before the accident and make any   
improvements I could. I took the liberty of ordering the mats and a punching   
bag to replace the one in the corner with a piece of shrapnel through it."  
  
"Thank you," Xu said. "How did you know where to order them from?"  
  
He threw his head back and laughed. "Who do you think got this room set   
up in the first place? When Cid first came to me the Garden had just been   
settled into the prepared site and anchored down. On the inside the rooms were   
so new you could still smell the paint. He kept the people in Balamb employed   
for months with giving the Garden the touches needed to make it into a school."  
  
"I see," Xu chuckled. Honestly, she'd never given thought to all the work   
that must have gone into establishing a school this size. Her question was an   
ignorant one. "Hum... You haven't re-paneled the walls yet."  
  
"Not yet, we won't until later in the week. If you have any secrets you   
want to tell the walls, now's the time to do it!" He laughed.  
  
Xu smiled. "I might just do that..."  
  
After she was finished speaking with the foreman, Xu went by the   
auditorium to see how Aucifer was doing. His brow was furrowed in   
concentration as he watched a pair of students spar. Xu watched them as well,   
trying to see what he saw. Their stance was a bit sloppy, but not so much so   
that it required stopping the exercise to correct them.  
  
"Why am I even here, Xu? I thought I knew how to teach students, but I   
don't," he confessed.  
  
She shook her head in disagreement and motioned to the pair that was   
fighting. "What do you mean? You're doing a fine job."  
  
"Except for their stance," he corrected.  
  
"See?" She patted him on the shoulder. "You're doing fine, Aucifer. I   
appreciate you covering for me while I take care of other things. And next   
week we'll begin working with the drill team in earnest. We've engagements to   
attend and world leaders to impress!"  
  
"To impress or intimidate?" He asked slyly. "I like the idea of making   
them think twice before messing with us..."  
  
She gave his shoulder a final squeeze, "That's the spirit."  
  
"Xu, one more thing, will you teach me how to Limit?"  
  
"Don't you have a class to teach?"  
  
"Tonight?"  
  
She nodded her head. "Fine, tonight then."  
  
Xu wasn't two steps out the door before she was stopped by Seifer.   
"You're going to teach Aucifer to Limit? What about your students? I haven't   
learned yet."  
  
"You shouldn't eavesdrop on your Instructors. Besides, you aren't ready,"   
Xu tried to brush past him, but Seifer wouldn't let her get away that easily.  
  
"I'm as ready as Sierra was! I'm more ready than her. I won't blow up   
half the Garden when I do it!"  
  
She turned on him angrily. "Is that what this is about? You can't stand   
her having one up on you?"  
  
"I'm *ready*!" He insisted.  
  
"I'll decide when you're ready," Xu corrected coolly. "Go back to your   
class or I'll write you up for skipping."  
  
Seifer teetered on the edge of continuing the argument or going back to   
class. Xu simply stood there with her arms crossed and stared him down. He   
may have been taller than her by several centimeters, but there was no   
mistaking who had the stronger presence. He opened the door to return to   
class.  
  
"I could go out and teach myself," he glared at her.  
  
"You could," Xu agreed, "but don't come crying to me when you're dead.   
Now get your ass back in there."  
  
Xu turned around and saw Kei leaned up against the wall. "You know that   
doesn't even make sense? The whole 'don't come crying to me when you're dead'   
part."  
  
"Kei..." Xu massaged the bridge of her nose. She had completely forgotten   
that she'd asked her cousin to meet her for lunch. She glanced down at her   
chronometer and realized that she was more than an hour late. "I'm sorry."  
  
Kei waved the apology off. The cousins walked together to the Cafeteria.  
  
"I swear, some days I think *he's* going to be the one who blows up the   
Garden. Do me a favor, if you see him doing anything stupid, stop him."  
  
"That's a given," Kei smirked. "So what pet project do you have for me   
this time?"  
  
"Hmm?" Xu asked innocently. "Pet project?"  
  
Kei picked up a tray and got into line. "Yes, the student whose life   
you're going to change this term. Who is it? Don't tell me Seifer. I'd be   
inclined towards throttling the little snot."  
  
"Ah... You've got me there," Xu picked up her own tray and followed suit.   
"This one you'll be interested in..."  
  
Kei listened as Xu outlined Sierra's story. Of course she had heard of   
the student who wrecked the training room, who hadn't? Yeah, she knew *of*   
Sierra before that as well, mostly by reputation. It wasn't a good one, but   
Kei didn't interact with the cadets much, so it didn't concern her.  
  
Then the Anshin entered the story... Kei's anger grew as she heard of how   
Sierra's grandfather was banished. It wasn't right to expel him for looking   
out for their interests, though often it was the visionary who was punished.   
But still, her family had suffered an injustice and that *irked* Kei.  
  
Xu wasn't asking her to coddle Sierra. Sierra definitely had an attitude   
problem that was in need of correction, but having another person sympathetic   
to her resentment might loosen her up. Xu wanted to bring some resolution to   
Sierra's grievance; by either cutting her off entirely from that part of   
herself or by finding a compromise. It was a conflict they'd both already   
faced and resolved.  
  
Kei agreed to help Xu where she could, though she hoped that some day Xu   
would grow out of her 'saving lost puppies' stage.  
  
  
  
When Aucifer asked Xu to teach him how to perform Limits he was expecting   
her to take him outside the Garden to fight monsters. So it was no small   
surprise when she took him to one of the second floor classrooms and sat him in   
front of a terminal for a lesson.  
  
"You have to know the theory behind Limits before performing them," Xu   
explained when he asked what they were doing.  
  
He was dismayed at having to do homework that night, but not everything   
could be learned on the mat. It did make him feel better to know that Sierra   
hadn't stumbled into her Limit as blindly as he thought she had. She'd already   
done all the bookwork and was waiting for an opportunity to put theory into   
practice.  
  
He would get his chance as soon as he was finished with the bookwork.  
  
*****  
  
  
Even though the training room was still in the midst of repairs, there was   
nothing wrong with the Training Center. When Xu was busy Sierra found herself   
paired up with a SeeD to get in more practice. The training was boring, cut   
and dry, go in, kill monsters, leave. Sierra had already grown tired of the   
routine and looked forward to when the drill team training resumed next week.  
  
Who would have ever thought that she'd feel that way about the drill team?  
  
As it was, today's training was disconcerting. It was always wise to know   
who the bigger fish in the pond were, and Kei was definitely that. For that   
reason alone Sierra was wary of spending 'quality' time with her. No cadet   
counted themselves lucky when paired off with the fiery SeeD.  
  
It bothered Sierra even more to know that Kei was Xu's cousin, a   
connection Xu made when introducing Sierra to Kei. Sierra loathed the idea of   
having *two* Anshin breathing down her neck, but Kei wasn't that way. She   
seemed to only be interested in SeeD and her Anshin heritage meant nothing to   
her. Kei was a descent person. If there wasn't so much bias built up before   
they'd met, Sierra could see herself getting along Kei.  
  
They kept their conversation to professional matters while they trained.   
Sierra was glad for the reprieve. Kei asked her questions about her Limit, but   
not in the same way everyone else had. There was no accusation or hidden fear   
behind her probing. She was genuinely intrigued by what Sierra had   
inadvertently done. She'd even suggested that sometime they go outside the   
Garden and see what Sierra could *really* do with it. Sierra knew that Xu   
planned to train the hell out of her when it came to her Limit. The prospect   
of doing that training with Kei seemed infinitely more appealing than with Xu.  
  
On their way out of the Center they stopped by Xu's office to pick her up   
for dinner. They didn't expect to find Xu standing by the far wall writing on   
the exposed insulation with a thick marker.  
  
"What on earth are you doing?" Kei asked, pointing to the wall. Xu had   
already marked other places around the room. Whatever she was hoping to   
accomplish would soon be foiled. Every wall was going to be repainted before   
the contractors were finished.  
  
Xu guiltily looked over at her cousin and answered meekly in Anshin. Kei   
had earlier explained that Xu preferred to speak Anshin when with fellow   
clansmen. Sierra could pick out words here and there, but was hardly fluent.   
She heard the name 'Carbuncle', that was a Guardian Force she remembered   
reading about, and Xu kept using an Anshin term that meant to rearrange natural   
energies. Sierra only knew the term because she'd pestered her grandfather   
into explaining how the placement of a plant could change the energy in a room.   
Personally, she thought the whole idea was bogus, but 'real' Anshin gave the   
belief more weight.  
  
Or, at least, one real Anshin did. Kei had her arms across her chest and   
was obviously chiding Xu for her foolishness. Sierra wanted to cheer Kei on,   
but didn't have the vocabulary to do so.  
  
Xu continued to gesture at the walls and explain the benefits of making   
weird scribbles on them. The scowl on Kei's face deepened. She then jutted   
her chin out at Xu in challenge. Xu accepted and landed an echoing slap on her   
cheek.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?!" Sierra yelled at them. "Dammit, and you   
tell *me* not to fight with Seifer!"  
  
"It's alright," Kei said, rubbing her smarting cheek. "I told Xu to prove   
it, and she did. That didn't hurt nearly as much as it should have."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
It was Xu's turn to scold Kei. Kei snorted with disdain and shook her   
head before answering in the standard language.  
  
"I usually go along with you, cousin, but not this time. I don't want to   
spend two hours explaining to Sierra what you're doing. I'm hungry! I want   
dinner now!"  
  
Sierra blinked. "Er... so what *are* you doing?"  
  
"I should be making you learn the language," Xu grumbled. Kei sighed and   
answered instead.  
  
"She's got it in her head that if she uses a form of Anshin magic to   
adjust the energy flow in this room she can better protect the people within.   
Like, that glyph over there influences damage received from physical injuries.   
I'd say she's off her rocker, but I've seen such nonsense work," Kei shrugged.  
  
"I could slug you a few more times to test it," Xu sulked. Sierra wasn't   
sure what peeved Xu more; getting caught doing this or Kei mocking its   
effectiveness.  
  
Kei laughed, taking Xu's threat as a joke. "No need. I'm sure the   
students will appreciate your efforts when they resume training in here!"  
  
Sierra eyed the flustered Instructor. It wasn't wise to test Xu's temper;   
she knew that. Kei was well accustomed to what fireworks may ignite from   
setting Xu off and didn't mind pressing her luck. She put an arm around Xu's   
shoulders and guided her away from the wall.  
  
"We'll come back after dinner and finish this up, okay? The Cafeteria   
won't be open all night, you know!"  
  
"You're just humoring me," Xu pouted, putting the cap on the marker and   
slipping it into her pocket.  
  
"Yes, I am," Kei agreed easily. "Coming Sierra?"  
  
Unsure of what she just witnessed, she shook her head and said yes in   
Anshin. She'd meant it as a joke, but Xu looked over and gave her a small   
smile.  
  
Had she just made a connection with the heritage she'd sworn off years   
ago..? No, Sierra assured herself, she wouldn't go that easily.  
  
  
  
True to her word, the three of them returned to the training room after   
dinner. Sierra asked to be taken back to her dorm room first, but Xu refused.   
She would have tried to convince Xu by saying that she had homework due, but it   
was hard to get away with that line when Xu was her sole Instructor.  
  
Sierra sat out of the way while they made themselves comfortable at the   
center of the room and talked softly. Dammit, it was boring watching them as   
they 'worked'. All they did was *sit there*!  
  
Xu must have heard her sighing. "Why don't you use your Puzzle Stone and   
join us?" She said without moving.  
  
Sierra snorted. "I don't have one and I don't want one."  
  
"Hmm... That's a shame, you could see what we're doing..." Kei slowly   
opened her eyes. She'd pulled out of her meditations to speak with Sierra. Xu   
seemed much more adept at having a foot in the world of the Stone while still   
being aware of the real world around her.  
  
Like Kei, Xu pulled herself the rest of the way out. "You should join   
us," she said again.  
  
"I don't want to."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Sierra crossed her arms. She didn't need to verbalize why, Xu damn well   
knew why.  
  
Xu walked over to where she was seated, grabbed her by the elbow, and then   
marched her over to where Kei was still sitting.  
  
"You can't force someone to find their Stone," Kei pointed out. Sierra   
wanted to thank Kei for being on her side in this dispute, but knew better than   
to say anything.  
  
"I can't," Xu agreed after settling them into a small circle. "But I   
don't need to. There's a very good reason for you to learn the Stone." Xu's   
dark brown eyes drilled into Sierra. "This way you can see him again."  
  
Kei glanced from one to the other. "Him?"  
  
"Her grandfather. You can't summon those who have already returned to the   
Path, but you can review memories..." Xu stopped. Mirra had a vision from a   
stray memory. Because of that, Xu was no longer certain what the limits of the   
Puzzle Stone were. If she *didn't* tell Sierra the limitations that the Anshin   
believed there to be, she was sure that Sierra would explore in unexpected   
directions. Enju had already started down that road...  
  
"You're just saying that," Sierra accused bitterly. "Don't tease me."  
  
Xu took Sierra's hand up in her own. "I'm not."  
  
When Sierra glanced over at Kei to get her opinion, the woman simply   
shrugged. In her opinion, Xu was going out on a limb here, but so far   
everything she claimed had panned out. Kei didn't know when Xu gained so many   
insights. Her cousin had a tendency towards growth spurts when it came to this   
being a Spirit thing.  
  
"Fine," she agreed sourly. She'd simply act like she was trying when she   
wasn't. That would get Xu off her back.  
  
Slipping into the Puzzle Stone was incredibly easy. She didn't mean to,   
but it was like she fell into it. Sierra's grandfather had tried to teach her   
once, but she'd been too stubborn. This time, Xu didn't do more than nudge her   
in the right direction and she was there. She was... Standing in the living   
room of her grandfather's house.  
  
A roaring fire heated the room. Seated by the hearth was an aging man and   
a girl sharing a chair that wasn't large enough for the both of them. The girl   
had her head leaned against the old man's shoulder affectionately as he stroked   
her long hair. She was a willowy thing. Her left hand was bandaged and she   
looked to be a few meals shy of properly fed.  
  
"Aisierra, do you know why Guardian Spirits make us forget our memories?"   
The old man asked the child in Anshin.  
  
She turned her head up so that she could look at him while answering.   
"Because they fill us with their presence? They force the memories out of our   
heads?" She answered in a mix of the two languages.  
  
The memory paused when Sierra spoke. "I'd been learning both languages.   
Grandfather preferred me to speak Anshin when in the house, but none of my   
friends spoke it. When I got home from school each day, grandfather gave me   
additional lessons on top of my regular school work," she explained. She was   
caught up in the phantoms before her and was only vaguely aware of the two   
SeeDs who were witnessing the scene with her.  
  
The memory resumed.  
  
The old man laughed and hugged her lovingly. "Close. They help us forget   
the bitterness that might follow us to the Path and hold us back. You wouldn't   
want to return as a lost Traveler, would you?"  
  
"No..." The child answered slowly.  
  
"Then let go of your anger towards the Anshin. Don't ruin this   
opportunity with misplaced loyalty to me. I want you to experience their   
traditions, to see the things I can't show you here."  
  
"I won't leave you!" Aisierra clung to her grandfather.  
  
The phantoms of Sierra's memories vanished. The three of them stood in an   
open nothingness that lacked definition from any of them.  
  
"I'd forgotten," Sierra whispered. "I remembered that I didn't want to   
leave him, but the rest was forgotten."  
  
"You've got it back now," Kei observed.  
  
"That I do..." Sierra admitted softly.  
  
Xu took control of their mutual reality and changed it back to a mock up   
of the training room. Looking around her, Sierra could now see what Xu was   
hoping to accomplish. Lines and pools of varying colors flowed through the   
room. By carefully placing glyphs, Xu had been able to influence where the   
colors went.  
  
As Kei pointed out to her, they were currently trying to get the green in   
the corner to spread out across the floor. Once they found their solutions,   
they could apply them in the 'real world' and have the desired affect.  
  
At least, that's what Xu believed.  
  
Sierra was still doubtful about the effectiveness of such a system, but in   
terms of being a puzzle, this was an interesting one. By watching what they   
tried, she mentally attempted her own solutions. In fact, it one of her   
suggestions for a glyph placement helped to spread the green.  
  
"So, what does green do?" Sierra asked Kei while Xu 'returned' briefly to   
place the glyphs.  
  
"If Xu's right, it will act has a natural Regen spell. Just by being in   
the room you'll regain some of your health until you're in tip top shape."  
  
"Huh, I can see that being useful," Sierra commented. Actually, that   
would be pretty cool if it worked. That meant she could last longer in a bout   
if she kept getting some health back.  
  
Sierra saw a problem in that it wouldn't be exactly like it was in a real   
battle, but it fit the different mindset that Xu had established for the   
training room. The Center was for earnest fighting, challenging your skills,   
and putting your life on the line. The room was a 'safe haven' for learning   
skills without the consequences of the Center. It took both rooms to create a   
well-rounded student.  
  
*****  
  
"Aww, do we gotta watch this movie again? We've seen it a hundred times,   
y'know?" Raijin complained as the opening credits to one of Seifer's favorite   
movies flared across the screen.  
  
Fujin elbowed Raijin in the ribs before Seifer said anything. They all   
knew that "The Sorceress' Knight" was Seifer's favorite movie, which should be   
reason enough for watching it again.  
  
Fujin understood Seifer's fascination with the film. The knight stood for   
something, for defending someone who's important to him. These are qualities   
that Seifer valued. Fujin could see it every time Seifer stood up for his   
posse.  
  
So, without further interruption or protest, they watched "The Sorceress'   
Knight" for the 112th time.  
  
As usual, they had to watch the ruby dragon gunblade fight a few times   
before Seifer was satisfied. It wouldn't be much longer before Seifer   
graduated from the sword and began training in earnest with a gunblade. The   
day couldn't come soon enough for him.  
  
*****  
  
Even with a small victory under her belt regarding Puzzle Stones, getting   
Sierra to do as Xu wished was a struggle. Their most recent battle involved   
Xu's story journals. She wanted Sierra to read them to reacquaint herself with   
the Anshin language and history. Sierra wouldn't have anything to do with it.  
  
Xu bluntly stated that this was part of Sierra's World History course and   
if she didn't study, she'd fail. The cadet didn't take Xu seriously until   
after she flunked the first test. Sierra complained that it wasn't fair of Xu   
to do this to her, but Xu was unsympathetic.  
  
As a concession for meeting her halfway, Xu permitted Sierra to eat her   
meals with her friends. Of course, it only served Xu's greater plan to allow   
this, but she didn't have to tell Sierra that. Tonight found Sierra in the   
company of Zell and the twins.  
  
"I can't wait to have class tomorrow!" Zell announced after learning that   
the training room would be officially reopened in the morning.  
  
Xu smiled at Zell's enthusiasm. "I think you'll like how the facilities   
have been refurbished, but no more Limits in there, okay?"  
  
"Ha! I'm not going to be learning mine anytime soon," Zell assured between   
bites of his meal. He had claimed a few hot dogs before the Cafeteria ran out   
and was enjoying every bite.  
  
"We'll go outside the Garden sometime soon and work on yours, Sierra," Xu   
promised.  
  
The cadet looked up from her pasta, "I don't want to study Limits with   
you. I want to study with Kei because she's *nicer*!"  
  
Myn spluttered. "Pigs fly?"  
  
His twin promptly smacked him upside the head for his rude remark.  
  
"Kei isn't a SeeD Instructor," Xu smirked and shook her head, "but since   
you're doing an independent study, I won't argue who you choose to have as a   
tutor. Just so long as you keep passing your tests."  
  
  
  
Kei was a busy woman who didn't have the time to waste on a cadet who   
wasn't willing to give it her all. Fortunately for them both Sierra was up to   
the challenge of training with a seasoned SeeD. Upon reflection, Kei was   
probably the best one for the job because of her resistance to magic. Sierra's   
Limit was an uncontrolled force of nature that could intimidate even   
experienced Instructors.  
  
The pair roamed around in the forest to the west of the Garden in search   
of a beast powerful enough to tempt the Limit's fury. Kei knew exactly what   
type of monster she wanted to battle. Only a T-Rexaur would stand up to the   
paces Kei intended on putting Sierra through.  
  
"Don't get too cocky when facing a T-Rexaur," Kei cautioned while silently   
reminding herself of the same thing. "We'll fight for as long as you can   
handle before pulling out."  
  
Sierra nodded her agreement while checking the cartridges that were loaded   
into her shotaxe. She didn't have enough rounds to use that aspect of her   
weapon often, but if she needed to, shooting the monster would bring it down   
faster.  
  
They could feel the T-Rexaur before they saw it lumbering through the   
trees. Its heavy gait sent small tremors through the ground, alerting   
potential meals that a hunter was on the prowl. Kei drew first blood with a   
surprise summoning of Shiva. The ice queen sent crystalline blades tearing   
along the T-Rexaur's torso, enraging the large creature.  
  
"Your turn," Kei invited with a smirk.  
  
Sierra approached carefully since Kei had gone out of her way to anger it.   
T-Rexaurs' sight wasn't the best. It was possible to slide in under their   
field of vision and take a swipe at their ankles before they saw you. That was   
the theory, at least.  
  
The T-Rexaur snapped its head around at catching a glance of the cadet.   
It tried to capture her in its jaws, but only succeeded in tearing her uniform.   
Sierra wildly swung her shotaxe at its snout to drive it away before scrambling   
away as quickly as her legs would carry her.  
  
Kei arched an eyebrow at her lack of elegance. Wordlessly she slashed at   
the T-Rexaur, continuing her one-SeeD assault against it.  
  
The monsters grew tired of their pestering and charged forward with   
surprising agility. Sierra dove for cover behind a pair of thin trees. The   
T-Rexaur swung around and butted its huge head against the trees, felling them.   
The cadet was driven from the protection they provided and out into the open.  
  
Kei tried to distract the T-Rexaur with another summoning of Shiva, but it   
wouldn't be so easily dissuaded. It continued to pursue Sierra through the   
underbrush as she wove her way between trees and over rocks. Sierra was unable   
to get far enough away from the T-Rexaur to regain her bearing and take control   
of this encounter. Every time she thought she'd gotten away the monster would   
swoop in from above, knocking branches down on her and menacing her with its   
sharp teeth.  
  
An uncomfortable knot of panic was growing in the pit of her stomach. She   
couldn't run forever and this beast wasn't willing to let her go. She'd have   
to stand and fight. Her fingers fumbled around the safety of her shotaxe   
trigger. She could fire off a quick shot and maybe that'd give her the break   
she needed.  
  
Head down. Around that tree. Shoulder against it, turn, and pull!  
  
The force of the blast threw Sierra back. The T-Rexaur was closer than   
she thought, its muzzle a few short meters away when she shot the round into   
it. It recoiled with pain, a bloody, gaping hole where its nostrils had once   
been. Its roar sent what few brave creatures had remained in the vicinity   
scrambling. It wasn't dead, and it certainly wasn't happy.  
  
Sierra's breath came in haggard gasps. Her body felt hot, so hot. The   
panic-knot had worked its way up from her stomach and was now choking her   
throat. In the distance she could hear Kei yelling at her to Limit. This was   
different from last time. Last time she'd been angry, now she was scared. The   
knot made it to her brain and throttled it.  
  
A strong gust of wind blasted the T-Rexaur, giving it further reason to   
pause instead of snapping down on the cadet.  
  
A warm feeling enveloped Sierra's body. She was no longer in control of   
the situation and she didn't care. Only one persistent thought drove her   
actions: surviving the battle.  
  
From a safe distance Kei watched the elemental energies Sierra commanded   
ravish the landscape around her and the T-Rexaur. First the winds tore down   
branches and hammered them both with the debris. What had once been a tree   
canopy sky was colored gray by unnatural cloud cover. Arcs of lightning struck   
at anything tall enough to draw their notice. Torrential rains poured down on   
them, turning the earth beneath their feet into a thick mud.  
  
The onslaught continued unabated even after the T-Rexaur succumbed to the   
forces threatening it. Sierra had no control of the localized storm, she   
couldn't stop it once it was started.  
  
People always came out of their Limits on their own. Kei thought of ways   
that she could break Sierra out of her Limit. Healing the person who was   
Limiting will pull them out of the danger zone physically (except when using   
magic to induce the Limit). With that in mind, Kei cast a powerful Curaga   
spell on Sierra.  
  
Much to her surprise, the Limit continued despite Sierra being back up to   
full health. Kei morbidly wondered if the Limit would continue if she killed   
Sierra. An Esuna spell would calm someone down if they were berserked. Kei   
tried that next.  
  
The rains tapered off and the winds died down as Sierra's rage was subdued   
by the magic. The soaked cadet dropped to the ground after the tense muscles   
in her legs gave out on her. Kei knelt down next to her to see if she was all   
right. Sierra's breathing was shallow, but steady.  
  
"Can you get up?" Kei asked.  
  
Sierra weakly pushed herself up to her knees and sat back to survey the   
devastation around her. Absently she wiped a muddy sleeve against her cheek,   
managing only to spread around the mud that was already there. It would take   
the forest years to recover from the damage done by the Limit. The carcass of   
the T-Rexaur was battered and reeked of charred flesh.  
  
"How am I supposed to control *this*?" Sierra sighed.  
  
"With practice," Kei answered while helping Sierra to her feet.  
  
And practice they did until the sun began its nightly descent. Sierra was   
sore despite the numerous spells cast on her to keep her in the fight. Kei   
shuffled her off to see Doctor Kadowaki before they went to dinner. Zell   
latched onto Sierra when he saw how exhausted she was. He threatened to kick   
the ass of whatever monster had gotten her down (completely disregarding the   
fact that said monster was already dead).  
  
After dinner Kei took Sierra back to her room at Sierra's request. She   
was so tired from today's training that she wanted nothing more than to fall   
into her bed and go to sleep.  
  
That left Kei free to seek out Xu and discuss what she'd learned of   
Sierra's Limit. From what she was told by witnesses, Xu has surmised that   
Sierra's Limit was an all out elemental attack. Kei was now convinced that her   
guess wasn't quite on the mark.  
  
"It's geomancy," Kei concluded. "It has to be. The nature of the Limit   
changes depending on her surroundings."  
  
"Geomancy..." Xu drawled while considering it. Such a gift was rare, but   
not unheard of. It would make sense considering the evidence. In the training   
room, the rebar had been torn from the concrete to attack Seifer. In the   
forest, there was no rebar to control, so she used the trees instead.  
  
"Did you go to the coast to see what would happen?" Xu asked.  
  
Kei shook her head. "We stuck to the forest and the plains. But I'm   
certain that if she were in the mountains of Trabia and Limited it would cause   
a rock slide or blizzard. She uses the environment around her to attack."  
  
Xu idly rubbed her thumb along the side of her nose as she thought. "And   
this attack hits her as well as the enemy?"  
  
"Yes. It works in a zone, which she seems to have some control over. The   
zone when battling a Glacial Eye wasn't as large as the one for a T-Rexaur.   
Everything within that zone, including herself, is fair game. I damn near got   
zapped a couple times until I learned to stand back.  
  
"We made progress today, but I'm not sure she'll ever be more than a   
berserker when she Limits. Esuna can bring her back down... Without a partner   
there to pull the plug, she'll keep going until exhaustion or death," Kei   
frowned. They hadn't tested the death part, but she was sure of that as well.  
  
The frown on Xu's face deepened. "What's worse; to be turned away from   
SeeD for not having a Limit or to have a Limit that could very well kill you?"   
She mused aloud.  
  
"A sword can take your life if you don't wield it properly," Kei reminded.   
"This was our first full day of training. I'm sure there's room for refining   
her technique and control."  
  
Despite Kei's reassurances, the question she posed continued to eat away   
at the back of Xu's mind well into the night. They opened Pandora's box,   
foolishly believing that they could control the power it held.  
  
Carbuncle stirred and she mentally caressed the Guardian Force. Well,   
this wasn't the end of the world. Both she and Kei had adjusted to living with   
an element that they couldn't control. Sierra was simply going to have to   
accept that she was more like them than she wished.  
  
-----  
  
Please visit our website at http://www.centragarden.net 


	19. Part 19

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 19  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans gbeans@tyrlen.org  
edited by Helen Fong iriachan@yahoo.com  
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. www.squaresoft.com  
  
  
  
A hard tap on the terminal's keypad was the only outward sign of Cid's   
current mood. It was still early enough in the morning that the sun hadn't yet   
crested the mountains outside the large windows behind Cid's desk. Master   
Talasu lay stretched out along one of the couches that ran perpendicular to the   
desk. His eyes were closed, giving the false appearance that he was sleeping.  
  
"No word?" Talasu asked.  
  
"You know how unreliable HD is. The message could have been lost   
somewhere on the sea floor for all I know," the Headmaster replied, concern   
touching his tone.  
  
Talasu lifted his head up to give Cid a long look. They both knew what   
the lack of communication meant.  
  
"Want me to investigate...?"  
  
Cid shook his head. "It's not your place. You're only an observer, after   
all. I'll send one of my people."  
  
That answer sent Talasu sitting upright. "Are you certain? I don't mind   
and neither would my employer; not for this."  
  
"I'll send Kei."  
  
"...Not Xu?"  
  
"Not Xu," Cid agreed. "I won't pull Xu away from the drill team's tour."  
  
Talasu folded his legs under himself as he considered Cid's puzzling   
logic. "If not for this, then what..?"  
  
The Headmaster allowed himself a small, pensive smile. "It's not time   
yet. I won't use the full force of SeeD at this early stage. Kei can   
investigate and after she reports we'll plot our next move."  
  
"I think you're so focused on the game that you don't see the units that   
you're moving around the world. If the situation has taken a turn for the   
worse, then Kei will be in grave danger. I would feel better if I could have a   
word with her before she leaves..."  
  
"I'm sure she would appreciate any advice you have to offer," Cid replied.   
"You know it's not my intention to use the SeeDs as pawns, but, as a commander,   
sometimes that's what they are."  
  
"I know," Talasu conceded with a sigh. "That's why I would make a   
terrible commander. I wouldn't be satisfied unless every unit I sent out was   
able to return."  
  
Kei received her orders that afternoon. Talasu discreetly tracked her   
down once Cid was done briefing her. She'd never met the Master before, but   
Cid had warned her that a man dressed in green and black would be seeking her   
out. There was no mistaking the distrust she felt toward him, but she was   
still willing to listen to what he had to say. Especially since Cid had given   
the impression that he trusted the man.  
  
"You're going into a deceptively hazardous situation," he told the SeeD in   
all seriousness. "The physical weapon is your greatest ally, but in this   
battle you may need to fight fire with fire. Please, take this Guardian Spirit   
with you. Cerberus will allow you to cast spells in rapid succession. If   
nothing else, it may help you rally a stronger defense towards the forces   
moving against you."  
  
She accepted the rough stone that he placed in hand. "It's only a   
scouting mission. I'm more than familiar with the monsters that plague   
Centra."  
  
"If it were only monsters I wouldn't have cause for concern."  
  
Kei was taken aback. "Are you trying to creep me out or something?"  
  
"I'm warning you," Talasu said with a small bow. "There are countless   
dangers lurking in Centra; beware of them."  
  
  
  
SeeD Instructor Quistis Trepe brushed her long, blonde hair out of her   
face as she strode purposefully towards the training room for her next class.   
It was a private lesson with a student Weapons Master Pan asked her to take on.   
It wasn't a role Quistis would have cast herself in. She held no illusions   
that she could ever match Xu when it came to weapons instruction, but this was   
a special case. Quistis was the only one in the Garden who had any experience   
in mastering Blue Magic.  
  
Quistis knew distressingly little about the student she was teaching. The   
name she was given for her pupil was Rascal Jett, though Quistis doubted very   
much that it was her real name. She didn't even know what Rascal's face looked   
like because she always wore a scarf or mask that obscured her features.   
Instructing such an enigma was a dubious proposition in Quistis' opinion. That   
is, until Master Pan convinced her otherwise.  
  
Rascal was a student of the weapons art known as Mime. Mimes trained to   
be proficient in all arts, but master of none. They were mysterious in their   
identity, obscured their ability, and could mimic the actions of any person   
they chose. It required a lifetime of training to acquire such flexibility in   
technique. Pan told Quistis that the best Mimes were ones who could mimic even   
a SeeD; from magic, to summoning a GF, to performing their Limit. Copying a   
fighting technique was one thing, but to mimic a Limit? Quistis wouldn't have   
believed such a thing was possible if she hadn't seen it demonstrated with her   
own eyes.  
  
Rascal was still at an apprentice level in her training. She had no   
single Master to answer to. When she had learned all she could from one Master   
she would move along to the next. Pan was just another rung in the ladder for   
her.  
  
Not many in the Guild took the time to master the use of magic (it wasn't   
their forte), but Rascal took to it like a fish to water. Because of her   
ability to quickly master new techniques Pan made arrangements with Headmaster   
Martine for her to receive private lessons from SeeD Instructors. Quistis had   
no idea how he talked the grumpy Headmaster into that, but she wouldn't turn   
away the students he assigned to her and especially not a bright one!  
  
As far as Quistis could tell, Rascal had no true Limit of her own. The   
Instructor had originally hoped to trigger that and then use it as a launching   
pad into other lessons. Instead, when Quistis used the Blue Magic herself,   
Rascal studied her technique intently and was able to copy it with some   
success. Quistis was completely baffled by how Rascal managed it without the   
pre-requisite desperation, never mind doing it at all.  
  
When Quistis asked Pan about it, the Master's only answer was that Mimes   
use their own type of magic. Rascal must have it in abundance to be so   
proficient!  
  
"We'll arrange for you to study with Mistress Xu when she visits here next   
week," Pan told Rascal after their lesson. Quistis wanted to protest because   
Xu wasn't going to have much free time as it was (and what little she did have   
Quistis planned to monopolize).  
  
"Why? You are a master of the sai and you've already found me a SeeD   
Instructor," Rascal nodded in Quistis' direction.  
  
Pan slapped Rascal on the back affectionately. "Because she'll teach you   
something that only she can: Anshin magic!"  
  
"Master!" Quistis protested. She didn't like it when her friend was   
singled out because of her lineage. Xu's heritage wasn't the touchy subject   
that it once was, but Quistis was still sensitive to it.  
  
Pan continued without missing a beat. "Mistress Xu is one of the best   
Masters -- not only in terms of skill, but of character -- that you'll have the   
privilege of studying under. Isn't that right, Quistis?"  
  
"What you say is true," Quistis agreed with a mental sigh. Pan didn't   
usually practice tact and he apparently wasn't going to start any time soon.  
  
  
  
Unnoticed by the student she was observing, Xu studied how Squall handled   
his new gunblade. She'd commissioned Sean's family to construct the blades for   
both Squall and Seifer. Cid had ordered her to spare no expense when it came   
to the two gunblade specialists. Steven traveled all the way from Deling City   
to take the boys' measurements. The weapons were more than good enough for   
students who were just starting out.  
  
Aucifer was overjoyed when the gunblades first arrived. Xu wondered if   
she was going to have to order a gunblade for the Master so that he would   
release the other weapons to his students.  
  
It wouldn't be a bad idea to have an extra one in the weapons locker, but   
gunblades had to be crafted to the swordsman and his style. In Seifer's case,   
he liked to hold his weapon in his right hand and duel. Squall, on the other   
hand, maintained a guarded stance and preferred to swing away. For that   
reason, Squall's gunblade was heavier than Seifer's, so that he could take   
advantage of the blade's ability to cleave.  
  
Presently, Squall was practicing dueling with a fellow upperclassman under   
Aucifer's watchful eye. Xu doubted that Squall would ever have Seifer's speed   
and dexterity. It wasn't fair to compare the two students, even if they used   
the same class of weapon. They came from two very different schools of thought   
regarding sword technique. Not that she was half the swordsman that Aucifer   
was to begin with, or that they would be when the Master was finished with   
them.  
  
Standing on the sidelines Seifer was taunting Squall. To Xu's surprise,   
Aucifer didn't turn to silence the boy. She continued to watch Squall to see   
if he let Seifer's words get to him. The stoic student was unaffected by the   
barbs.  
  
'He's refined his Seifer ignoring technique,' she mused. Why was it that   
the best students were also the ones who attracted the troublemakers? It would   
be easier to train Squall if Seifer wasn't a constant distraction. Well, she   
couldn't give up on the head of the disciplinary committee despite her dislike   
for him. Cid wanted Seifer to graduate as much as he wanted Squall to. It was   
Xu's job to make sure that happened.  
  
Wun touched her on the shoulder to pull her from her thoughts. She looked   
at the chronometer and realized it was time for her meeting with NORG. Her   
Shumi aide led the way through the training facilities. She took a deep breath   
and felt comforted by the flow of energies in the room. As far as the students   
could tell, the biggest difference to the training room after it was reopened   
was the center mat, which had SeeD's logo emblazoned on it. Even if they   
weren't aware of the magic around them, they still enjoyed its effects.  
  
The Garden's Master was always very polite during their weekly meetings; a   
facade that flew in the face of the feelings Xu got from the Shumi. She didn't   
pretend to know how to read a person's heart, but she wasn't about to ignore   
her gut instinct that she shouldn't turn her back. NORG hadn't performed any   
sort of revenge on Sierra for the injuries Tou suffered as a result of the   
training room fiasco. That seemed to be as out of character for NORG as its   
generous offer to buy the drill team new uniforms for their trip. Xu simply   
didn't trust NORG even if she couldn't give a reason why. She hadn't voiced   
her opinion of the Garden Master to Cid, though was certain that the Headmaster   
shared it.  
  
"As always it is a pleasure to see you, Xu," NORG said from its perch high   
above those who stood before it.  
  
That was another thing that bothered Xu. She couldn't figure out the   
purpose of the mechanical pods that NORG resided in. Was it some sort of life   
support system for its bulbous, blubbery body? Did the terminals that surround   
it hold an overriding sway on the systems that maintained the Garden? It was   
all too suspicious in Xu's opinion.  
  
"Master NORG," Xu replied with a salute.  
  
"I have the list of people I would like you to make contact with during   
the drill team tour," NORG said while gesturing for one of its aides to hand   
the printout to her. "These are the people you must impress. The Garden's   
financial future depends on it."  
  
Xu kept a neutral expression on her face as she studied the list.   
President Deling was near the top, as expected. There were also many Dollet   
officials and ranking members of the Galbadia military.  
  
By NORG's reasoning, it was humoring her desire to take the drill team on   
tour because they could be used as a means to demonstrate SeeD's skills to   
potential clients. Cid viewed this trip as an opportunity to entice potential   
students to enroll. She wanted this to be a reward for all the hard work the   
team had put in. There were so many different ambitions being put on the   
shoulders of less than a dozen students.  
  
When Xu returned to the sanctuary of her office she tossed the list NORG   
gave her onto her desk with a hiss of disgust. She didn't like kissing up and   
that's exactly what the Garden Master was ordering her to do.  
  
"Are the contents of that page really so distasteful?" The Headmaster's   
voice asked from behind her. She'd been so wrapped up on her own thoughts that   
she hadn't even noticed him following her here.  
  
"Ah..." she motioned for him to come in and close the door. "I don't like   
this, not one bit. I know that SeeD isn't a charity, but we're beyond the   
simple, money-grubbing, immoral mercenary!"  
  
Cid's eyes lit up with ill-concealed amusement. "Now, now, Xu," he   
chided, and then those eyes that laughed her dismay turned hard. "As much as   
it pains me to admit it; we're going to need the money. NORG has given you a   
heads-up on which people to impress with SeeD's talents. Follow through on   
this and we'll have the means to continue SeeD's true mission."  
  
"As you say, sir," she frowned and gave him another sideways glance.  
  
His eyes resumed their playful glint and this time he did chuckle at her   
peevishness. "Welcome to the joys of administration."  
  
  
  
"What'cha doin'?" Zell plopped down on the cushioned bench next to Sierra,   
sending the stack of books beside her tumbling to the floor. She gave him a   
pointed glare before bending over to pick them up.  
  
"I'm studying for the written exam." She didn't voice the 'leave me   
alone' part, but it was there in her tone.  
  
"Ohhhhh," Zell nodded his head with understanding and scooted a little   
further down the bench to give her room.  
  
The cabin's other occupants hadn't noticed their exchange. Red was   
playing a game of cards at a small table by the window. Jordan had her nose   
buried in a textbook. If Zell was smart, he would be doing the same thing.   
The drill team was missing the last two weeks of the term because of the tour.   
They'd be back at Balamb Garden just in time to take their end of term exams.  
  
It was hard for him to sit still long enough to study. The swaying of the   
train made him want to sway as well. He wanted to be on his feet, bouncing   
around, and getting ready for the fight! Zell pushed up from the bench and   
started dancing around, throwing punches at an imagined opponent. Ha! He'd   
show those Galbadians what SeeD was made of!  
  
"KNOCK IT OFF, ZELL!" Sierra thundered. He stumbled back a half step   
before flopping himself back onto the bench.  
  
"You're so grumpy today," he grumbled. "You that worried about the   
written exam?"  
  
"Worried? Me? Why ever for? Every student should be pulled away from   
their studies to go show a bunch of lazy fat asses how well she can throw   
punches at her mates two weeks before The Most Important Test Of Her LIFE!"   
Sierra's voice reached booming levels by the end of her tirade. The Red and   
Jordan stared blankly at her before resuming their tasks.  
  
"I'm glad I'm not graduating this term," Red intoned.  
  
The door to the cabin slid open. Xu stood in the doorway looking for what   
was the cause of the uproar (the who part was never in question). Myn hovered   
behind Xu, a harried look on his face. The twins were assigned to act as   
chaperones on this trip. At least they were pretty cool or else Zell would   
have been bummed about them tagging along.  
  
"Sierra's studying," Zell supplied helpfully.  
  
Xu shook her head at Myn in dismissal. "And what subject requires   
yelling?" She asked mildly, closing the cabin door behind her.  
  
Sierra hmphed and put her books on Zell's lap so that Xu could have a   
place to sit. They started speaking softly about the upcoming test.  
  
Zell knew it wasn't polite to eavesdrop on them so he started thumbing   
through the stack of books Sierra had given to him. Calculus, blech, he hated   
math homework. Advanced biology, fourth edition, bo-ring. Huh? What was this   
notebook? He turned it to the side and then around completely, literally   
trying to make heads or tails of it. Wah! He didn't even recognize what   
*language* this was in, and he was supposed to know it for the written exam?!  
  
"Gimme that!" Sierra snapped angry, taking the notebook from his hands.  
  
"I'm never going to graduate!" He whimpered.  
  
"You've been studying?" Xu asked.  
  
"Is it not one of my required classes?" Sierra replied snidely. "Of   
course I studied! And let me say that I think it's rather chicken shit of you   
to make me go on this tour when I have the written exam to prepare for."  
  
Everyone was mortified by Sierra taking the Instructor to task. Xu had   
long ago grown accustom to the Trabian's brash comments. Xu had come a long   
way towards curbing Sierra's more vocal outbursts, but there was still the   
occasional relapse.  
  
"The tour had to be moved up to accommodate President Deling's schedule.   
I would have preferred to do it during the break as I originally planned.   
Either way, you shouldn't complain. You're getting out of the Garden for two   
weeks and then you'll have a break afterwards," Xu reasoned.  
  
"Hmph, like things will turn out that ideally."  
  
Xu shrugged. "Consider the exhibitions as study breaks then. As we've   
discovered, it doesn't matter where you sit when you have reading to do."  
  
Sierra glowered at the reminder. She was use to studying in the training   
room, but she didn't have to like it. Xu tapped the notebook with a fingertip.   
"I'll quiz you on this later."  
  
"Fine," she said on the end of a sigh.  
  
The students remained respectfully silent until Xu left the cabin. After   
Jordan and Red had gone back to their individual tasks Zell nudged Sierra.  
  
"Hey, what class is that notebook for?"  
  
"Languages," Sierra grumbled before flipping it to the page she was   
working on and began softly reading the page aloud. Zell was unsuccessful in   
trying to pick it out. Sierra was ignoring him now. He looked out the window   
and tried not to distract her from her studies.  
  
  
  
Xu had developed two routines depending upon their audience: potential   
student or potential client. The student routine was the easier of the two.   
She encouraged the team members to be more open during their demonstrations,   
not as though they were being inspected for any flaw they might have.  
  
The drill team's first stop on the tour was an inner-city school in   
Dollet. It was a good place to start in Xu's opinion. Going to a school in   
the afternoon would allow the team to get over their jitters before they   
performed in front of Dollet's elite that evening.  
  
The student routine called for as much speaking as demonstration. She   
wanted to tell the students about how good the Garden's schooling was. She   
also allowed volunteers from the audience to come forward and take part in the   
demonstrations. Simple things like one of the cadets disarming a student and   
then Xu showing them how to cadet did it went a long way towards creating a   
lasting impression.  
  
When the time they were allotted was drawing to a close Xu allowed the   
students to ask the cadets questions. She had expected them to ask questions   
like "What's life like in the Garden?" not to test their knowledge of world   
politics. The Dollet students were a bright lot and determined to size up   
their foreign guests.  
  
Xu couldn't express the quiet pride she felt as each of the cadets   
fielding the students' questions and answered them to the students'   
satisfaction. Even Zell gave the impression of a well-trained intellect when   
the student who quizzed him happened to focus on the geography of the Timber   
region. Xu realized it was a happy coincidence that the student had chosen   
that topic. It was one that Sierra had drilled Zell on the most. There was a   
gleam in his eyes at meeting the challenge. He was a SeeD cadet and proud of   
it.  
  
"You weren't ready for that, were you?" Nym teased after they left the   
school.  
  
"SeeDs are ready for anything," Xu reminded. "I just wasn't expecting   
it."  
  
The performance for Dollet's political elite didn't involve a question and   
answer session for the cadets. Instead they demonstrated more advanced skills;   
up to having Red perform a weak summoning of Shiva against a watermelon. The   
frozen fruit was then shattered by a round Sierra shot into it from across the   
stage. Every technique was performed with a precision that would instill the   
utmost confidence in SeeD's ability to get the job done.  
  
There was a soiree afterwards that the cadets weren't invited to attend.   
(Since they weren't, Nym and Myn took them out for a tour of the city instead.)   
Xu would have liked for them to have the opportunity to mingle. Unfortunately   
the Duke's chief of security wouldn't allow such a thing. 'Brash' cadets with   
the ability to cause mayhem wouldn't be allowed near the Duke. He didn't say   
that in so many words, but when it came to the coy game Dollet referred to as   
'etiquette' she knew better than to balk.  
  
NORG had done her a favor by giving her a list of the people it expected   
her to hobnob with. That encouraged her to research Dollet's peerage system so   
that she wouldn't inadvertently offend someone.  
  
In her opinion the system was a terrible mess of ranks and titles that   
made Galbadia's pompous air seem relaxed. The Duke was the head of state, but   
not really. The Prime Minister and Parliament controlled the government, and   
thus held the true power. People of noble rank were respected, but didn't seem   
to have much power behind them. The lands that they used to hold were seized   
when Galbadia pushed Dollet back to the eastern coast. The Barons were no   
longer obligated to raise an army for the Counts, nor were the Counts   
responsible to the Duke for the fall harvest.  
  
The police maintained the domestic defense of Dollet, but the country   
simply didn't have the resources to go on the offensive or to defend itself if   
it were attacked again. It was that latter possibility that NORG wanted Xu to   
remind them of. The world may be at peace today, but that could always change.   
Xu disliked the idea of feeding their fears, but any perceptive leader would   
have already saw their weakness and have options in mind should something   
happen.  
  
How peaceful Dollet was after the beating they'd taken at the hands of   
Galbadia was a testament to the country's leadership. Dollet had gone from   
having control of the entire northern half of the continent to being the   
smallest country in the world. They could have easily turned into another   
Timber (and would have every right to after what they suffered) but the Duke   
wisely turned them away from that path. He rebuilt his country with what he   
had and life went on.  
  
Xu couldn't imagine every person in Dollet being content with letting   
bygones be bygones. Those seeking revenge would have likely joined the Timber   
resistance by now. The Duke didn't tolerate warmongering in his country, but   
Timber actively sought out those who wished to menace Galbadia's army. It was   
probably for the best that the Duke rid himself of the rabble-rousers   
considering that Galbadia could easily eliminate Dollet if Deling set his   
sights on holding the entire eastern coast.  
  
The newslinks Xu had read while looking up Dollet's nobles had countless   
rumors about the Duke cutting a deal with Galbadia so that his dukedom wouldn't   
be crushed. There was no solid evidence that supported that theory, but it   
would seem to make sense. Galbadia hadn't given any quarter to the monarchs   
who once ruled Dollet. How could a Duke slip through Galbadia's fingers?  
  
Such rumors were intriguing, but really had nothing to do with the tour.   
What she learned she filed away for later consideration. Meeting the nobles   
and politicians in person helped to put their personalities in perspective.   
Some lived up to the personae that the newslinks gave them, and others were   
quite different.  
  
When she went to bed that night Xu felt satisfied with how the day had   
gone. She didn't know how many potential students she'd interested into   
looking at the Garden, but NORG should be pleased.  
  
  
  
'Cid hasn't gone out of his way to make this mission any easier,' Kei   
reflected as she shifted in the saddle of the Chocobo she rode.  
  
"Go to Centra and investigate the Cape of Good Hope." That's all he told   
her. He didn't indicate what she was looking for, or do more than circle on a   
map where the Cape was. She wanted to arrange to have a ship take her there   
directly, but he staunchly refused, citing that it was a secret location that   
only a few people knew about. No, she'd have to take the weekly transport down   
to the Anshin lands, borrow a Chocobo, and *ride* there.  
  
Blech, she hadn't ridden a bird in years, not since she moved up north.   
Her butt hurt to say the least.  
  
It was her second day out and she still hadn't found any signs of what she   
might be looking for. *Any* structure in this dreary landscape would stick out   
like a sore thumb, she just had to keep searching.  
  
  
  
It was a long train ride from Dollet to Deling City. Xu used the time to   
tutor Sierra privately. They began with some practice in conversational Anshin   
before they moved along to working in their Puzzle Stones.  
  
A couple days ago Sierra noticed that some pools of color corresponded   
with where known magic draw points were. Though they were practiced in moving   
the streams of energy around, they hadn't found a way to tap it. They   
practiced tracing the streams to where other draw points may be. The results   
were mixed, but more often than not they found at least a shallow point where a   
couple castings could be drawn from. Xu proposed that it might be possible to   
relocate where a point was entirely.  
  
Every SeeD knew that Guardian Forces were tied in with magic use. It   
fascinated Xu to explore in greater depth how they were related. Junctioning   
with certain GFs allowed a person to 'see' the pools of magic that they usually   
weren't able to. And yet... This was nothing new to the elders of the Anshin.   
They've known how to read and manipulate the streams of magic for generations.   
Such knowledge would be revolutionary in the north, but they haven't come out   
and shared it!  
  
The thought of how much the two cultures could learn from each other   
caused Xu to feel a pang of guilt towards Sierra. There really was no way to   
make things right by her family. The most Xu could do was to encourage Sierra   
to grow and reach for her dreams, not dwell on her grandfather's.  
  
  
  
It was many of the cadets' first time in Deling City. For that reason Xu   
had left time in their schedule for them to explore the city. She trusted them   
to not get into trouble if they didn't go off by themselves and that they be   
back to the hotel by curfew. Most of the cadets decided to explore the   
shopping district. Xu tagged along since that's where Sean's family's home   
was.  
  
When Sierra dutifully followed her towards the weapons shop with Zell in   
tow she turned around and said, "You don't have to stick with me today. If you   
want to go off somewhere with Zell that's okay."  
  
"Thanks," Sierra said, "I'm going to the junk shop. The trigger of my   
shotaxe has been sticking lately and I hear this shop is one of the best in the   
city."  
  
"It is," Xu confirmed.  
  
"Hey, good thinkin', Sierra! I can have the stud that came off my glove   
replaced while we're there." Zell pulled his gloves out of his back pocket.  
  
Sean's father was at the counter when the three of them entered. "Xu!   
When I heard that the Balamb Garden drill squad was in town I wondered if you   
were going to stop by." He came from around the counter and gave her a hug in   
greeting. "Will you stay for dinner?"  
  
She nodded before backing away politely. "I believe these cadets have   
some business with you."  
  
"Ah, yes, yes, what can I do for you?" He peered down at them. Zell   
thrust his gloves forward and explained the problem. Sean's father took the   
gloves and scrutinized them while humming to himself. "Hmm, yes, this won't   
take long to repair. Wait here a moment," he went back behind the counter and   
set to work.  
  
Zell shuffled over to where Sierra and Xu were examining a display. "Man,   
you must know everyone, 'structor, bein' invited to have dinner with a famous   
Weapons Smith and all!"  
  
"You do seem to have connections," Sierra seconded. "Did he make some   
weapons for you?"  
  
"Yes. The finest sai in the world in my extremely biased opinion," Xu   
confirmed with a prideful glint in her eye.  
  
Sierra read the look and probed deeper. "And why is your opinion   
extremely biased?"  
  
"Because she's my daughter-in-law," he rumbled from behind them. Sean's   
father proved to be a very stealthy man when he had the mind to be.  
  
He handed the gloves back to Zell. "Since you're one of her students I'll   
only charge you 20 gil for the repair."  
  
"Right on! Thanks!" Zell dug into his pocket for his wallet.  
  
"And what can I do for you?" The Weapons Smith turned his large body   
towards Sierra.  
  
"Nothing, thanks. Let's go, Zell," she angled towards the door to leave.  
  
"Wait, what about the trigger of your shotaxe?" Xu reminded. "Didn't you   
say it was sticking?"  
  
"It's nothing," Sierra assured testily.  
  
"Let me take a look at it," the Master offered, putting his hand out to   
receive the weapon.  
  
Sierra shook her head and was nearly to the door when (in Anshin) Xu   
ordered her to halt and hand over her weapon for inspection.  
  
"I know you understood me," Xu growled when Sierra didn't immediately   
respond to orders.  
  
"I hate it when you do that," she complained bitterly, removing her weapon   
sling and handing it over. "I hate it! Just... stop it, okay!? We use   
standard in this country. *Standard*! Not some backwater language that only a   
handful of people speak!"  
  
Purposefully ignoring their 'discussion', Sean's father examined the   
shotaxe. When there was a lull in the outburst he coughed loudly enough to   
catch their attention. "The trigger needs to be replaced. Usually I'd ask to   
keep your weapon in the shop for a couple days... But I'll try to have it done   
by tonight and send it back with Xu. Is that acceptable?"  
  
Unabashed by the scene she'd created, Sierra brushed her bangs back and   
nodded. "Yeah, thank you." She gave him the 50 gil he asked for to cover the   
cost of the parts. Without further incident the pair of cadets left the shop.  
  
"Hmm, I see we'll have something to discuss at dinner tonight," the Master   
commented wryly while pulling out the parts needed for the shotaxe.  
  
  
  
Once they were outside the junk shop Zell's yammering began. "So you're   
studying the Anshin language, huh? That's pretty cool; learnin' a language no   
one else knows."  
  
"I'm only learning it because Xu's forcing me to. She'll flunk me if I   
don't keep up."  
  
"Whoa, that's harsh. Why's she so bent on you learning it?"  
  
"She thinks it'll be good for me," Sierra sneered at the thought before   
shaking it off. "What'll be good for me is getting the hell out of Balamb. As   
soon as I graduate I'm asking Cid to send me to the furthest posting from   
Balamb that he's got."  
  
Zell fell back a step and kicked a stone along the sidewalk. "Really? I   
hope he doesn't. I'll miss you if you leave the Garden."  
  
"Don't say such things," she scolded. "We'll all be SeeDs soon enough and   
when we are we'll be scattered around the world. It's best not to get attached   
to anyone, you know that."  
  
"Yeah, I know," he said on the end of the sigh. The truth was, he   
identified with Sierra and admired her. She inspired him to keep studying and   
to grow stronger. He didn't know how well he'd do once she was gone. A part   
of him feared that he'd begin failing his classes because she wasn't there to   
kick his ass into gear.  
  
It would probably be good for Sierra to leave. That'd force him to do it   
all on his own without someone riding him. Just like Sierra didn't like Xu   
forcing her to learn Anshin. He wasn't going to like Sierra being gone. Life   
was full things he wouldn't like, but they'd make him stronger if he overcame   
them.  
  
  
  
"Keep me company while I work, won't you?" Sean's father said as   
disassembled Sierra's shot axe on the bench.  
  
Xu smiled and pulled up a stool. "What have you been up to lately?"  
  
"We've been busy with an order the government placed for two hundred   
daggers to be delivered as soon as possible," he gestured for Xu to examine one   
of the daggers that he had in the weapons locker. Except for the design of the   
grip it was identical to any grunt's general issue weapon.  
  
"Doesn't look like a 2,000 gil dagger, does it?"  
  
"2,000 gil!" Xu breathed. "What on earth makes it that valuable?"  
  
"This," the Master retrieved a small slug of metal from a nearby work   
surface and tossed it to her. "The dagger's blade is plated in it. Tell me,   
have you ever heard of Doctor Odine of Esthar?"  
  
"I can't say that I have," Xu admitted while examining the slug. It   
looked like any other piece of metal to her.  
  
"He's the man who discovered Guardian Forces -- for those of us in the   
north, that is," he amended with a chuckle. The Anshin have known of their   
existence for generations. "He's also the man who developed the para-magic   
technique you make use of to cast magic."  
  
"He sounds like an important fellow. He invented this as well?" She held   
up the slug.  
  
Sean's father gave a faint nod before focusing on jimmying the shotaxe's   
firing mechanism out of the shaft. "He discovered that the metal you're   
holding, with some magical reinforcement, was capable of restraining a   
Sorceress's powers. What you have there is enough to restrain all but the most   
powerful of magics."  
  
"Amazing, though I wonder what the Galbadian military would need with two   
hundred daggers plated in this Odine metal?"  
  
"Ah, that's my girl," he motioned for her to toss the slug back over. "I   
am but a simple junk shop owner. The raw materials and daggers were delivered   
to my shop after I signed a contract to plate the weapons. I couldn't ask the   
courier how the government had managed to import in quantity some of the rarest   
and most expensive metal on the planet..."  
  
Xu took the hint. Galbadia was up to something and she needed to keep her   
eyes open.  
  
Sean's father got up from his stool and went over to another cabinet. He   
pulled out a small sack and a katana. "These are for you and Kei. The   
weapons' sheaths will protect you from their effects until they are drawn."  
  
Xu flushed with embarrassment as she accepted the gifts. "You give me new   
weapons every time I visit you."  
  
He returned to the bench he was working at before answering. "You're   
willing to be Steven's guinea pig but not mine? I had to test the plating   
process before I used it on the weapons I'm going to deliver to the client."  
  
He paused.  
  
"And if Galbadia has something up its sleeve I want you to have the same   
advantage."  
  
One of Sean's younger sisters, Sarah, came out to the shop to call them in   
for dinner. The Smith needed a few more minutes before he would be at a good   
stopping point on Sierra's weapon, so Xu went in with the girl.  
  
Xu asked what she had been up to lately. Sarah told her about a recent   
Guild workshop that she had attended. The training and weapons hadn't   
interested the blooming teen as much as a cute boy who was also in attendance.   
Xu asked for more details about the lad, but it was only a passing interest.   
All Sarah could tell her about the young man was his physical description and   
that he was currently studying at Galbadia Garden.  
  
Xu mentioned that the Garden was the drill team's next stop after Deling   
City. Sarah giggled and asked her co-conspirator to pass a message along to   
the boy that he admired. It was a silly thing to do, but the SeeD agree to   
pass the message along. Sarah wouldn't indulge in childlike crushes forever.   
And it would give Xu a chance to meet this boy and see if he was good enough   
for Sarah in her over-protective sisterly opinion.  
  
  
  
Besides the junk shop, the shopping district didn't hold much interest for   
Sierra or Zell. They tried keeping up with Jordan and Nym as they pulled poor   
Myn all over the place as a box boy, but it was a futile effort.  
  
Instead of returning to the hotel early they went to the Deling City Zoo.   
For whatever reason the monsters in captivity were a large enough draw to catch   
Zell's attention and hold it. Privately, Sierra thought it was a stupid idea   
to have a zoo full of monsters, especially when she could go beyond the city   
limits and be attacked.  
  
"Hey, they've got some Trabian monsters here!" Zell went up to the railing   
that seperated man from beast and began reading the placard.  
  
"It's just a Snow Lion," Sierra replied. She had to give the zoo credit   
for keeping one of Trabia's most powerful monsters in captivity. She wouldn't   
tangle with a Snow Lion unless her life depended on it.  
  
"Yo, check it out, it says here that SeeD helped capture the Snow Lions,"   
Zell pointed to the placard excitedly.  
  
"Tch," Sierra spat with disgust. "We're monster ranchers as well?"  
  
"Yeah, ain't it cool? SeeD does all kinds of stuff!" He grinned and then   
returned to studying the monster. "Ya know, it doesn't look that happy, does   
it?"  
  
"Would you be happy in confinement?" Sierra retorted, giving the monster a   
closer examination for the first time. She wasn't any sort of expert on   
monsters, but this one really did look under the weather. Its head was   
drooping and Sierra doubted that it couldn't muster the energy use its Ice   
Breath against someone if it wanted to.  
  
"I wonder if they keep it sedated?" she mused aloud.  
  
"We don't sedate any of the monsters unless they become unruly. We   
provide them with an environment that is as close to their natural habitat as   
possible," a tour guide who was coming through with a group answered. Zell   
gave up his place by the rail so that some school children could get a better   
look at the creature.  
  
"Your Snow Lion looks sick," Zell added, trying to join in on their   
conversation.  
  
The woman frowned and glanced around to be sure that none of the children   
were listening. "We've consulted with a SeeD Blue Mage and she's confirmed   
that *something* isn't right with the monster, but we're not sure what. We've   
tried a variety of things and none of them see to lift the monster's spirits   
for long."  
  
"Is it cold enough in there?" Sierra motioned to the pen with her chin.   
"Have you tried recreating the wind chill of Bika?"  
  
The woman nodded with a curious expression on her face. "Yes... You're   
not cadets from Galbadia, are you? Your uniform are different, but similar..."  
  
"We're from Balamb, and Sierra here is a Trabia native," Zell explained.   
"She knows all about Trabia."  
  
Sierra sighed softly and went back to the rail to watch the Snow Lion. It   
really did look pitiful. Poor thing. It would almost be kinder to break   
through the glass and put the Snow Lion out of its misery. The pen was large   
with space for the Snow Lion to move away from the observation area, a ledge it   
could hide under near the back, plenty of food, and undoubtedly fridged   
temperatures. It was like the Snow Lion was caught sitting on a pile of dung   
and it couldn't get away from the stench...  
  
Sierra blinked as a sudden thought occured to her. Sitting on a pile of   
dung wouldn't bother a Snow Lion, but if there were any fire elemental draw   
points around here...  
  
She tried to focus on her Puzzle Stone. Using it, she could see what the   
magical layout of Snow Lion's cage was. Zell tapped her on the shoulder,   
curious to know what she was doing.  
  
"Do me a favor and let me concentrate. I have an idea," she muttered   
softly as she tried again to slip into the Stone.  
  
It had never been this hard before to slip into the Stone. Then again,   
she'd never tried to do it in a room full of noisy people. This was also the   
first time she'd gone in of her own choosing without having Xu or Kei there   
goading her along.  
  
The room she stepped into was out of focus, very fuzzy. She watched her   
feet as they sunk into the floor and were drawn back out again when she took a   
step. Despite the world of the Stone being so disjointed she found what she   
was looking for. There *was* a pool of magic in the pen with the Snow Lion.   
She stumbled forward as she went towards it to investigate what type of magic   
it was. Her fingertips brushed along the searing heat of the pool. This was   
probably Firaga or Flare, two of the most powerful fire magics.  
  
Sierra physically fell backwards when she pulled herself out of the Stone.   
It took several minutes for her eyes to regain the focus her perfect vision   
normally allowed.  
  
"I know why the monster's sick," she scrubbed her face with her hands.   
Damn, going in there by herself really messed with her head. "There's a magic   
draw point in the pen that's poisoning the Snow Lion. They're Ice monsters to   
an extreme. Fire magic of any strength will cause them discomfort."  
  
Zell helped steady her. "You can see invisible draw points? I can't wait   
until I'm a graduating cadet like you are! Let's catch up with the lady and   
let her know."  
  
Checking the monsters' cages for naturally occuring draw points hadn't   
even dawned on the zoo's management. Now that they were alerted to the problem   
they were going to contract SeeD to drain any magic that was adverse to the   
monsters. Sierra could tell that the manager was hoping she would offer to   
take care of the Snow Lion cage for now.  
  
"I can draw the magic that's there, but the pool will probably refill over   
time," she explained. She wondered if she should tell him that the pools could   
sometimes be moved. If Xu were here she would jump right in and try to move   
the pool so that it was at least out of the pen (if not sealed entirely).   
Considering how dazed she was from only investigating Sierra didn't trust   
herself to be able to move the pool without assistance.  
  
Maybe she would suggest to Xu that they stop by here if they have some   
free time tomorrow.  
  
  
  
By the time Xu made it back, most of the drill team had already returned   
to the hotel. Before she went to her room for the night she stopped by the one   
Sierra and Jordan were sharing to drop off Sierra's weapon. Xu was glad that   
Jordan was still out; it would give her a chance to speak with Sierra   
privately.  
  
The Weapons Master had made a number of repairs and upgrades. Besides   
replacing the trigger, he'd added another firing chamber (an upgrade he   
insisted had to be done because of the trigger he used). He also added another   
pouch to the shotaxe harness that contained some high-grade ammo he was hoping   
to raise the distribution of. ("Consider it a professional sample.")  
  
Including all these changes he had also taken it upon himself to give the   
weapon a name. 'Raging Dream' was etched faintly into the axe's pivotal head.   
Xu had no idea what inspired the name, though she doubted that Sierra would be   
pleased that it was written in Anshin.  
  
"The Master will help you if you open up to him," Xu tried to advise as   
Sierra examined her weapon.  
  
"Why should I? I doubt I'll ever see him again."  
  
Xu sat herself down on the bed across from Sierra's. "You shouldn't cut   
your nose off to spite your face. He understands the ways of the clan and is   
experienced in what it's like to be a foreigner among them."  
  
"So is that how you met him? I didn't think you'd been married."  
  
"I am an adopted daughter. His generosity extends beyond his blood family   
and reaches out to those he feels kinship with. He's a good ally to have."  
  
Sierra snorted, any feelings of goodwill she felt this afternoon towards   
Xu and working together to help the zoo had dissolved. "I don't need allies, I   
just need to be out from under you."  
  
"Haven't you learned the importance of friends yet?" Xu chided. "No one   
can make it on their own, not even a Sorceress. Draw strength from your   
friends and allow them to make you into a better person."  
  
Sierra turned away from Xu and examined her weapon intently. Several   
minutes passed before she spoke again. "Would you consider yourself my   
friend?"  
  
Without hesitation Xu answered, "I'd like to."  
  
The cadet was saved from having to respond when Jordan slipped into the   
room with a bag in each hand. She and Nym had hit the shopping district hard   
and were finally returning with their spoils.  
  
"Oh, hey, I'm sorry. Were you studying?" Jordan asked as she placed the   
bags onto a small writing table.  
  
Xu shook her head and stood up. "No, I was just about to leave. Rest   
well, both of you. Tomorrow's demonstration promises to be exciting."  
  
  
  
This was Xu's first time back to the auditorium of the Presidential   
Residence since she was a Journeywoman. Recalling how small the dressing room   
was, she told everyone to get dressed at the hotel and that they'd do warm-ups   
along the way. As they prepared Xu warned them of what they were likely to   
encounter.  
  
"The Galbadians want to see a demonstration of prowess and strength. Near   
the end we will be doing a five-on-five endurance battle against a team of   
Galbadian soldiers. The cadets who will participate will be selected at random   
right before the challenge, so be ready for it!"  
  
Xu was pleased by the crispness of the cadets' exercises during the   
demonstration. It was important that they made no mistakes because there   
wasn't an officer below the rank of lieutenant in attendance. The few glances   
she snuck of President Deling reassured her that he was impressed with what he   
saw.  
  
Vinzer Deling wasn't the only one who leaned forward in his seat when it   
came time for the endurance battle. The rules were simple enough. Each team   
consisted of five members. When one member had yielded to their opponent   
another team member would step forward to continue the match. Whoever   
exhausted their five champions first lost. Xu opted for the fights to be   
unarmed, which should make the matches more exciting. (After recalling how   
poorly Biggs wielded a sword, she didn't want her cadets to finish off the   
soldiers too quickly).  
  
A drawing of names resulted in Jordan taking the first slot, Sierra the   
fourth, and Zell would be the team's anchor. Xu would have preferred if Red   
had been drawn instead of Zell or if Sierra was the anchor, but that's how the   
lot came out. This would be Zell's chance to be a hero if the match went long   
enough to get to him.  
  
The first three bouts on each side were one-for-one eliminations. By the   
time Sierra came up she was pitted against Galbadia's fourth challenger. The   
match was bloody right from the start. Xu winced as the pair exchanged blows   
that they would both be feeling in the morning. The match could have gone   
either way when Sierra got in a lucky hit that robbed the Galbadian of his   
breath. He collapsed to his knees and yielded.  
  
Sierra only had a moment to wipe her face before the next bout began. The   
determination in her eyes plainly said that she intended to finish this match   
herself. From the sidelines Zell cheered her on. The final soldier had Zell   
beat in every physical attribute from weight and height to strength. Sierra   
had to take a sizeable chunk out of the soldier's stamina or Zell wouldn't   
stand a chance.  
  
A hard punch to the shoulder sent Sierra falling back onto the stage. She   
weakly picked herself up and resumed a guarded stance. The soldier gave her a   
small nod of respect for her willingness to carry on before he resumed pounding   
on her.  
  
In a moment that most people didn't realize was significant, Xu saw the   
gathering of Limit energy. Her mouth hadn't even opened to call for Sierra to   
pull back when the student had disengaged from the soldier. She bowed her head   
for a moment and then collapsed to the ground without her opponent laying a   
hand on her.  
  
Zell was the first one to Sierra's side, a defensive reaction to protect   
his friend from the person who had hurt her.  
  
"She's asleep," he called back to Xu. Nym and Myn went out onto the stage   
to carry the fallen cadet to the sidelines.  
  
"It's just you and me, runt," the soldier chuckled before putting his   
fists up.  
  
"You're the luckiest man alive," Zell growled, brushing his thumb across   
his nose, egging the Galbadian on.  
  
"You got that right," he swung at Zell, who skillfully dodged the punch.   
Their match was by far the most entertaining of the five. Most of the   
spectators had given the win to the Galbadian as soon as they saw how small   
Zell was, but they underestimated how much Sierra had taken out of the soldier.   
It didn't hurt that Zell had the endurance of a Chocobo and could outlast just   
about anyone. He made the soldier work for every hit he landed. Zell didn't   
remain still for long during their high-energy match.  
  
The auditorium erupted into cheers when the underdog managed to pull   
through with a head butt that took the Galbadian by surprise. The soldier   
wasn't able to quickly recover from the daze. Zell could have taken advantage   
of the soldier's state, but didn't. It was that small act of mercy that   
brought the challenge to a close. Zell was the winner.  
  
"Yo, is Sierra awake?" Zell asked after swallowing down a gulp of water.   
Victory didn't matter as much as making sure that his team members had pulled   
through the battle.  
  
"Yeah, and I see that you've started to use your head," Sierra drawled,   
removing the compact that she had against her swelling eye. "Damn that guy hit   
hard. I'd rather cut them down with my shotaxe or use magic. I don't know how   
you can stand fighting unarmed."  
  
He crouched down beside her to get a better look at the lumps she'd   
suffered. All five of the cadets required the liberal use of Cure magic to get   
them back on their feet. Regrettably, magic couldn't relieve all of the aches   
that would plague them for the next couple days.  
  
"I'm a simple kind of guy. Learning the sort of weapon techniques you use   
is too complicated for me."  
  
"Says he who has taken up gymnastics as a hobby," Sierra retorted lightly.   
"You fought well. Thanks for covering me."  
  
That evening there was a reception that, unlike Dollet's elite, President   
Deling insisted the cadets attended. He wanted the opportunity to speak with   
the students who had performed so superbly. Xu could understand why Deling was   
such a powerful man. He was good at making those around him feel important.   
He recalled every cadet's name without needing to be reminded. He also asked   
thoughtful questions that demonstrated just how intently he was studying their   
performance.  
  
"Miss de Ling, I had a question for you if I may?" He smiled charmingly at   
those who were also in the small group he joined so that he could speak with   
her.  
  
"Yes, sir?" Sierra asked politely. Xu was glad that Sierra realized now   
was the time to be on her best behavior.  
  
"At the end of your bout you collapsed. I was curious to know what the   
cause was. The soldier you fought wasn't near you when it happened. Had the   
fatigue of the battle taken its toll?"  
  
Ah, Xu was wondering if the observant President had caught that or not.   
Most people probably wrote it off as Sierra running out of steam and fainting,   
but Xu knew better. The cadet glanced over at Xu for permission to speak   
freely. Xu gave her a small nod and Sierra explained.  
  
"I was about to Limit. To prevent that I cast a sleep spell on myself."  
  
An expression of mild surprise crossed Deling's face. "I've witnessed the   
might of SeeD Xu's Limit. Is yours just as powerful?"  
  
"Even more so," Xu answered with all sincerity. "Miss de Ling did us a   
favor when she took herself out of the match. If she had Limited she could   
have brought the auditorium down on us."  
  
Deling's eyebrows had migrated up to his thinning hairline. "Is that so?"  
  
"I wish it weren't. I doubt you would ever invite us back if I destroyed   
part of your house," Sierra responded with chagrin.  
  
  
  
Kei finally arrived the decrepit lighthouse that stood guardian over the   
Cape of Good Hope. She had spotted it from a distance and had a hunch that the   
lighthouse was her final destination.  
  
A row of crumbling pillars led up to a modest stone cottage set near the   
coast. To the left of the pillars was an endless field of wild flowers. Kei   
had never seen anything like it in Centra. Seeing acres of beautiful flowers   
left Kei feeling unsettled when considering the arid wasteland she crossed to   
get here.  
  
It didn't appear that anyone had been here for a while judging by how the   
outside look. Weeds were starting to poke up through the flagstones that led   
to the front door. She went up and knocked. When she received no response she   
tested the door handle and found that it was unlocked.  
  
A thin cloud of dust kicked up when Kei swung the door wide open.   
Something foul smelling tainted the air. Further investigation turned up a   
half eaten meal that was rotting on a table by the window. One of the two   
dining chairs was knocked to the floor. The other was backed away from the   
table as though its last occupant had gotten to their feet in a hurry.  
  
Kei followed a disheveled trail through the house, past a plant that was   
knocked over and through a door that was ajar. The couple that was sharing a   
meal had raced through the house for some reason. The ruckus led to the back   
porch door, which was still wide open after they'd gone through it.  
  
Judging by the signs she'd seen up to this point Kei was expecting the   
worst, but that didn't prepare her for the pair of decomposing bodies she found   
in the sand. The smell forced her to push her tunic sleeve up to her face as   
she went closer to investigate. The deceased were two adults -- one male, one   
female -- both dressed in white uniforms. It wasn't difficult to determine how   
they died. Shredded tunics and long lacerations to the torso indicated that   
they'd been run through with an edged weapon.  
  
Kei felt a twinge of relief when she returned to her Chocobo for her   
camera. There was no doubt in her mind that this was what Cid had sent her to   
Centra to investigate. But who were those people and who or what killed them?  
  
Alexander made his presence known in the back of her mind. Taking a few   
minutes to speak with the GF would give her a chance to shake this feeling of   
dread.  
  
"You summoned me?" Kei quipped as Alexander separated himself from the   
darkness surrounding them.  
  
There was no humor in the Guardian's expression. "A grave injustice has   
transpired here. You must report the SeeDs' deaths. Don't delay for even a   
moment. As soon as you've performed their final rites make haste to Balamb."   
He bowed respectfully and dissipated back into the darkness.  
  
"Wait, those two were SeeDs...?"  
  
Kei came out of her meditations with her thoughts even more troubled.   
She'd have to bury the bodies after she was done documenting the scene. Then   
she could hurry back to the Anshin compound. If she hauled ass she should be   
able to catch the transport that will arrive in three days. With how sluggish   
the repairs of the HD lines tended to be she couldn't count on them to be   
available by the time she got back to the compound.  
  
She located a shovel in the shed and quickly dug a shallow grave for the   
SeeDs. When she was finished with her grisly task, she knelt to one knee and   
said a brief prayer for their spirits to be guided to the Path. "I promise   
that when SeeD returns here you will be given a proper burial." She moved to   
the head of the gravesite and plunged her katana into the ground to serve as a   
marker.  
  
After another respectful moment she walked out front where her Chocobo was   
tethered. It nosed her hand with its beak before she mounted. "Come on,   
Little One, we need to hurry back."  
  
It wasn't until she could no longer see the lighthouse that the memory   
tickling her recollection came to surface. She'd heard of the Cape of Good   
Hope before, but couldn't remember from where. The SeeD was sadly certain that   
the abandoned residence was Quistis' Centra orphanage.  
  
  
  
"Would it pain Martine *that much* to send a car?" Xu muttered darkly as   
she led the group down the road towards Galbadia Garden. The Headmaster knew   
there was going to be a group of them arriving and that they had two weeks   
worth of luggage with them. It was enough to make her want to run ahead, steal   
a car from the Garden, and drive back to pick up the cadets.  
  
Sierra nodded every time Zell pointed out something that caught his eye.   
Before long the outline of Galbadia Garden was in the distance. As they   
approached Sierra become less enchanted with it. It lacked the billowing   
curves, flowing water, and surrounding plant life of Balamb. On the other   
hand, this Garden did seem to be a product of its environment with the facade   
of the building complex done in shades of dusty red. A none-too-inviting   
serpentine head rose above the main gates. Sierra found herself already   
missing the calming blues that decorated Balamb's compound.  
  
"Kinda ugly, ain't it?" Zell remarked.  
  
Sierra's interest went from the Garden to a small group of monsters that   
were on an intercept course with them. She couldn't even fathom the oddity of   
one of them. It was like a flat pendulum swinging back and forth in the air.   
Her hand subconsciously sought out her weapon. No matter the nature of the   
monster, she was ready to defend herself.  
  
And just as she had herself psyched up for a fight one of the monsters   
fell to the ground inexplicably. A moment later another one fell. Sierra   
(along with everyone else) was at a loss to explain what was happening.  
  
It wasn't until they were at the perimeter gate that it finally made   
sense. A jerry-rigged crow's net was set atop the wall with a marksman sitting   
within. They couldn't see more of the sniper than the cowboy hat that he wore   
on his head.  
  
Sierra would have stopped to question the sniper further, but the group   
kept her moving into the Garden proper.  
  
"*This* is Galbadia Garden?" Zell asked, twisting around so that he could   
take in the grandeur of the facility around him. He was the most dazzled of   
the visiting cadets. Everyone else was anxious to get settled into their rooms   
and rest after their tour of Deling City.  
  
Xu wasn't opposed to the idea of resting herself. She could easily spend   
the evening with a book or, more likely, chatting with Quistis. But before   
that, she wanted to take the cadets down to the training room so that they   
could familiarize themselves with the facilities.  
  
Master Pan was waiting for her and her gaggle with a demonstration of his   
own. He wanted to match his latest Journeywoman against Xu's drill team.  
  
"I've never seen anything quite like it," Xu admitted while watching   
Rascal Jett perfectly mimic the kata Zell had just performed. It was a routine   
that no one outside of the drill team would know since it was developed   
especially for them.  
  
"Hmph," Sierra was less than impressed and left the group that was   
watching Rascal. Jordan just shook her head, and soon the entire team had   
dispersed to explore the Garden on their own.  
  
Pan asked Xu to take Rascal on as a student, but the SeeD wasn't sure what   
she had to offer the Journeywoman. Her skills were already on par with that of   
a graduating SeeD cadet.  
  
"Let me think on it," Xu replied. "You are my Master. In theory you've   
taught your student all that you've taught me. What else is there?"  
  
"There is what he did not teach you," Rascal answered, her intense eyes   
could be seen from behind her mask. It was hard for Xu to even establish with   
certainty what sort of build Rascal had because of all the obstructive clothing   
she wore. The costume was so... gaudy... the scarves, and beads, and whirling   
colors. Half of Xu's amazement came from Rascal being able to fight in such an   
outfit at all!  
  
Pan lowered his voice, "You know the Puzzle Stone and you know Anshin   
magic."  
  
"You can teach her the Stone," Xu replied. "In fact, it may be better to   
learn it that way. I've come to understand that the Anshin method is   
restrictive of the holder's creativity."  
  
"I would like to study under you," Rascal said in a tone that was almost   
pleading.  
  
"My hands are already full..." Xu gestured to where the members of the   
drill team had been.  
  
"She may not be convinced until she knows..." Pan said in an aside to   
Rascal. The young Mime nodded her head in agreement and the three of them went   
to Pan's office to discuss the matter in private.  
  
Once the door was closed and the blinds pulled, Pan began.  
  
"Mimes are a special case within the Guild. When a person chooses the   
life of a Mime they give up their old life -- friends, family, identity -- to   
devote themselves to the study of Guild arts. They often take up foolish names   
that are clearly not their own. Everything you see is a facade to disguise the   
true Weapons Master within."  
  
"So it is not without hesitation that I remove my mask," Rascal continued.   
"I must know, on your word as a Master, that you will not tie the past back to   
me -- that you will tell no one of who I was."  
  
"You have my word," Xu agreed after giving the request due consideration.   
She wouldn't make such a promise lightly.  
  
Xu's eyes widened, and she nodded quickly to acknowledge that she   
recognized the former West Hills student, Anya. "Why did you... switch to this   
type of training?" If Xu recalled correctly, Anya was close to becoming a   
Master. Another year of study under Mistress Niethe and she would have had it.   
Why give that up and essentially start over?  
  
"I was approached by the Master of the Mimes, which is a great honor.   
Only those whom he considers to be the very best are selected. When I am   
finished, I will be one of the greatest Weapons Mistresses in the world. Such   
an opportunity is more than I could have ever hoped for," Rascal explained.  
  
The Master of the Mimes, a Master no one knows except for those he   
recruits to join him. He is the only one who can determine when his Journeymen   
have completed their training. Since they spent most of their time studying   
under other Masters, they didn't see him all that often.  
  
"I can respect wanting to be the best," Xu replied with a touch of a smile   
tugging at the corners of her lips. "I'm still not sure what I can teach you.   
This Anshin magic Pan keeps speaking of is an enigma I have yet to unravel   
entirely. I can, however, show you some interesting things I've learned while   
working within my Puzzle Stone. I've discovered that they are a more useful   
tool than I once thought."  
  
With Rascal's thanks Xu left the training room to find Quistis. After a   
bit more discussion, Rascal left Pan's domain as well. Pan left his office and   
went to the main floor to observe the students who were currently sparring.  
  
Five minutes passed...  
  
Then ten...  
  
And finally...  
  
"How long are you going to sulk in that damn corner," Pan taunted without   
directly addressing his shadow.  
  
The student came forward. He was in his mid-teens and his body had yet to   
fully make the transition from boy to man. A cowboy hat sat on his head of   
roguishly curly hair. A simple band tried to keep the mane in place trailing   
down his back. Already Irvine Kinneas fancied himself as a lady's man. The   
thought made Pan laugh, though his assertion couldn't be entirely discounted.   
He did have his group of admirers.  
  
"I got thirteen monsters with 30 bullets," he reported with a touch of   
pride.  
  
Pan shook his head. "You call that the work of a marksman? You should be   
one for one."  
  
Irvine scowled. "Belhelmels take at least two shots. One to make them   
stop swinging and another to finish the job."  
  
"That's a weak excuse. I'm surprised that you would even offer it.   
You'll go out there again tomorrow with 15 bullets. I expect the same number   
of kills." Pan gave Irvine a disapproving look and left to correct the stance   
of some other students.  
  
  
  
Even though Quistis had seen Xu not long ago, Xu hadn't been in a very   
social mood then. (Having one's most prized training facility turned to rubble   
tends to do that). Now Xu was determined to make up for the lost opportunty   
and insisted that Quistis show her around. One of the first places they went   
was to Quistis' classroom. Sure, it didn't look any different than any other   
Instructor's, but this realm of learning was hers to control.  
  
"Are there any promising SeeD cadets in your class?" Xu inquired as they   
meandered towards the Cafeteria for dinner.  
  
"A few, yes," Quistis confirmed. Near the end of the term it was easy to   
tell who was likely to pass the written exam and who wasn't. "One of my best   
students isn't a SeeD cadet through. He's an officer cadet named Wedge. I   
tried to convince him to change allegance, but he wouldn't go for it."  
  
A slight disapproving scowl crossed Xu's features. "A SeeD Instructor is   
training Galbadia cadets...?"  
  
"Wedge is the exception to the rule, I assure you," Quistis explained   
quickly. "He outstripped his Galbadian teachers a couple years ago. He's   
smart, observant, thoughtful in his questions. Heh, I'm the only Instructor on   
staff that is able to challenge him.  
  
"And.." she continued more softly, "it's kind of nice to have someone to   
speak with who understands what I'm saying..."  
  
"Yes, I'm sure it is," the senior SeeD allowed with modest sympathy.   
Quistis would always be in search of an intellectual equal. Xu wouldn't scold   
her if she managed to find one in the uniform of a Galbadian officer.  
  
  
  
Kei didn't let up from the gallop her Chocobo ran at until she was nearly   
to the Anshin compound. She amused herself with the thought of setting a land   
speed records with how quickly she raced from one end of Centra to the other.   
Monsters weren't known to attack Chocobos to begin with, but if any had gotten   
the idea in their heads they would have been hard pressed to catch up the bird   
and its rider.  
  
The SeeD was hot, sticky, and had a single pressing thought on her mind.  
  
"Is the HD back up?" Kei called to the first person she saw after she   
passed through the Chocobo gate.  
  
The stableman shook his head.  
  
"Has the weekly transport left yet?"  
  
"They just arrived and are currently unloading cargo."  
  
Kei led her mount towards the stables and handed him over to the waiting   
keeper. "You've served me well," she stroked the Chocobo's head before setting   
out to find the transport captain. He would likely be with the elders going   
over the ship's manifest.  
  
Her guess was on the mark and she approached the captain after he and the   
head elder were finished with their business. "Would it be possible for you to   
divert to Balamb before you go to Dollet? SeeD will pay whatever fee you   
require."  
  
The captain was caught off guard by such a request. No one had ever asked   
him to divert his route before. His was a cargo ship that occasionally carried   
passengers. "Normally I'd be open to the idea, but you aren't the only person   
seeking passage this trip. I can't change our route for a single person."  
  
"Captain," the head elder had overheard Kei's request and came over to   
smooth the way. "If the Spirit requests to go to Balamb, then your Anshin   
passengers will go to Balamb."  
  
The captain seemed dubious that people would be so forgiving about a   
change in their travel plans.  
  
"I wouldn't make this request if the HD wasn't still down, but I must   
return to Balamb as soon as possible!" Kei insisted.  
  
The elder studied her intently. "Did you discover a dangerous monster   
during your travels?"  
  
"You could say that," Kei hedged, unwilling to disclose what little she   
knew of her discovery.  
  
"Captain, if you require payment before taking the Spirit to Balamb, we   
will provide it. Please depart as soon as possible."  
  
The captain scratched the back of his head while shaking it. "No   
payment's required, elder. If everyone agrees to a detour then we'll go to   
Balamb as fast as my ship will take us."  
  
  
  
Sierra wouldn't have imagined herself in such a situation if it weren't   
for Xu dragging her along wherever she went. Currently she was seated on the   
floor of Galbadia's training room with its Master, the Mime, Xu, and herself in   
a circle. She'd gotten used to sitting on the floor when having these little   
"stone" sessions, but why did Xu have to drag so many people into it? The fact   
that Sierra was even taking part of this exercise embarrassed her greatly.  
  
"I'd like you to help lead Rascal," Xu directed. "Your training has been   
unorthodox from the start. Your prompting may open the way for Rascal to   
experience greater variety in how she uses the Stone."  
  
Sierra rolled her eyes. She didn't want to have anything to do with this   
and the fact that Xu was going to pull her in one way or another annoyed her.  
  
"Just do what they say and it'll work out," Sierra advised Rascal after   
being poked in the side by Xu.  
  
The place where the four of them met within the realm of the Stone was a   
mockup of Balamb's training room (since Xu was the focus during this session).   
Pan took a moment to study his surroundings before giving his approval. When   
it came to Guild matters, he would always examine everything Xu did with keen   
interest.  
  
With Sierra's help Xu demonstrated how to find pools of color and what   
could be done with them. The Mime was extremely interested in this. She   
absorbed every word that came from their lips like a sponge to water. Pan was   
intrigued as well since it was an application of the Stone that he had never   
seen before.  
  
"Is this Anshin magic?" the Mime asked.  
  
Xu shrugged. "Is it exclusive to them? Probably not, but they do   
actively practice it from what I understand. The elders have always emphasized   
that having a balance in ones surroundings created a balance in life. I never   
understood how it worked until I saw the pools of magic that are all around us   
naturally."  
  
Once Rascal and Pan were comfortable with influencing the colors around   
them, Xu released her control of their mutual reality and let Sierra influence   
it. The change in setting was a surprise to them all. Sierra had meant to   
take them somewhere noncommittal; like Balamb Garden's Quad. But when one was   
within the Stone even a fleeting thought was enough to radically change the   
surroundings.  
  
Nothing could match the vista Summit enjoyed. The endless snow spread   
out like a blanket across the valley below and made the Garden complex stick   
out like a button. The cold that usually reigned didn't hold sway here and any   
shivering was purely psychological.  
  
Rascal gave a low, appreciative whistle. "The view is remarkable."  
  
"I must admit that I've never seen anything like it," Pan concurred.   
"Where are we?"  
  
"Trabia," Xu answered when it became obvious that Sierra was lost in her   
thoughts.  
  
Wordlessly, Sierra knelt down and could *feel* the snow beneath her   
fingertips. Even if this was a conjecture of her mind and magic, she very much   
wished it were real. When would be the next time she could visit home and hike   
up here? She closed her eyes ruefully when she realized that the next   
opportunity could be *years* from now. When she graduated (she had no doubt   
that she would) she would be deployed and that was that.  
  
'This is the place that is closest to my heart,' Sierra thought wistfully   
as she looked out over the horizon. There was no other place on the planet   
that she would rather be.  
  
Xu crouched down next to her and whispered, "Homesick?"  
  
Sierra's eyes darted over to the SeeD. She stood up and smoothed her   
skirt out before taking firm control of their mutual reality. "Sorry," she   
said simply before changing things back to a definitionless void that was often   
the starting point within the Stone.  
  
At Xu's prompting Rascal took a turn at controlling their surroundings.   
The rest of the session was lost on Sierra. Her thoughts still lingered on   
Trabia even though her body was thousands of kilometers away. After their   
session Xu gave the cadet leave for the rest of the evening. Obviously Sierra   
wanted to be alone right now.  
  
Xu meandered in the direction of the dormitory. It was early enough in   
the evening that cadets would still be out of their rooms chatting and working   
on projects in the study lounge. She hadn't expected to find anyone she   
recognized, but was glad to see that Quistis was making the rounds to offer   
unsolicited help.  
  
The young Instructor had never once asked Xu for advice when it came to   
handling problem students or difficult situations. Xu wondered if Quistis made   
use of the same resources she had when she was earning her teaching   
credentials. Even though Quistis was the same age (if not a year or two   
younger) than her students, Xu could see the respect that the held for her.  
  
Quistis had done well for herself, better than Xu realistically expected.   
It's never easy to gain the respect of those who may not give it because of   
rank alone. The problem was one Quistis had encountered when she first entered   
Balamb Garden as a student and her classmates resented her for her sharp mind.   
Xu had feared a repeat with Quistis' students resenting her for her rank.   
Having defeated the demon of jealousy once before undoubtedly helped her with   
this situation.  
  
Xu sincerely believed that Quistis would be one of Balamb Garden's   
greatest Instructors.  
  
  
  
The informal demonstration Martine wanted was child's play when compared   
to the more difficult exhibitions the team had given up to this point. That's   
not to say that Martine wasn't as harsh of a judge, simply that the team had   
gone through the routine so many times that they could perform it in their   
sleep.  
  
It was an open exhibition in the large auditorium that anyone who wished   
to attend was invited to. Afterwards, under Pan and Xu's watchful eyes, the   
Balamb and Galbadia cadets sparred with a sizable crowd staying behind to watch   
the action. To Martine, this was the most interesting part of the   
demonstration.  
  
If one were keeping score (which Martine most certainly was) the Balamb   
cadets had just taken a two-to-one win advantage over their Galbadia brothren.  
  
"Once again Balamb Garden humiliates me with the quality of their   
personnel," Martine drawled. "Master Pan, can't you do something about this?"   
The Headmaster waved his hand at the students who were sparring.  
  
"It I only had a dozen students to train who were potential Journeyman to   
begin with and could drill to the point Xu has, then yes, you'd also have   
cadets like these ones," Pan explained without any resentment or bitterness in   
his tone. Both trainers knew that the students Xu had brought with her were   
the cream of the Balamb crop. If Pan had the resources he could create a team   
like hers and then it would be a true competition to see whose cadets were   
better.  
  
Martine made a disgruntled noise deep in the back of his throat. "Fine,   
Balamb has the better cadets as well as Instructors. When you return, tell Cid   
to throw me a bone and let me keep Trepe permanently as one of my staff. It's   
the least he can do to allow me the chance to catch up!"  
  
"I'll pass that along," Xu agreed diplomatically. She wasn't sure if   
she'd be flattered or filled with dread if she were Quistis and faced with the   
prospect of being stationed at Galbadia. No matter what Martine wanted, the   
chance of Quistis remaining beyond her contracted time was a remote one at   
best. No, Quistis was a Balamb SeeD through and through.  
  
Martine retreated from the auditorium with a rain cloud over his head.   
Once the dour man was gone the two Masters were free to discuss training   
techniques as much as wanted without interruption. Pan had attented a Guild   
confrence recently and she was curious to know the lastest buzz within the   
Guild.  
  
Her discussion with Pan reminded Xu that she meant to seek out Sarah's   
crush while she was here. It turned out that Pan had one other Guild student   
training under him currently besides Rascal Jett. With the Master's   
permission, she decided to find the lad and see just what sort of man he was.  
  
  
  
The next morning Xu went to the crow's nest Irvine was practicing from.   
She didn't have much time to talk with him before the team caught the train   
that would take them back to Balamb. Xu was nearly to the top of the rickety   
ladder when she came to a halt. Irvine and a SeeD cadet were enjoying each   
other's company instead of shooting down monsters.  
  
Xu sighed inwardly. It wasn't her intention to interrupt them -- she now   
had the answer she'd come for -- but the ladder creaked as she went down.  
  
"Irvy!" The female gasped at discovering that they'd been caught. "Oh no!   
She might go tell Instructor Sakachi!"  
  
"Don't worry!" Irvine resettled the hat on his head and then slid down the   
ladder to catch up with Xu. "Hey!" he called when he hit the ground. Xu   
glanced over her shoulder but didn't stop walking. His longer legs and quicker   
pace carried him over to her before she could enter the Garden proper.  
  
"Yes?" Xu asked with a touch of annoyance in her tone when he stopped her.  
  
"Please don't tell Instructor Sakachi. It was my fault for distracting   
her," he launched into his explanation. Xu cut him off with a sharp gesture.  
  
"It's not my place to reprimand either of you. I just hope you realize   
that by neglecting your post people's lives could be at risk. Not everyone is   
capable of defending themselves from monsters."  
  
Irvine bowed his head and laughed softly. "It's not the focus of my   
training to defend others. I shoot at monsters because they're ranged moving   
targets, nothing more."  
  
"It's dangerous to detach yourself from the problems of others like that,"   
Xu warned, her eyebrows knitted together in vexation.  
  
"As a sniper I'm already detached from everyone else. I have to be able   
to concentrate on a level few can achieve. I can't allow anything to hold me   
back from putting all of my will behind a single bullet."  
  
"Is that so?" Xu scoffed. "Then don't let your friend distract you!"  
  
With that Xu turned on her heel and continued into the Garden. Irvine was   
left with more to say and no one to say it to. He scratched the back of his   
head and then shrugged. "Everyone's got to have an outlet... Geez, and I   
thought she said she wasn't going to reprimand me."  
  
Irvine gave up on the disagreeable SeeD and returned to his post where he   
sniped monsters for the rest of the morning.  
  
  
  
The door was opened to Cid's office for Xu before she stepped inside. She   
walked up to his desk, saluted, and glanced about at the room's other   
occupants. Kei was seated on the couch to the right. Kadowaki was seated to   
the left. A pair of displays gave presence at this meeting to Martine and   
Rebecca.  
  
Xu hadn't expected such a gathering when she came up to the Headmaster's   
office to report on the drill team's tour. If she had, she wouldn't have   
brought the Odine weapons that she held at her side with her. She wanted the   
Headmaster's opinion on them since he was more knowledgeable in the ways of the   
Sorceresses than she was.  
  
In fact, she had expected Cid to delay her verbal report until tomorrow   
since there was no urgency to it. Her assumption wasn't the case, for he'd   
sent SeeDs to the station to pick up the team and shuttle them to the Garden as   
quickly as possible. She wasn't given the chance to return her bags to her   
room. The SeeDs assured that it would be taken care of for her.  
  
"Welcome back, SeeD Xu, I trust that your trip was a safe and successful   
one," Cid greeted formally.  
  
"It was, sir," she responded.  
  
"Very good, please sit," he motioned to the couch Kei was on. "Now that   
we're all here, we need to make some decisions. SeeD Kei has recently returned   
from an investigative mission to the Cape of Good Hope. She discovered that   
the orphanage has been abandoned and, even more troubling, she found the bodies   
of Edea's two aides."  
  
The news hit Xu like a punch to the stomach. Dead..? She shot a glance   
over at her cousin. Kei's face was a mask, even to Xu. The pit in her stomach   
grew.  
  
"Were you able to determine the cause or time of death, SeeD Kei?" Rebecca   
asked, a thoughtful expression on her face that could easily turn to concern   
depending upon Kei's answers.  
  
"I'm not a coroner, but I would say that they had been there for a couple   
weeks. The corpses had deep gashes in the body. They were impaled."  
  
"Did you find the weapon?" Rebecca pressed.  
  
"I didn't. There weren't any tracks either, though they could have been   
removed by environmental factors."  
  
"Sorceresses aren't known for leaving tracks," Martine said. The visual   
pick up did little to dampen the grumpy look of the Galbadia Headmaster.   
"Edea's always been a fan of ice lances. In Centra's heat the murder weapon   
would be melted long before anyone got there to investigate."  
  
'How could...? How could Edea...? No!' Xu's mind cut off the thought   
before it finished forming. She didn't want to believe that the diminutive   
woman she'd met not so long ago had murdered her closest confidants. As much   
as she didn't want to believe it, that didn't mean it wasn't true...  
  
She felt a pang of guilt deep within herself. She'd questioned Jerrick's   
loyalty to the Sorceress... He and Jessica stood by her even though they knew   
it would cost them their lives.  
  
"This all confirms what we suspected. Edea has finally gone mad," Martine   
leaned closer to the display. "What are you going to do about it, Cid?"  
  
The Balamb Headmaster held up a hand to belay Martine's upcoming outburst.   
"We knew that this would happen and planned accordingly. Edea has mentioned on   
several occasions how fractured the powers of the Sorceress are. Lacking   
rational thought, I would assume that the desire to consolidate that power   
would be a driving force in her actions.  
  
"Edea confirmed this possibility before losing herself. We drafted a list   
of people we know contain at least some power. It's not a complete list, but   
it gives us a place to start. I propose that we deploy SeeDs to protect these   
potential targets."  
  
"How many people are we looking at?" Rebecca asked.  
  
"More than two dozen," Cid tapped a few keys on his terminal and sent the   
list of identified targets to the two Headmasters.  
  
Rebecca pursed her lips, not liking the potential deployments that her   
mind was producing. "Things are going to be tight if we wanted to guard them   
all for an unspecified amount of time on the possibility that Edea might attack   
them. If we sent our usual squads of three we couldn't cover them all and   
maintain our other obligations. And you say that there are more out there that   
you haven't identified yet? I'd feel better having some SeeDs in reserve if   
that's the case..."  
  
"As usual, you're quick to assess the situation," Cid gave an approving   
smile before becoming serious again. "A majority of the these people are   
Galbadia nationals. I would like to ask for help from the Galbadian government   
in protecting its citizens."  
  
"Sir," Xu politely interrupted the Headmaster. Her voice was hollow, she   
was still feeling shaken because of the deaths of the White SeeDs. "I believe   
that Galbadia is already gearing up for a conflict against the Sorceress." She   
pulled out the sword she brought with her, removed it from its scabbard, and   
displayed it to those assembled.  
  
"Galbadia has commissioned the creation of two hundred daggers plated in   
the metal Doctor Odine created to contain the Sorceresses. This sword was one   
of the prototype weapons the Smith created to test the process," she explained.   
"The name for the new class of weapon is 'Mage Masher'."  
  
Cid silently digested this news while examining the sword in her hands.   
"Very well. Thank you, Xu," he said after a long pause. "For those who are   
under possible threat and are willing, we can temporarily relocate them to the   
Gardens."  
  
"And have civilians running around our Gardens?!" Martine protested.  
  
"Martine, every preventative action that could have been taken has been.   
This is the next step. If you won't welcome Galbadians into your Garden, then   
the citizens of Balamb will!" Kadowaki retorted, speaking for the first time   
since the meeting began.  
  
"It might be safer for them at Balamb or Trabia any way," Rebecca added.   
"Trabia is the Garden of magic, we have the defenses to give a Sorceress a run   
for her money. Balamb has more SeeDs on hand at any time, even after all of   
the deployable ones are sent out. Do you have any recommendations on specific   
assignments?"  
  
"Hum..." Cid leaned back in his chair to consider the question. "First,   
do either of you need reinforcements from Balamb? Protecting the Gardens has   
to be our top priority."  
  
"Trabia can take care of herself," Rebecca assured.  
  
"We're fine," Martine seconded.  
  
Cid scanned the list looking for assignments that he could give out now.   
"Two of the people are residents of Balamb town. Doctor Kadowaki, would you   
please act as the Garden's envoy and convince them that here is a safer place   
to be for the time being?"  
  
The Doctor accepted her assignment with a nod.  
  
"Kei, you're returning to Centra," the Headmaster looked up from the list   
to meet her eyes. "Your father is the one you'll be protecting. I'm certain   
that the rest of the elders would make attractive targets as well. Charter a   
vessel and leave as soon as possible.  
  
"The rest of these I'll have to think on. I also need to contact   
President Deling. I'll send a message to you both as soon as I have something   
more solid."  
  
"We await your directions, Cid," Rebecca spoke for both her and Martine   
before the link was cut.  
  
"I'll go to Balamb now and invite our guests here," Kadowaki said after   
accepting a print out from Cid.  
  
"I'm going as well," Kei stood up and gave Xu a quick hug. "Sorry I   
didn't get to see you longer before running off."  
  
Xu didn't need to tell Kei to protect their families and clansmen. The   
look on Kei's face told her that nothing short of Kei's death would allow harm   
to come to them. "Be well." She pressed the sheathed sword into Kei's hands   
and her cousin bowed her head solemnly.  
  
Cid and Xu remained in the Headmaster's office to figure out how to best   
use SeeD's resources. President Deling was more than co-operative when it came   
to releasing supplemental forces for SeeD to deploy. His prompt willingness   
left Xu feeling ill at ease. Deling wasn't so generous if there wasn't   
something in it for him. It was a concern Xu shared after Cid had closed the   
com link.  
  
"I agree," he said, reflecting upon his conversation with the President.   
"If I had to hazard a guess I would say that he's hoping to make contact with   
Edea before we do."  
  
"Why would he want to?" By her reasoning, it wasn't a good idea to seek   
out a person whose sanity was highly in doubt.  
  
The Headmaster shrugged. "I can only speculate. Maybe he thinks that   
Edea can help him increase his holdings as Adel once did."  
  
"But Adel didn't actively help him," Xu protested. Even if half the world   
saw Vinzer Deling as an evil man, he still held some small measure of respect   
with most people. Respect that would dissolve quickly if they believed that he   
was on the side of a woman who *was* evil to the core.  
  
"They didn't have a signed alliance, no, though it was because of the   
opportunities she created that he was able to make the most of the situation.   
Who knows for sure? We will be keeping a close eye on him."  
  
It was well past dinner by the time Cid was satisfied with the   
assignments. During that time Kadowaki had returned to report her progress.   
Both of the Balamb women would be moved into the Garden in the morning. The   
Doctor then chided them for not eating and had meals sent up from the   
Cafeteria.  
  
Cid placed a hand over Xu's and gave it a firm squeeze. "You're the SeeD   
I place in charge of Balamb Garden's protection. I have the utmost confidence   
in your ability to assure our safety."  
  
Xu silently bowed her head in acknowledgement. She didn't need to (nor   
could she, if she had to) put into words the stirring in her soul at the   
responsibility Cid had given her. Carbuncle made its presence known, agreeing   
that together they would protect the Garden.  
  
"The written exam is in a couple days. As soon as Sierra de Ling has   
graduated I want her sent to Winhill."  
  
Xu didn't correct the Headmaster in assuming that Sierra would graduate.   
The cadet was as much of a shoe-in as Xu herself had been. "There aren't any   
targets in Winhill. Why send Sierra there when she could join the party going   
to Timber?"  
  
"Winhill has suffered greatly at the whims of the Sorceresses. I want the   
people there to know that SeeD has not forgotten about them -- especially if   
this turns into another Sorceress War."  
  
  
  
[Question 1.12]  
  
A man is found laying face down on the ground. What do you do?  
  
A. Go to him and see if he is still alive.  
B. Search the immediate surroundings.  
C. Ignore him and continue on your way.  
  
  
'Hmm, a trick question,' Sierra thought as she considered her answer.   
They were testing to see what her priorities were. All three answers were   
technically correct for different reasons. The humanitarian in her should go   
help the man if he's injured. The cautious part of her would want to search   
the surroundings to see if whatever caused the man to fall was still around to   
do the same to her. And, strictly speaking, if she were to adhere to the   
letter of SeeD's contract she would ignore the man since it made no mention of   
assisting others along the way. Compassion, prudence, or strict adherence.   
Which was the attribute that would score her the most points on this   
question..?  
  
The correct answer was B, she decided. Cid was a compassionate man, he   
would be disappointed if she turned her back entirely on a bad situation when   
she could have easily made a difference. Though, she should make sure the area   
was secure (in case of traps or monsters), then see if the man was alive.  
  
She hit the submit key and the next question popped up. She'd been in the   
test for under an hour and already it felt like an eternity.  
  
  
  
Rascal Jett stood on the platform of the Far East Station waiting for the   
train to Deling City to arrive. A few travelers from the Garden milled around   
as they also waited. The peacefulness of the morning invited her to lull   
herself into quietly reflecting upon what she had learned at Galbadia Garden.   
Master Pan was truly an exceptional teacher. She was extremely grateful that   
he had been willing to take her on as a student, but now it was time for her to   
move on.  
  
Her next stop was a little village along Mandy beach called Paradise. She   
had never been there before, but already the name had set her standards high   
for the place. Even if Paradise didn't live up to its name she would be happy   
if the throwing darts Mistress who lived there consented to training her.  
  
The train pulled into the station and settled to a halt. Arriving   
passengers streamed out before the departing ones were allowed to board.   
Rascal found herself sitting alone in a passenger car when the train was ready   
to disembark. She expected the conductor to soon come through and nudge her to   
join her fellow passengers in another car, so she savored the privacy she had   
now before that happened.  
  
The door between cars behind her slid open and shut again. Rascal bowed   
her head and hoped the conductor would let her be if he thought she was asleep.  
  
"Anya..." A woman's voice said from beside her seat. The Mime ignored the   
woman by refusing to look up at her. Anya wasn't a name she answered to any   
longer.  
  
"Do you know why you are a Mime?" The woman persisted. A chill drove down   
Rascal's spine and her eyes flicked over at the woman standing in the aisle.   
She was a slender wisp in a long gown that followed the curves of her body.   
The headgear she wore was just as outlandish as any Mime's.  
  
"Who are-?"  
  
The woman put a grotesquely long finger up to her purple colored lips to   
silence her.  
  
"Did you know that Mimes are chosen because they hold within themselves a   
fragment of a Sorceress's powers? That wonderful ability of yours to   
effortlessly mimic anyone's skills does not belong to you, my dear." The woman   
reached out her frightful hand to stroke along Rascal's cheek. "It belongs to   
me!"  
  
The woman's eyes lit up with the finality of her intentions as a shard of   
ice pierced Rascal's chest. The stunned Mime's eyes went wide as the deathblow   
securely fastened her to her seat. A faint aura was released from the still   
warm body. Sorceress Edea held her hand out to draw the power to her.  
  
This was one of the more powerful Mimes she had located thus far, but   
still barely worth the effort. No matter. Purging the world of the false   
Sorceresses with only a tenuous claim to her proud heritage was the important   
part. Once the power had been consolidated, then she could carry out the next   
part of her plan.  
  
Edea turned away from the dead Mime and walked down the aisle into a   
portal of her own creation. When the conductor came through 15 minutes later   
to collect tickets he had a grisly surprise in store.  
  
  
  
[Question 6.15]  
  
Which of the following magic / items can be used to refine Curaga magic?  
  
  
Sierra worked through the test with little thought going into her answers.   
The correct responses were drilled into her to the point of reflex. Question.   
Answer. Cause. Effect. It was so systematic. She could be out of her mind   
and still know what to do. It was like it was a part of her, hard wired into   
her brain.  
  
  
[Question 7.4]  
  
What factors contribute towards speeding up the time it takes for a   
Guardian Force to reply to a summons?  
  
  
Why was she here? To answer questions?  
  
  
[Question 7.7]  
  
What magics are available for drawing from the monsters that populate   
Mandy Beach?  
  
  
Didn't she enter the SeeD program so that she could see the world? How   
could she do that if she died fighting a monster on Mandy Beach?  
  
  
[Question 7.10]  
  
Which monsters would you seek out if you were looking for Magic Stones?  
  
  
She'd never meant to cross paths with an Anshin, but she had, and the   
meeting allowed her the chance to air the injustice her family suffered.   
Wasn't that enough?  
  
  
[Question 7.13]  
  
Why would you not cast a Reflect spell while battling a Ruby Dragon?  
  
  
So why was she still here..? Both Xu and the Headmaster said that they   
wouldn't let her leave until she had decided what to do with her life. She   
still didn't know for sure, but she had a fairly good idea of what she *didn't*   
want to do with it.  
  
  
[Question 8.3]  
  
Which spell and Guardian Force combination is most effective if you want   
to make yourself immune to Bio, Darkness, and Silence?  
  
  
She tapped the answers in without even seeing them. Instinctively knowing   
what she was expected to say.  
  
This was ridiculous.  
  
She put her hands on the edge of the terminal and pushed herself up. The   
other cadets taking the exam didn't even notice her as she walked towards the   
front of the room. The Shumi proctor shook its robes in a disapproving manner.   
She hadn't signaled that she was finished with her test, thus she shouldn't   
have left her seat. Without pausing to explain herself she brushed past it and   
out the door.  
  
The junior classmen outside tried to stop her to ask what her score was,   
but she shoved by them as well. They looked around, confused as to what they   
should mark her down as. Zell ran up to her. He wanted to hear that Sierra   
had passed, but was prepared to offer condolences if she hadn't.  
  
What a silly game they all played.  
  
"Sierra? What's wrong?" Zell kept pace with her as she strode towards the   
lift.  
  
"Xu's the Assistant Headmaster, right?"  
  
Zell paused, caught off guard by the question. "Well, yeah, but she's   
just Xu, right?"  
  
"Right," Sierra pressed the close door button before Zell could get in.  
  
Never before had things felt so right. There was almost a spring in her   
step as she made her way to Xu's office. Finally... Finally she understood   
what her grandfather wanted for. It was a type of freedom she couldn't   
appreciate until she found it within herself.  
  
The door to Xu's office was open with the Instructor studying her   
terminal's display. Sierra knocked on the doorframe to announce her arrival.   
Xu glanced up and waved her in before she put the finishing touches on her   
handiwork.  
  
"What can I do for you?"  
  
"Assistant Headmaster," she snapped a textbook salute before releasing it.  
  
That caught Xu's attention. She motioned for Sierra to close the door   
behind her before continuing.  
  
"I've come to tender my resignation from the SeeD program." Sierra never   
took her eyes away from the ones that matched her own. Both of Xu's eyebrows   
arched up as surprise registered across her features.  
  
"You took your written exam today, didn't you?" Xu turned to her terminal   
and pulled up the real time results from the test. "Even if you did fail, we   
can work out a tutoring program that will cover the areas that you're weak..."   
Her voice trailed off when she saw Sierra's scored test. "You didn't finish,   
but you still passed."  
  
"Yes, I know."  
  
"Then why..?"  
  
"While taking the test I realized how blind I've been. I joined the SeeD   
program in Trabia because it seemed to be the next step. That's what all the   
junior classmen were doing. And when I transferred here, it's because that was   
where the SeeD program led. The entire time I've let the current carry me   
without putting any efforts into setting my own course.  
  
"This isn't what I want. Sure, I can make it as a SeeD, but that doesn't   
mean that I should be one. There are other things I want to do with my life   
that I may not be able to if I go as I have been. Being killed or disabled   
could bring a quick end to many of my dreams.  
  
"So, I quit. I resign. I'll go pack my bags and get out of your hair.   
You've put up with me for far longer and with more patience than any person   
should."  
  
Xu rubbed the bridge of her nose briefly. "I'm sorry to hear you say   
that. Not only would you have made a fine SeeD; I'm going to miss your   
company."  
  
Sierra's expression didn't change at that admission. After all the   
fighting and yelling, they shared a bond that would be missed by both.  
  
"You'll need to speak with the Headmaster before your resignation is   
official," Xu continued.  
  
"Can't you make it official? You're the next in line after all." Sierra   
didn't want to face the Headmaster with this. Telling Xu was hard enough.  
  
Xu nodded her head slowly. "I can, but I don't want to accept it."  
  
"You have to step on my tail one more time, eh?" Sierra's mouth quirked   
into a half-smile.  
  
"I want you to have the chance to think about this before going through   
with it. I think you should take the field exam before you reach a decision.   
You've come a long way to give up when you're so close to the finish line."  
  
"Fine, I'll take the field exam, but I'm not going to change my mind,"   
Sierra folded her arms across her chest in defiance.  
  
Xu chuckled at Sierra's resolve. "Far be it from me to change a stubborn   
Anshin's mind," she teased.  
  
Sierra's expression twisted, but remained silent. Not so long ago she   
would have replied tartly to such ribbing. The subtle change in Sierra's   
language and actions hadn't been lost on Xu.  
  
She smiled inwardly. She doubted that Sierra's brusque manner would ever   
be completely softened, but definite progress had been made. No longer did Xu   
look on with dread when Sierra was taking part in a social gathering. She had   
learned when to curb her tongue. The drill team's evening with President   
Deling was the test that proved it.  
  
"Since you're leaving I don't need to watch over you any more. Go find   
your friends and let them know of your decision," Xu waved her off.  
  
"Xu..?"  
  
"Go on, I have other work to do," Xu smiled to take any sting there may   
have been out of her words. "If you need anything you know where to find me."  
  
"Yeah, see ya," Sierra left the office. On the way out she paused to   
watch the other students as they practiced their kata. Aucifer marched along   
the sides of the mats, barking instructions to his students as they went along.  
  
What was she *doing*? She felt relieved that she would soon be leaving   
the Garden and at the same time was sad. She wanted to get angry at the part   
of her that would miss this place, but couldn't. Sure, she'd had a rough time   
of it, especially with regards to Xu, but she could let it be. At some point   
she'd grown attached to this place and she was going to miss it.  
  
"Hey, why'd you run off like that?" Zell placed a hand on her shoulder and   
huffed. "The Faculty said you passed the test. Let's go celebrate!"  
  
Sierra's lips tightened. "I going to withdraw from the Garden. I don't   
want to be a SeeD."  
  
"The field exam's got ya that nervous already?" Zell gave her another slap   
on the shoulder and laughed, mistaking what she said. "There's nothing to   
worry about. I'm sure you'll do fine! C'mon, let's see if 'structor Xu's   
ready for dinner."  
  
Sierra winced, but not because of the thumping Zell was giving her   
shoulder. "She's released me from her charge. I don't have to be underfoot   
anymore."  
  
"Really? That's great! I knew it wouldn't take her long to see what a   
great person ya are!" He bounced towards the door. "Today is definitely a day   
to celebrate!"  
  
"Yeah..." Sierra drawled with a final backwards glance at Xu's office.  
  
Aucifer frowned as the pair of cadets left the training room. He'd   
overheard their conversation and was curious. He mulled the possibilities   
until he had a chance to speak with Xu about them.  
  
"Yes, Sierra submitted her resignation this afternoon. It hasn't been   
accepted yet," Xu confirmed without looking up from the display she was   
studying.  
  
"Dammit," Aucifer slammed the palm of his hand against the doorframe to   
her office. Xu gave him a quizzical look. "How can you just let her leave   
after everything you've done for her? She's gotten one of the finest   
educations in the world from this Garden. She owes SeeD at least a couple   
years of service if she's qualified!"  
  
Xu laughed and shook her head. "No... She's from Trabia. That Garden   
*is* their educational system, they're not required to apply for the SeeD   
program if they don't want to. Besides, military service is not compulsory.   
We won't force anyone into battle if they won't go willingly."  
  
"But!" Aucifer was at a loss to express the frustration he felt. "You   
fought so hard for her to remain a student here. Doesn't it disappoint you   
that she'll just leave? You've given her every opportunity to make something   
of herself and she's throwing it back in your face."  
  
The SeeD shook her head again. "The only obligation I held myself to was   
to try to right a wrong committed two generations ago. If all she wants out of   
the deal is an education then I've gotten off easy."  
  
It was Aucifer's turn to be confused.  
  
"It's a private matter, but I'm content if Sierra decides to leave. The   
only thing I asked was that she takes the field exam. After that, she's free   
to make her own way through life."  
  
"I honestly don't understand you. Every time I think I finally have you   
figured out you go and do something that's completely contradictory. Is that   
an Anshin trait or what?" Aucifer asked ruefully.  
  
"No, it's called being a woman."  
  
Aucifer's face screwed up, unsure if she was joking or not. He left her   
office still confused on the matter, but not willing to pursue the issue.  
  
Alone once again, Xu turned to her Stone so that she could speak with   
Carbuncle. She's felt an overwhelming sense of dread earlier in the day. At   
the time, Xu had firmly swallowed the feeling down despite her knuckles   
whitening due to the grip she had on her desk. Something horrible had   
happened. Maybe Carbuncle could provide some insight...  
  
  
  
It was nearly midnight when the call came in from Pan. Rascal Jett was   
murdered on the train going to Deling City. There were no suspects in the case   
and the conditions of the crime were baffling.  
  
Baffling, but not unfamiliar.  
  
She didn't tell the Master that. As much as she would have liked to   
return to Deling City for Rascal's funeral, she knew that it wouldn't be   
possible. The field exam was soon in coming and there was a Sorceress on the   
loose...  
  
  
  
The field exam was everything Sierra expected it to be. The mission was   
real with SeeD to cover them if they failed. The adrenaline that rushed   
through her veins was like a drug, pushing her to new, spectacular heights.   
During the test she kept asking herself if she could give this up.  
  
Failing the test was easy -- over three quarters of the Garden's students   
did it every term. A few minor mistakes and there would be no more dilemma.   
She wouldn't be a SeeD and could resign with a clear conscience.  
  
Except that it was against her nature to shirk any task given to her.   
Like... Xu's stupid story journals. Once she knew that Xu was serious about   
it, she studied them faithfully every night even though they pissed her off.   
It was with that sort of persistent dedication that she approached the test.   
She wouldn't shame herself by failing because she hadn't tried her best to   
succeed.  
  
All of the testing cadets waited for the announcement of those who passed.   
When her name was read off she shook her head ruefully and entered the lift to   
the Headmaster's office. Two of her classmates were already standing at   
attention before him. She stepped into place at the end of the line and   
waited. No other cadets followed her up.  
  
He moved down the line, shaking the first graduate's hand and offering him   
his diploma. The second cadet's induction into SeeD went the same as the   
first. Finally it was her turn. The Headmaster offered her his hand after she   
saluted him. With his other hand he offered her a diploma, but she did not   
take it from his hand. As he did with all graduates, he leaned over to whisper   
a few words into her ear.  
  
"I don't want this, sir," she whispered before he could speak.  
  
"You've earned it, it's yours," he offered the sleeve to her again.  
  
"I don't want to be a SeeD, sir."  
  
"I know," his breath tickled her ear as he pushed the diploma into her   
hand.  
  
He stood back from her and addressed the three graduates. "This Garden   
only graduates the very best and you three have met that lofty goal. To   
celebrate your achievements there will be a ball in your honor tonight. Enjoy   
yourselves and get acquainted with your peers. Tomorrow I will be issuing your   
assignments. Dismissed."  
  
The other two SeeDs exited the Headmaster's office. Sierra remained where   
she was. "Sir..."  
  
"You're dismissed," Cid repeated kindly.  
  
"But I want to talk with you."  
  
"You'll have your chance tomorrow when I give out assignments."  
  
Mentally, Sierra's shoulders sagged in defeat. "Yes, sir."  
  
Zell was waiting at the bottom of the lift for her to come out. He was   
whooping and cheering like the fool that he was. Were she in better spirits   
she would have been flattered by his antics, but now wasn't the time.  
  
"C'mon Sierra, I want to see you in your uniform!" Zell took hold of her   
hand and dragged her towards the dorms.  
  
"I really don't feel like it, Zell..."  
  
"But, ya gotta! You've got the ball to go to right? Why not change into   
it early?"  
  
She scowled and gave him a disapproving look. She'd already answered why   
she didn't want to change right now.  
  
"The drill team wants to congratulate you," Jaylee said from behind them.   
She'd also come out to greet the newest SeeD. "They're waiting for you in the   
training room and sent Zell to go get you."  
  
Sierra was dubious. She glanced from the still-too-wound-up Zell and to   
the more stoic Jaylee.  
  
"Fine, if it'll make you feel better."  
  
The transformation from cadet into SeeD was a near magical one. With the   
change of uniform came a change in persona. She was above the petty conflicts   
she and Seifer engaged in not so long ago. No longer was she on the receiving   
end of everyone's scorn. The SeeDs who had once seemed unreachable were now   
her peers. With a slight smirk she tugged on the red tie around her neck   
before leaving her room to present herself to Zell and Jaylee.  
  
Zell took in her new look from head to toe without saying a word, then   
stuffed his hands into his pockets and flushed. Jaylee noticed this and gave   
him a gentle ribbing. "Whatcha think, Zell?"  
  
He shuffled a bit more and kicked at an imaginary rock. "She's really   
hot," he muttered, the tips of his ears turning red from his blush.  
  
"Well, there you have it," Jaylee grinned, enjoying Zell's discomfort.   
"And all it took was a change of uniform."  
  
By now Sierra was flushing as well. "I'll go change back then."  
  
"Don't!" Zell put out a hand to stop her and then realized that Sierra was   
joking about changing. He already felt an inch tall, there was no way he could   
feel any smaller.  
  
An awkward moment passed before Sierra shook off her discomfort. "You   
said everyone was waiting, right?"  
  
"Uh, yeah, let's go!" Zell latched onto the out Sierra threw him like a   
drowning man to a life preserver. He skip-bounced the entire way to the   
Training Center, careful not to steal too many sideways glances at Sierra as   
they went.  
  
As soon as they were in the door Zell cupped his hands around his mouth   
and yelled. "Hey, everyone! Let me introduce to you the drill team's first   
SeeD graduate, Sierra de Ling!"  
  
Everyone in the training room stopped their exercises. All eyes snapped   
to Sierra. For the second time in less than five minutes she felt herself   
turning flush with embarrassment.  
  
"Give us a speech," Aucifer called from the sideline. "You've got to have   
some advice since you've made it!"  
  
"Advice..?" Sierra scratched the back of her head and looked around the   
room. The drill team members were grinning at her like fools. They were all   
proud of her achievements. Seifer and Squall were there. Seifer had a   
belittling smirk on his face that she'd love to wipe off. Squall was ignoring   
him.  
  
As she looked around the room she met all of their eyes. In them she   
found their hopes and dreams. All of them aspired to be a SeeD. She didn't   
deserve the uniform she wore now. And even if she told them how she felt, they   
wouldn't take the uniform from her. They wanted her to be one of them.  
  
Xu entered from the weight room while everyone gave their attention to   
Sierra. The young SeeD's eyes fell upon her Instructor and nemesis, and she   
finally knew what advice she could give her fellow classmates.  
  
"My advice to you would be; don't let the bastards get you down. They're   
going to do everything they can to make your life hell, and it's going to hurt   
like hell. After it's over, you'll find that all their pecking has make you   
into a stronger person. Master Aucifer may kick your ass today... But you'll   
be thanking him for it tomorrow."  
  
That earned laughs from around the room.  
  
The drill team gave Sierra their kudos for a job well done. This was her   
time to soak in the praises of her teammates. Perhaps she even smiled a time   
or two as they joked about what the future held for them.  
  
Sierra didn't have any desire to go to the ball tonight, but Jaylee   
wouldn't allow one of the guests of honor to skip out. While the occasion was   
a festive one, there was a tension in the air as the revelers forced themselves   
to forget their concerns for the evening and enjoy the party. Even still,   
there were quiet whispers of mass deployments and Sorceresses.  
  
The Headmaster didn't call for SeeD Sierra de Ling until early afternoon   
the next day. She was beginning to wonder if he'd forgotten about her, but   
knew he hadn't. She stood before his desk and saluted before he invited her to   
sit.  
  
Explaining to him why she didn't want to be a SeeD was the hardest thing   
she had ever done in her life. Meeting his eyes was difficult enough, and then   
to see the concerned understanding in them. It was enough to make her want to   
crawl back to her room and tell him to forget that she'd ever come up here.   
But she couldn't do that and remain true to herself. She could run away from   
Cid, but she couldn't run away from her conscience. It was her conscience that   
told her this was the right thing to do.  
  
"If that is how you feel, then I won't stop you from leaving," Cid replied   
after hearing her out. "Know that you will always have a place within SeeD   
should you choose to return."  
  
"Thank you, sir."  
  
"If I may ask, what are you going to do now?" The Headmaster gave her a   
disarming smile as he typed some things into his terminal, likely noting her   
discharge.  
  
"I want to explore the world," she answered immediately. Cid's eyebrow   
arched at the speed of her response, prompting her explain her plans further.   
"I want to see the world like my grandfather did. It may be a silly dream, but   
I hope to climb every mountain on the planet."  
  
He folded his arms across his chest and bowed his head before smiling to   
himself. "I remember when I was young enough to believe that nothing could   
hold me back... I don't mean to discourage you, but you can't earn much money   
while climbing mountains for a living," he shrugged slightly.  
  
Sierra acknowledged his point. "I've thought on that. I can get a lot of   
what I need to survive from off the land. What money I need I should be able   
to earn from farmers who want their land cleared of monsters. Where ever   
there's a monster, there's someone willing to pay to be rid of it, after all."  
  
"You have thought on this," Cid gave her a fond look because of her   
cleverness; as if he wouldn't have expected any less of her. "Then, as an...   
ah... freelance agent, would you accept an easy job that pays well?"  
  
Sierra's eyes narrowed. "You still want me to do the assignment you had   
in mind for me as a SeeD, don't you?"  
  
"You've called my bluff," he admitted. "I want to send someone who I can   
trust to Winhill to protect them from any potential Sorceress attacks. We're   
not anticipating the Sorceress to go to such a secluded community, but the   
villagers are understandably nervous after Adel attacked them relentlessly.   
Your presence alone should be enough to lay their fears to rest."  
  
Her lips pursed together, considering whether she wanted to do this one   
thing on his behalf or not.  
  
"The Winhill Heights are nearby. You could start your mountaineering   
adventures there."  
  
"All right," she agreed. What he wanted wouldn't inconvenience her that   
much and he would persist until she gave in to his request. "But as soon as   
I'm finished at Winhill I'm going on my way."  
  
"Of course," the Headmaster agreed.  
  
With a considerable weight off her shoulders Sierra went down to the   
training room to tell Xu that she would be leaving tonight. There was no way   
she could leave the Garden without saying good-bye to the Instructor who had   
been her mentor.  
  
"I wish the best for you in your life, whatever you decide to do with it,"   
Xu said.  
  
Sierra snerked. "No reprimands for giving up?"  
  
"No reprimands," Xu confirmed. "You learned everything I hoped you would;   
including the Stone and our language."  
  
"My grandfather would thank you if he were still alive..." she admitted.   
"And I thank you as well."  
  
Xu bowed politely. "Go now, explore the world. Let me know if you find   
anything interesting. A tropical hideaway with few monsters and plenty of   
sunshine would be nice."  
  
  
  
"You've redecorated..." The man complimented his host. Recent events had   
prompted them to meet under unusual circumstances. Privately, the man had   
doubted that such a meeting would even be possible, but his companion had   
assured him that it would work if he put enough effort into getting here.  
  
The woman he had traveled so far to see shook her head in dismissal. He   
recognized the stiffness of her posture. Now wasn't the time to be fooling   
around.  
  
"What is it that you need?" he asked, abruptly turning to business.  
  
"I wanted to warn you, and to ask your help," she replied.  
  
He attentively listened to the woman. Only a fool wouldn't give her their   
undivided attention if she went to this much trouble to speak with them. She   
wasn't one to lend herself to fanatical prophesies about the end of the world,   
but recent events had left him wondering...  
  
He was reluctant to get mixed up in such affairs again. He would have   
outright refused her request if it weren't for the running commentary of his   
silent companion. There was no way he could ignore the pain he felt when...  
  
"I'm too close to evening up an old score to drop it now," he said softly,   
hoping that she would accept the regret he felt at having to deny her plea for   
help at this time. "When I'm finished with this, maybe then..."  
  
She bowed her head. "I understand that you have your own affairs to   
attend to. Look me up when you're between jobs."  
  
  
  
Quistis' dark thoughts wouldn't leave her despite her best efforts to   
stifle them. The field exam had come and gone, and the results still rankled   
in her mind. No one, not one single cadet under her tutelage had met the   
challenge SeeD presented.  
  
She tried to mollify her stun pride by telling herself that what SeeD   
asked was no easy task. That was true, but her cadets had managed to fail in   
spectacular fashion. In fact, one of them was up for court-martial because he   
knowingly attacked an innocent during the field exam. Their lackluster   
performance would have embarrassed even the most flamboyant of Instructors.   
Martine rightfully expressed his extreme displeasure at their antics.  
  
It was no small surprise to Quistis when the Headmaster gave her even   
*more* students to teach this term. What she would have usually taken as a   
vote of confidence only served to weigh heavier upon her.  
  
'There is an influx of new students signing up for the Academy; both for   
SeeD and the Army. We need to expedite the training of the ones we already   
have and take on more new recruits,' Martine told Galbadia's staff. And there   
were so many new faces this term. The already bustling Garden was near   
unbearable with all people that occupied the hallways nowadays.  
  
She didn't receive any of the fresh-faced students when Martine shifted   
their classloads around; she was a finishing Instructor, one who put the polish   
on a cadet before sending them off. She instead picked up two of Jennifer's   
students and three Galbadian cadets that transferred to the SeeD program. That   
was unusual in and of itself; cadets tended to go into the officer program if   
they couldn't cut it as a SeeD.  
  
Quistis knew the reason for the abnormality: Xu had done her job all too   
well. When the army cadets saw what SeeD could do they concluded that their   
future careers would be filled with mundane postings. It was an assumption   
Quistis couldn't debunk. SeeD wasn't an army, it was a special operations   
force. They filled a different niche that probably was more exciting than the   
life of the average army grunt.  
  
Then there were the rumors of a Sorceress on the loose, which were blown   
out of proportion by the over-zealous rumormill. Galbadia's government   
controlled press carefully avoided the issue. The underground newslinks were   
abuzz with supposed sightings and ways to avoid the Sorceress's notice.  
  
The Sorceress threat explained the influx of new people coming to the   
Garden. They were prompted by their own desire to stave off another Sorceress   
War or sent by their families for training.  
  
All this should have pleased Quistis at least a little bit. She now had   
more candidates for SeeD, and increased her own chances of graduating. But it   
was hard to shake off the misery that was the last field exam. There was   
plenty of time left to reach the goal Martine set out for her when she came to   
Galbadia Garden. At least, that's what she was going to keep telling herself.  
  
  
  
Sierra watched the scenery flow by as the road she traveled on jostled her   
and her companion along. Winhill wasn't the most accessible of places. A   
train from Balamb to Timber carried her through the first leg of her trip, a   
truck took her the rest of the way. The SeeD who drove the vehicle had   
precious little to say, a quality Sierra was thankful for. She had a lot on   
her mind and didn't want to have her musings interrupted by chitchat.  
  
When she left the Garden it was with a single hiker's backpack and the   
contents within; a couple changes of clothing, camping supplies, rope, the best   
compact sleeping bag money could buy, and a pop tent. Cid insisted on sending   
her out with everything she needed to be a first class adventurer. When she   
politely declined he said it was part of the Garden's obligation to the Trabian   
people. Headmaster Rebecca would be furious with him if he didn't take care of   
one of her charges and he didn't want that.  
  
Most of her things had been boxed up and would be sent to her father back   
home. The only maps she brought with her were in the world atlas that had led   
her true many times previous. As a parting gift she gave Zell the maps that   
she had drilled him with when she was tutoring him in geography. Maybe it was   
a stupid gift, but nothing else seemed appropriate.  
  
Even though she didn't want to think about Zell her mind insisted on   
dwelling there. It was a bit belated to be feeling guilty for being as mean to   
him as she was at times. She tried to apologize to him for that but he   
wouldn't hear it. They were pals after all. Some pal she was.  
  
"We're almost there," the SeeD said. Sierra shifted in her seat and tried   
to look livelier than she was feeling.  
  
She was uncomfortable with the idea of a SeeD taking her into town and   
then introducing her to the mayor. He might get the wrong impression that she   
was really a SeeD representative even though she didn't wear the uniform. When   
she expressed those concerns to Brandon he told her not to worry. The mayor   
had previously hired non-graduate SeeD cadets to keep down the monster   
population. She then asked how he knew so much about Winhill's interactions   
with SeeDs and non-SeeDs and he admitted to having family in the remote   
village.  
  
No wonder he volunteered for the long and boring job of driving her out   
here. The drive, including stops at hole-in-the-wall villages to get fuel for   
both themselves and the truck, had taken roughly eight hours.  
  
From the first structure he pointed out to her as a general store to the   
village's main plaza it was a couple of kilometers. The fields along either   
side of the road were pocked with intermittent structures, most of those barns   
and farmhouses. She thought she even spotted a wild Chocobo though it was gone   
too quickly for her to be sure.  
  
The mayor's residence was near the plaza and was one of the better looking   
places in town. He surprised her by declaring that she was the closest thing   
the village had to a sheriff. While he was the judge and executioner, she was   
the one responsible for keeping the peace. He also laid out his expectations   
for her keeping the monster population to a minimum.  
  
This wasn't a "loaf around and climb mountains" assignment at all.  
  
Wordlessly she cursed Cid, but not too harshly. Winhill would make for an   
interesting beginning to her adventures. Brandon offered to drive her back   
down the road to the inn she would be staying at. The outwardly battered   
building was a deceptive facade to the polished wood surfaces and classical   
beauty contained within. It was as though this interior had been caught in   
time, it's decor harkening back to a time when no one worried about more than   
the occasional monster.  
  
Brandon stayed in Winhill for a few days visiting his family. During that   
time he offered to go on Sierra's monster patrols with her. It turns out that   
it wasn't her imagination playing tricks on her, she really had spotted a   
Chocobo. They were common enough that some mindful villager had posted a   
Chocobo crossing sign along the road to warn unsuspecting motorists. The area   
was populated by the Caterchipillers and Bite Bugs that every Balamb resident   
was familiar with. Clearing these weakling monsters was an easy task for   
someone of Sierra's skill.  
  
After Brandon left she made a conscientious effort to go around and get to   
know the neighbors. She spoke with the mayor on a near daily basis because he   
always wanted to know how many monsters she had gotten rid of the previous day.   
The other residents were a mixed bag. There was an old woman with all these   
flowers. She was more than a bit batty in Sierra's opinion; it was best to   
avoid her. Down a trail from the batty old woman's house was a middle-aged   
woman who lived alone on her coastal property. Sierra had no idea what she did   
for a living since she rarely left her residence.  
  
The day that she followed the Chocobo tracks she nearly had her head shot   
off by an overzealous farmer who mistook her for a monster. Except for almost   
killing her, he was a pretty nice fellow. He had three children ranging in age   
from seven to thirteen and his wife was a real fine cook. Sierra was at a loss   
for words the afternoon that she returned from her rounds and the lady who ran   
the inn told her that the farmer had dropped off a plate of baked goodies that   
his wife had prepared.  
  
That was when Sierra realized that the villagers had accepted her as a   
member of their community. Her feelings regarding that were torn. She was   
grateful that they had welcomed her into their lives, but she also didn't want   
to stay here forever. Well, she didn't think any of them expected her to.   
From speaking with the innkeeper she got the impression that their 'sheriffs'   
tended to last a year or two before moving along. When they did the mayor   
would contact Cid to see if he had anyone else who could fill the role.  
  
Sierra mentally snorted at calling herself a sheriff, even if the people   
did on occasion. The most authoritative thing she had done thus far was to   
tell some kids not to throw rocks at the passing Chocobos. If that was the   
worst of Winhill's problems then they were a fortunate community indeed.  
  
Though... One thing still bothered her and she hadn't figured out a polite   
way to ask about it yet. Off on the western end of the plaza stood two   
buildings that were abandoned. When she approached them to investigate a   
passing man told her to stay away. She wanted very much to enter them and see   
what was within, but felt that she would somehow be violating an unspoken taboo   
if she did.  
  
  
  
"Are you ready?"  
  
"Xu, please, I've been ready for months now," Seifer stroked back his   
short crop blonde hair and gave her that arrogant sneer that had angered more   
than one person.  
  
"I'd recommend keeping your hubris in check, cadet. This is the Fire   
Cavern test and if you screw up you'll get burned." 'Literally,' she added   
silently.  
  
Seifer waved off her warning. In his mind he was more than ready to march   
into the cave and challenge Ifrit. Were Xu fairly assessing his ability, she   
would have to agree. Though Squall and Seifer had started gunblade training at   
the same time, Seifer had excelled beyond his mate. Cid made it clear that she   
was to push both of them through the program as quickly as possible. At this   
point, Seifer was nearly ready to be a SeeD based on his skill, but Xu didn't   
agree with his attitude at all.  
  
It took more to be a SeeD than the ability to fight and wield para-magic.   
There was a certain temperament to it as well. Xu sighed inwardly. Yes,   
Seifer was a powerful teenager, but he had yet to mature beyond his years. He   
hadn't learned tact! The only people in the Garden who actually *got along*   
with him were Fujin and Raijin, and Xu wasn't sure why.  
  
She suspected that they followed him because they were people of the   
'follower' mentality, though, that didn't add up either. During drills in   
which they were put in charge they'd always carried out their assignments to   
satisfaction. Especially Fujin. She had the makings of a natural born leader   
and the cunning to devise clever strategies. (Which was one of the reasons Xu   
encouraged Fujin's advisor to get her enrolled in more a strategy-based   
curriculum. Good thinkers shouldn't be wasted!)  
  
And then there was Squall. She felt bad for him most of all. He was   
often the focus of Seifer's aggressions. No matter how many times Aucifer   
assured her that it was just 'male bonding' she wouldn't stop seeing Seifer's   
treatment of Squall as bullying. To add insult to injury, Seifer had shot past   
Squall in terms of height and physical build. Squall looked like a runt   
compared to his fellow gunblade user. It was Aucifer's opinion that Squall   
would catch up; Seifer just had an early run. Xu wasn't so sure. She didn't   
think Squall would ever match Seifer's stature, but she could hope that she was   
wrong.  
  
They were at the entrance of the Fire Cavern and the pair of Shumi guards   
challenged them. Xu let Seifer select his time. Of course he went for the 10   
minutes limit. Drawing his blade he gave her another cocky smirk and dashed   
into the cavern. He may have been larger, but Xu had no problem keeping up   
with the pace he set. Instead of engaging every monster they came across he   
rushed passed them. A good idea if he was going to beat the time limit.  
  
"Come on out! I, Seifer Almasy, challenge you!" Seifer announced as soon   
as he stepped foot into Ifrit's sanctum. The only response he received was the   
burbling of the molten rock at the center of the room.  
  
"You demon coward! Show yourself!"  
  
Ifrit rose from the pool. Its corkscrewed head was bent, its fiery orange   
eyes locked on the boy standing before it. Xu wasn't privy to Ifrit's thoughts   
as she was to Carbuncle's, but she could make an educated guess as to what the   
Guardian Force was thinking.  
  
And none of those thoughts were very charitable.  
  
It was probably the first time in the Garden's history that the Instructor   
was cheering the Guardian Force on.  
  
"Ifrit isn't a demon," Xu belatedly corrected. Its appearance was   
frightening, but it wasn't a demon like Diablos was.  
  
The Guardian Force made no motion to engage Seifer in battle, instead   
staring the cadet down. Seifer glanced at his watch with annoyance. "Would   
you mind hurrying this up? I have less than three minutes left."  
  
Xu would have strangled Seifer and tossed his body into the lava if   
Ifrit's voice hadn't rattled both of them. "You call me a coward, boy..?" Its   
eyes narrowed and it purposefully flicked its talon-like claws. "You have no   
right to challenge me. Return when you have learned your place!"  
  
A mighty gust of wind blew through the cavern. Xu knelt to the ground,   
trying to maintain her position. It was a futile effort. The winds persisted   
until they were both expelled from Ifrit's chamber. Seifer was quick to regain   
his footing and try to re-enter the chamber but a magical barrier held him at   
bay.  
  
"This is just *great*. You chicken shit coward!" He yelled at Ifrit   
through the barrier. "Won't you fight me or are you afraid?"  
  
"Enough, Seifer, we're returning to the Garden," Xu got to her feet,   
brushing dirt off her skirt as she stood.  
  
"Do you always give up so easily, Instructor?" He sneered the title to   
make it into an insult.  
  
"When rebuked by a Guardian Force, yes. Ifrit will only battle those who   
are ready. Obviously you aren't." Xu reached within herself and changed her   
junctions so that Diablos would repel any monsters that might attack them.   
Working off some of her frustration would be nice, but not right now. She   
wanted to get Seifer back to the Garden and then figure out what to do. She'd   
never heard of Ifrit pushing someone out of its chamber. This was an   
unprecedented action and she wasn't sure how to respond.  
  
There was a soft echo in her mind. It felt much like the pulse of   
emotions that Carbuncle expressed itself with. She couldn't make out words   
from the echo, but she still understood the message. If the boastful Seifer   
was as strong as he thought he was, he didn't need Ifrit's assistance. Let   
Seifer learn to ask for help and then Ifrit would reconsider its position.  
  
Xu endured listening to Seifer bad mouth the Guardian Force the entire way   
back to the Garden. On the steps of the main gate she told him to come to her   
office in the morning. Hopefully by then she would have an idea of what to do   
next. Some people flat out had rotten compatibilities with certain GFs (like   
Kei and Diablos), but Seifer *needed* Ifrit on his side or he wouldn't   
graduate.  
  
'Damn Seifer and his ego,' she thought darkly as she made her way into the  
Garden proper.  
  
  
  
It was the buzz of the village when a visitor checked into the inn.   
Without saying so outright, the villagers expected Sierra to get the scoop on   
the mysterious man so that they could properly gossip about him.  
  
He was a tall man with a solid, but wiry, build and coppery hair that was   
tied back into a neat tail that trailed between his shoulder blades. Even when   
indoors he always wore a pair of small round sunglasses over his visibly   
baby-blue eyes. The man was only a few years her senior and judging by his   
manner of dress he was a city slicker that decided to vacation in the boonies.  
  
He was in the habit of waking up at an insanely early hour. Sierra really   
had to motivate herself to get up and follow him (on the pretense that she was   
doing an early morning monster sweep). When he entered the plaza he ducked   
into a shack by the small dock. It was tough to find enough monsters in the   
immediate area for her to justify not moving along on her route. Finally he   
came out with a tackle box in his left hand and a fishing pole resting against   
his right shoulder. Sierra groaned. He came all this way just to *fish*?  
  
She followed him down the short flight of steps to the rickety dock where   
an equally questionable rowboat was moored.  
  
"Good morning," she greeted, taking the initiative.  
  
"Ah, good morning to you as well," he replied before leaning over to place   
his tackle box and pole in the boat. There was no way he couldn't have noticed   
her following him. She would cut the crap and get to the point then.  
  
"Well, this explains why you get up so early. You came all this way just   
to fish?" She placed her hands on her hips and awaited his answer.  
  
The man flashed her a broad grin and tilted his head to let his shades   
slid down his nose slightly. "I hear it's good fishing off of the southern   
coast. I could have gone to one of the resort towns, but I doubt it would have   
been as relaxing. Is there a problem with me relieving the inlet here of a few   
fish?"  
  
Sierra snorted and crossed her arms. "That wouldn't be wise."  
  
"Oh?" His eyebrows rose.  
  
"Yeah, you didn't bring a cooler with you to carry the fish back in. I   
see that there's a net and stringer in the boat, so you're not completely   
unprepared. You won't want to walk all the way to the inn with the fish   
hanging off of the stringer, not with the heat we've had."  
  
He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I'm embarrassed that I hadn't thought   
of that."  
  
"I'll find a cooler for you and leave it here on the dock. You can keep   
your fish on the stringer in the water until then, but don't expect me to help   
you carry the cooler back," she waggled a finger at him.  
  
"I'm sure I'll find a way to manage," he gave her another one of his   
smiles.  
  
Sierra remained on the dock, watching him until he was a speck in the   
distance. She still didn't feel as ease with him, but didn't have more than a   
gut feeling to work from. She stepped back up to the road and went to fulfill   
her promise of a cooler on the dock.  
  
When the man lazily rowed back to the dock in the early evening Sierra was   
sitting on the cooler waiting for him. She rose from her seat and caught the   
rope he tossed her to secure the boat.  
  
"I'm honored that you were waiting for me," he commented lightly.  
  
"I'm hoping that you haven't wasted my time," she nodded her head towards   
the cooler. "Did you catch anything? The innkeeper says we're having baked   
fish for dinner..."  
  
The man grinned and pulled the stringer out of the water. Four modest   
sized fish were on it. "We'll be eating tonight if that's your question."  
  
"Good man," she held the cooler open for him to deposit the fish in. She   
helped him carry his gear to the fisherman's shack, then they returned to the   
inn. The innkeeper accepted his catch and set to work on preparing dinner.   
While she did that he excused himself to go to his room and clean up.  
  
This was the first meal the three of them shared together. Sierra had   
eaten with the innkeeper plenty of times, but the man's schedule was so unusual   
that he was gone by the time breakfast was prepared.  
  
"If I had known that you were going out to fish I would have packed you a   
lunch to take on the boat with you," the innkeeper said. "Let me know if you   
go out again."  
  
"That I will," he smiled. Sierra tore her eyes from that grin and poked   
at the fish on her plate with her fork. There was something about this guy   
that just wasn't right...  
  
"I'm sorry if I missed it, but I still don't know your name. I'm Sierra   
de Ling," she introduced.  
  
That charming smile of his grew larger and he put his hand out to her.   
"My apologies, I'm Arjun Detanna."  
  
Sierra reluctantly accepted it. He noticed her hesitation and gave her a   
questioning look. "You smile an awful lot, Mr. Detanna."  
  
He laughed. "Yes, I suppose I do! It's a hard habit to get out of when   
you're so used to it. As my agent says, 'No matter what angle the paparazzi   
picture is at, I need to be smiling in it!'"  
  
"You're famous?"  
  
"Hard to believe, isn't it?"  
  
"Smells fishy to me."  
  
The innkeeper couldn't contain her giggles any longer and burst out   
laughing at Sierra and Arjun's verbal jousting.  
  
And that's how many of their conversations went during the days that   
followed. Sierra just couldn't shake the feeling that she shouldn't turn her   
back on this man. Outwardly he was pleasant enough, infallibly polite, and   
well groomed. He dressed in a style Sierra would call simplistically chic;   
long sleeved turtle necks and khakis, casual without being too informal. It   
stuck out like a sore thumb around here.  
  
It annoyed her when he decided that he wanted to walk with her as she   
cleared monsters. This wasn't some afternoon stroll! He somehow managed to   
always keep out of harm's way as she went about her business. When she was   
finished with the messy work he would resume walking.  
  
  
  
"Are you ready?"  
  
"I was ready the last time," Seifer reminded Xu testilly.  
  
There wasn't much left to be said that hadn't been already. Cid invited   
Seifer up to his office for a talk about the reasons the cadet could have   
failed the Fire Cavern test (even if it wasn't scored against him as a   
failure). In his student file the test was recorded as Pending. It was a   
distinction usually reserved for students who had something extraordinary   
happen during the test; like the cadet who had broken his arm after slipping on   
some loose rocks.  
  
However Cid wished to record it, Xu knew the truth. The GF had found a   
flaw (the same one Xu had?) in Seifer and wouldn't budge until something was   
done about it. Xu doubted that an intervention by Cid would correct the   
fundamental problem. Seifer didn't respect others until they had proven   
themselves to him. Within a military organization an attitude like that didn't   
cut it. There was a chain of command and he had to adhere to it without   
challenging everyone he met who was of higher rank.  
  
She knew that he sometimes portrayed himself as the misunderstood student.   
The one they wanted to hammer down because he had the gall to point out their   
weaknesses. It infuriated Xu the way he played himself as the victim of their   
bias while attacking others because they were weaker.  
  
She had long ago come to the conclusion that they had an irreconcilable   
difference in outlook. From his point of view she was an overbearing matriarch   
(or so Nym the rumormonger had informed her). He was arrogant, she was a hard   
ass, they weren't going to like each other.  
  
But if he wanted to actually pass this test he needed to do things her   
way. That was the message Cid was going to try to impress upon Seifer during   
their meeting. How successful the Headmaster was would be proven shortly.  
  
The student and teacher once again stood before the Shumi guards. This   
time around Seifer selected 20 minutes for his test time. That was a good   
sign. There really was no reason to rush. The time limit was there for the   
students to challenge themselves. It didn't affect their score unless they   
dawdled, though, the Instructors didn't tell the students that.  
  
Seifer's pace was more relaxed than the run he went at during his first   
time through. When he entered Ifrit's chamber he said nothing. Xu prepared   
herself to back Seifer up. This shouldn't be a difficult battle, not with the   
skills Aucifer had taught him.  
  
The burbling lava gave way to the fiery Ifrit. It watched Seifer   
carefully, waiting for the cadet to do anything that might anger it and give it   
cause to expel him again. When Seifer did nothing but raise his gunblade into   
a waiting stance, Ifrit was satisfied and roared its battlecry.  
  
During past battles Xu had noticed that Ifrit usually tempered its attacks   
to some degree, but today it was no holds bar against Seifer. If Seifer   
expected the Guardian Force to answer his summons he was going to have to earn   
the privilege.  
  
Wordlessly the cadet met the challenge. He really was an amazing   
swordsman for his youth, Xu had to admit. Aucifer had done fine work when it   
came to crafting Seifer into the gunblade specialist Cid was hoping for.  
  
It was just as well that Seifer had the situation under control. Xu was   
limited in what manner of support she could offer. She couldn't summon any GFs   
that Seifer didn't already have in his possession. The same went for magic and   
items. This battle was to test Seifer's mettle with Xu there to pull him out   
if he was in over his head.  
  
The battle was over before Xu realized it. Ifrit conceded to Seifer and   
gave the cadet his reward. Seifer pocketed the stone without a second glance.  
  
Xu politely offered her congratulations.  
  
"Save it," he interrupted. "I don't need the praises of someone like you   
to know that I'm the future of SeeD." He balanced his gunblade on his shoulder   
and sauntered out of the cavern, leaving Xu behind.  
  
  
  
There was a town meeting in the main plaza tonight. Sierra took extra   
care to be sure that there were no monsters around to interrupt. Someone had   
set out long tables beforehand and by the time the meeting was underway the   
surfaces were covered in a wide array of dishes. Apparently this was as much a   
town meeting as a potluck. Nearly everyone was in attendance, from crying   
babies to the reclusive middle-aged woman who didn't leave her house. Even   
Arjun came because it was the only way he was getting dinner.  
  
So it was in front of a hundred witnesses that a Sorceress appeared out of   
nowhere and approached the reclusive woman. The woman screamed with terror as   
the villagers scattered. She turned and ran between two buildings, hoping to   
escape the Sorceress that was stalking her.  
  
Sierra foolishly hadn't brought her weapon with her. Who would have   
expected a Sorceress to show up for dinner? The only weapons she had available   
were a butter knife and the magic she always kept within herself. Without any   
further thought going towards her actions Sierra charged at the Sorceress with   
the dull knife in one hand and the gathering of a magical attack occurring in   
the other. She threw the Fira spell she had gathered first, only to have it   
bounce off the Sorceress's Reflect spell and knock Sierra to the ground. While   
she was down she caught a brief glimpse of Arjun helping the mayor guide the   
villagers to safety.  
  
'Damn Reflect spells!' she silently cursed. 'Whoever invented them needs   
to die,' she continued while arranging for her next casting to be a Reflect   
spell of her own. She could then bounce the magic off of herself and onto the   
Sorceress.  
  
She lunged after the Sorceress with the knife this time. The edge didn't   
matter if she put enough force behind the blow. The Sorceress tossed her back   
with a gesture.  
  
Satisfied that Sierra was nothing more than a pest, the Sorceress returned   
her focus on the woman. She raised her right hand above her head, where   
several shards of ice formed. With a flick the projectiles were sent rocketing   
towards the woman. They perforated her body in a way that no Life spell could   
remedy.  
  
Outraged, Sierra resumed beating against the spells that kept her at bay.   
She wouldn't let anyone get away with murder when it was her job to the keep   
peace. The Sorceress's lips twisted into a smile that was somewhere between   
sinister and pleased before she created another portal and slipped away.  
  
Sierra sank to her knees in defeat and hit the cobble stoned ground   
repeatedly with her balled up fists. She failed in her mission and she'd never   
felt more ashamed in her life. If she could have curled up and died right   
there she would have. At least then she wouldn't have to answer for the   
dishonor she brought on the Garden as a product of their training.  
  
Arjun put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She angrily batted it away.   
The plaza was empty except for the two of them and the woman's mutilated body.   
She stalked around, the adrenaline still rushing through her veins. The battle   
couldn't end like this!  
  
"Why don't you go on a sweep?" He suggested mildly. "I'm sure we can take   
care of this," he vaguely gestured towards the corpse.  
  
A growl came from deep within her throat and realized that he was right.   
She needed to work off her anger before she could think clearly again. She   
gave him a brisk nod and then ran down the road while berating herself for   
being too thorough this afternoon. The first monster she encountered she threw   
herself at. There was no way she's let another fight end unless she had the   
final blow.  
  
That had to be the Sorceress Cid warned her about, but how did a Sorceress   
appear out of nowhere? And didn't Cid say that there wasn't anyone of interest   
in Winhill? He sure as hell was wrong on that point!  
  
Sierra kicked the Caterchipillar she was fighting with all her might. It   
let out a satisfying wheeze as blood began to flow from its large mouth. Three   
more punches and the monster went limp.  
  
She kept moving along the road, though no longer at the full run that she   
had started out in. She winced when she punched a Bite Bug, slamming it   
against a tree and watching it die. That's how she felt when the Sorceress was   
completely undeterred by Sierra's efforts to stop her. She was nothing more   
than a Bite Bug buzzing around her head, begging to be swatted down.  
  
"Like fucking hell!" She yelled. She *turned down* a career with SeeD,   
but that didn't mean she wasn't qualified for it. In theory she was one of the   
best special forces operatives in the world and it meant *nothing* against a   
Sorceress. NOTHING! What the fuck?!  
  
It occurred to her that she'd never knowingly encountered a Sorceress   
before. How exactly would one go about picking a Sorceress out of a crowd.   
Were they all as oddly dressed and disgustingly deformed as the woman who   
attacked tonight?  
  
A couple hours worth of venting released her pent up frustration and   
anger. But before she could return to the inn she needed to clean up. Few   
things would aggravate the innkeeper more than tracking monster blood onto the   
floor. Still fully clothed, she dove into the cove behind the inn. A swim   
would loosen her muscles and wash off the worst of the mess from fighting the   
unfortunate monsters who had mistakenly crossed her path. She didn't like   
going on rampages like tonight, but damn it felt good to work off some steam.  
  
Her eyes glanced up at the moon; the mother of monsters. There hadn't   
been a Lunar Cry in nearly a century. Most of the monsters that roamed the   
planet nowadays were native, but that didn't make them any better. As she   
floated on her back her mind played with the idea that if there was never   
another Lunar Cry, would it be possible to rid the world of monsters? In a   
fluid motion she flipped over and dove back under the water. When she surfaced   
near the dock she saw a silhouetted person sitting there. The figure gave off   
an eerie glow that made Sierra wonder if it was a ghost (not that she believed   
in such things, but still...)  
  
"There was no way you could have saved Deana Frost," Arjun's voice said   
somberly as she pulled herself out of the water. He tossed her a towel that he   
had the foresight to bring with him. The naked skin of his forearms reflected   
the moonlight and gave off a silvery shimmer. "This was her night to die."  
  
"And why do you say that?" Sierra asked, no longer caring *who* this man   
was.  
  
"Do remember the Dollet child smuggling ring that was broken up a couple   
years ago? The woman who was responsible for leading the Balamb arm of the   
operation had slipped through SeeD's fingers during the crackdown. That woman   
was Deana Frost. The Dukedom of Dollet is offering a 100,000 gil bounty to   
anyone who brings her in dead or alive. I doubt the Sorceress will claim it,   
and by the looks of it this town could use a few paved roads...  
  
"If the Sorceress hadn't arrived tonight I would have done the deed   
myself. I've been tracking her ever since I left Balamb and I owed it to Cid   
to see this one through."  
  
Sierra snorted. "I noticed that her house was on coastal property. Is   
that what you were doing the day you were supposedly fishing, casing her   
place?"  
  
"Ah... how did you know?"  
  
"I spoke with the lad who sold you the fish. He said you offered him 300   
gil for the stringer he had."  
  
"And I gave him another 100 gil on top of that to keep his mouth shut.   
Little brat. I think I want my money back," he grumbled good-naturedly. He   
had no intention of tracking down the boy for his gil.  
  
They sat on the dock and talked as the moon slowly crept by on its nightly   
rounds. They shared some things in common, but not a lot. He'd had his life   
turned on its ear by Xu, just as she had. Both of them held Puzzle Stones   
because of her. Sierra jokingly suggested that they start a club for those who   
were 'influenced' by the Balamb Instructor.  
  
She couldn't answer many of his questions about the legendary Quistis   
Trepe. She'd only briefly met the woman that the Trepies adored, but there   
were plenty of other stories to tell about the Trepies' antics. He was glad to   
hear that Myn was still in charge of the club.  
  
"I'd heard through the grapevine that the Sorceress was hunting down   
people that had the power of the Sorceress within them. I'm pretty sure Frost   
doesn't fit that category..." Arjun commented thoughtfully.  
  
Sierra shrugged and voiced the question she asked herself earlier. "How   
would we be able to tell who has the power of a Sorceress?"  
  
"Trust me, I know every time she gets one of them," he said with a   
grimace. It felt like being stabbed with a knife when one of them died. For   
some reason Diablos had made him attuned to their deaths. Perhaps it was the   
GF's cruel way to motivate him to quickly put an end to her actions.  
  
"Then why go after Frost?"  
  
"I don't know for sure, and only a fool would cross a Sorceress," he said.   
He rocked back and forth slightly as he thought about his next words. "That   
*monster* is out there. We can't just sit around here while she runs free to   
do as she pleases."  
  
"SeeD is already deployed to protect the people who are most likely to be   
attacked." 'Well, except for this one,' she amended silently. She didn't know   
how much she should tell Arjun about SeeD's deployments as she knew them before   
leaving. Was it betraying their secrets? She suspected that when it came to   
secrets the man sitting next to her was the master.  
  
Arjun rubbed his chin. "Give me a night to think on this. We'll meet out   
here tomorrow and come to a decision."  
  
Sierra stood up and briskly folded the borrowed towel before handing it   
back to him. "You make it sound like we're allies or something."  
  
"Of course we are!" And this time the broad smile that he gave her was   
genuine. "We're both pseudo-SeeDs who work outside of the organization."  
  
"Yeah, whatever," Sierra waved it off and started down the flagstone path   
that led to the inn's back door. Her pillow was the only thing she was   
interested in speaking with right now. She didn't know how she was going to   
handle tomorrow and facing the villagers after her failure.  
  
  
  
In the world of his own creation the man stood with his silent companion   
at his side. Now that his ends had been met he was prepared to accept the   
woman's proposal, but not without some answers first. The most pressing   
question was why. Why did a Sorceress kill a fellow monster?  
  
Revenge, the woman explained, was a powerful emotion; one that was often   
the harbinger of insanity. But in this case the murder was not the result of   
insanity, but of cold, rational pre-meditation. And that frightened the woman   
more than any of the other acts of violence. The pattern was broken and no   
longer could they assume that they knew what was going through the Sorceress's   
mind.  
  
The man shared the woman's sense of panic, but didn't understand that   
sadness in her eyes. She refused to explain why the Sorceress was so riveted   
upon the fate of the children, though it was a horrific enough crime to outrage   
anyone. It wasn't unheard of in prisons for inmates to kill off the worst of   
their lot. Let the monsters turn on each other, just so long as they didn't   
take any innocents with them.  
  
The woman provided the man with the information he needed to plan his next   
moves. They no longer could be certain of the Sorceress's actions, but some   
things were still safe bets. That's where they would pool their resources.  
  
  
  
It was deceptively quiet when Sierra came down from her room the following   
morning. The innkeeper had set out a basket of freshly baked bread on the   
table, but was no where to be found. Arjun had also taken off before she got   
up. With a sigh she strapped on her shotaxe harness. Never again would she be   
caught unarmed unless a weapon was within reaching distance.  
  
The road was deserted when she stepped outside to begin her rounds. She   
encountered too few monsters to get her blood pumping by the time she entered   
the main plaza. It was cleaned up as though nothing out of the ordinary had   
taken place the previous evening; be it a town meeting, potluck, or a Sorceress   
attack.  
  
Sierra knocked lightly on the door to the mayor's residence and was   
quickly ushered in by his wife. The mayor himself was out attending to some   
other business and would return shortly. Waiting for him to return with only   
his wife as company was enough to put Sierra on edge. The woman was trying too   
hard to be polite. It didn't come naturally anymore. Sierra rose to her feet   
when the mayor stepped into the small office where she had been waiting for   
him. His eyes wouldn't meet hers.  
  
"I'm sorry Miss de Ling, your services up to last night had been   
spectacular, but I'm still going to have to dismiss you. Your presence here   
would only serve as a reminder to the villagers of the recent Sorceress   
attack."  
  
"I understand," Sierra accepted. And she did to some degree. These   
people lived in the middle of nowhere. The violence of last night was shocking   
and the mayor wished to sweep the matter under the rug as quickly as possible.  
  
He was clearly thankful that this was going easier than he envisioned.   
From a drawer he withdrew two envelopes and handed both to her. One contained   
3,000 gil in severance pay and the other was a letter of recommendation.  
  
"The mayor of Vaylar is always looking for good people to keep the peace   
between the Galbadian army and the Timber ruffians. You passed through Vaylar   
on your way here so you should have no trouble finding it."  
  
After leaving the mayor's home Sierra found herself wandering towards the   
dock behind the inn where she met Arjun late night. She didn't know what he   
had in mind, but it wouldn't hurt to listen. It's not like she had anywhere   
pressing to be at the moment.  
  
He was already there waiting for her.  
  
"Told you to leave, didn't he?" Arjun said by way of greeting. "What are   
you going to do now?"  
  
She shrugged. "I dunno, what did you have in mind?"  
  
He smiled and patted the ground next to him in invitation for her to sit.   
"I consulted with my sources last night and they informed me that SeeD can't   
handle what they've gotten into by themselves."  
  
"Is that so..?" She asked dryly.  
  
He nodded, ignoring the note of sarcasm in her voice. "We're in the   
unique position of being able to back them up. There are countless places   
where we could help, so I've narrowed it down to where we would be able to make   
the most difference. For myself, I'll go north to Galbadia Garden and meet up   
with Quistis to-"  
  
Sierra stood up abruptly and gathered her things to leave.  
  
"Hey, what are you doing?"  
  
"You've got to be kidding me," Sierra chided, putting her hands on her   
hips. "It's damn obvious that you have a crush on her and you're going to   
deploy yourself to protect her? What a load of shit! This isn't some bad   
Sorceress movie in which her Knight shows up at the climax of the battle to   
defend her!"  
  
Arjun's easy-going persona quickly changed to completely serious, "I'll   
have you know that I'm her boyfriend."  
  
"Oh really? Then what the hell are you doing out here?"  
  
"I told you already," he nearly growled, "I was doing Cid a favor."  
  
"A favor? What kind of favor could *YOU* do for Cid? I doubt that SeeD   
has many uses for actors or whatever the hell you're passing yourself off to   
be!"  
  
Arjun stood up, seething because of Sierra's waspish comments. "Don't   
*even* start with me," he growled darkly.  
  
"Or what are you going to do? You say you need me, so it's not like you   
can just kill me if I don't agree with you!"   
  
"I haven't killed anyone for three and a half months. Don't tempt me," he   
said. There was enough ice in his tone to warn the Trabian to back off.   
Instead she laughed at his threat.  
  
"You haven't got it in you!"  
  
His eyebrows creased together tightly. "Not now," he whispered harshly,   
only half-paying attention to Sierra. "I can handle this myself."  
  
"Are you sure?" Sierra mistakenly took the comment as being directed at   
her. "C'mon boy, show me what you've got!" She eased back into a ready stance   
and waited for him to take up her challenge.  
  
He smirked, a downright evil look clouding his baby-blue eyes. It was   
much too late when it occurred to Sierra that fighting was what this man lived   
for. Arjun advanced with a feint and then followed up with a punch.  
  
Likewise Sierra smirked. He may not have realized it, but fighting was   
what she lived for as well. They sparred on the dock that suddenly seemed to   
be too narrow for the activity they had elected to perform on it. During their   
bout they had nearly driven the each other off the edge and into the water.  
  
"You were definitely trained by Mistress Xu," he commented after Sierra   
performed a series of moves that was stolen straight out Xu's playbook.  
  
"I'd say you were as well," she replied after ducking away from a punch.   
He wasn't as heavily influenced as she was, but Xu's touch was there.  
  
They continued exchanging jabs -- both verbal and physical -- until Arjun   
put his hands up to call an end to their bout. "Although I'm thoroughly   
enjoying myself, we're wasting time by doing this."  
  
"Fine," Sierra agreed and plopped back down onto the dock. "So what did   
you have in mind for me to do while you're playing the role of overprotective   
boyfriend?"   
  
"My source is adamant that the Sorceress will attack the Anshin clan in   
Centra in the near future. Having visited there once myself, I can assure you   
that the Sorceress attacking them is a certainty. There is a lot of magical   
energy around their compound that would be like a beacon to a Sorceress bent on   
gathering power. I've learned that Cid has sent only one SeeD to protect them;   
Kei. While she is one of the few people on this planet who could kick my ass I   
don't think she's up to the task of battling a Sorceress on her own."  
  
Sierra shook her head slowly. "Can't we trade assignments? I'll protect   
your girl and you protect *them*."  
  
"Perhaps you missed the 'kicked my ass' part? Kei and I don't exactly get   
along. She'd be too distracted by me to properly protect the Anshin from the   
Sorceress." With that admission he picked up a stone and cast it into the   
water. He wouldn't mind going there and protecting them, but he really would   
be a distraction.  
  
Sierra returned to her feet and sighed. "I'm sorry, I can't do it. So   
the world will be less a few Anshin, it's no loss."  
  
"I remember thinking that exact same thing once," he murmured to himself.  
  
"Besides, I had my ass handed to me in strips last night. I doubt I could   
help Kei when I couldn't even touch the Sorceress."  
  
Arjun's head tilted slightly as though he were straining to listen to the   
waters lapping against the nearby shore. "You're not as powerless as you lead   
yourself to believe," his baby-blue eyes locked onto hers. "You have an   
outrageously powerful Limit, don't you? When the Sorceress arrives unleash it   
on her and let someone else pick up the pieces after you're done having your   
way with her."  
  
"How did you know-?"  
  
"I have good sources," Arjun grinned, fishing a few magic beads from a   
shirt pocket. "I don't have much use for magic myself, but I have it on good   
authority that these babies will push you right into your Limit." He deposited   
four beads into her hand.  
  
Glancing down she identified them as the rare Aura spell. They were hard   
to come by even for the most seasoned of SeeD. (Mainly because acquiring them   
involved fighting very dangerous monsters to draw them or exploring areas that   
were home to the aforementioned monsters). How the hell did he get some to   
begin with?  
  
"I still don't want to go," she said firmly, offering the beads back to   
him.  
  
"I can't force you and I don't have enough money to bribe you so let me   
appeal to your sense of revenge. Don't you think it'd be nice to shove a rock   
where the Sorceress would never find it again?" he paused for a moment before   
continuing. "Hmm... You have some outstanding issues with the Anshin... Well,   
who doesn't? Wouldn't it feel good to prove them wrong if *you* were the one   
to save them from the Sorceress!"  
  
"How the fuck do you know that?!" She exclaimed angrily.  
  
A crypt smile touched his lips. "As I said, I have good sources. I hate   
evasive answers, but I don't know of a way to explain. When you get there tell   
them that Silence sent you. That should get you in the door at least."  
  
-----  
  
Please visit our website at http://www.centragarden.net 


	20. Part 20

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 20  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans gbeans@tyrlen.org  
  
edited by Helen Fong iriachan@yahoo.com  
  
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
  
created by Square Enix www.square-enix.co.jp  
  
The room she sat in was noisy, far too noisy for her frayed nerves. The   
  
barflies chattered about their wasted lives over steins of the local watered   
  
down brew. The air was thick with the scent of smoke, ale, and sweat. It   
  
wasn't an establishment she would usually patronize but she had no where else   
  
to go for a hot meal.  
  
*They* were out there, searching for her, ready to kill her on sight. How   
  
pathetic they were to think that they could stop her from completing Hyne's   
  
work! So many false children plagued the world. She would collect what was   
  
rightfully hers as an heir of the Great Hyne.  
  
No, she mustn't! Too many times... Once was too many... She's already had   
  
a once, and a twice, and a third time. The images, the faces, danced before   
  
her eyes. She could see their fear frozen forever in her memory right before   
  
she--  
  
The bartender was watching her. She could feel his concern. His eyes   
  
caressing her back, wishing to offer her comfort. Oh yes, it must be a   
  
terrible grief that brought her to his grungy hole-in-the-wall establishment.  
  
NO!  
  
She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, trying to silence the relentless   
  
irritation. Their emotions were like an itch that she couldn't reach and she   
  
would take extreme measures to bring herself relief...  
  
She buried her face in her hands, careful to tuck her fingers under her   
  
hood. She took a deep calming breath.  
  
She should... She should turn herself in. No! They would kill her. Let   
  
them try. Let the SeeDs *try* to kill her.  
  
Ah... An idea. If she took the war to them... Yes, if she destroyed   
  
SeeD then no one would be left who could threaten her as she went about Hyne's   
  
work...  
  
*****  
  
[Flashback]  
  
"This *child* is Quistis Trepe?" The Headmaster's doubtful tone made how   
  
he regarded the teen standing before him abundantly clear. Martine gave his   
  
personal aide, Eileen Pearcy, a disapproving look. "I haven't time to waste on   
  
Cid's pet projects."  
  
He paced to and fro behind his desk as he glowered with a sideways glance   
  
at the SeeD who waited silently. "Well, speak up girl, what have you to say   
  
for yourself?"  
  
His voice cracked like a whip, startling Quistis from her stunned   
  
disbelief. "I am Quistis Trepe. I've brought orders with me, signed by   
  
Headmaster Cid Kramer, to enroll in the Instructors training program at   
  
Galbadia Garden. I was under the impression that this had all been   
  
pre-arranged, Sir."  
  
"Oh, it had," Martine agreed with a sardonic drawl, "but had I known that   
  
Cid intended to send a child I would have never agreed to train you."  
  
Quistis' eyes hardened, though she was careful to keep her face an   
  
emotionless mask. "I have successfully completed the SeeD curriculum at Balamb   
  
Garden and all of the pre-requisites for entering this training programming.   
  
There is no age restriction that I know of."  
  
"Just because there isn't one doesn't mean there shouldn't be," he   
  
countered.  
  
Quistis sucked in her breath. She expected to catch flak about her youth   
  
during her time at Galbadia, but she hadn't anticipated the Headmaster himself   
  
to begin railing against her. She opened her mouth -- unsure whether to   
  
concede to his resistance or fight to remain at Galbadia -- but he held up a   
  
hand to silence her.  
  
"Since Cid has given you orders compelling you to enter the Instructor   
  
program I have no choice but to allow your admittance. I'm not happy about it,   
  
make no mistake about that. And know now that I'll be keeping a *very* close   
  
eye on you. If you lend yourself to the foolishness the people your age tend   
  
to I'll have you expelled from this Garden faster than a Bomb explodes."  
  
His piercing eyes bore into her, searching for any other flaw that he   
  
could cite as a reason to turn her away. When he found none he snorted lightly   
  
and motioned to his awaiting aide.  
  
"Go with Eileen. She'll get you settled."  
  
Quistis gave him a crisp salute and turned to Eileen Pearcy. The aide's   
  
eyes flashed a wide range of emotions; amusement, concern, annoyance, and a   
  
maybe even a touch of vindication. Those blue eyes were undecipherable to   
  
Quistis, there was too much in them for her to sort out which emotions were   
  
directed towards whom.  
  
"If you'll come with me?" Eileen's deceptively neutral voice invited   
  
politely.  
  
The jarred SeeD nodded her thanks and followed the aide out of Martine's   
  
office, unsure what the next two years had in store for her.  
  
Quistis pushed herself up in her comfortable office chair and wondered   
  
what prompted her to recall her first meeting with Headmaster Martine. She   
  
swiveled slowly back and forth as she probed the memory.  
  
She had since come to know Eileen and how to read the emotions that had   
  
boiled behind her polite facade that day. Martine unbraiding Quistis the   
  
moment she arrived was a carefully choreographed performance. Eileen didn't   
  
exactly approve of challenging new Instructors that manner, but it was   
  
Martine's show to run. And he demonstrated all-too acutely that things weren't   
  
always what they seemed.  
  
"Martine isn't the bigot you think he is," Eileen confined in her some   
  
months later. "He tests all his Instructors to finds their weaknesses and then   
  
will hit them as hard as he can to see if the Instructor bends or breaks. I   
  
suspect that Xu's never forgiven him for that, but you shouldn't hold it   
  
against him. It's his job to challenge you in every way he can because the   
  
students definitely will!"  
  
Learning that had lifted a weight off Quistis' chest. She'd felt   
  
frustrated because she believed that Galbadia's Headmaster was a narrow-minded   
  
man. It was hard to be loyal to someone she had difficulty respecting. And   
  
that's why Eileen came clean about what Martine was doing. Eileen was careful   
  
to point out that there may be situations where Quistis *didn't* respect her   
  
superior and was expected to follow orders anyway, but that wasn't the point of   
  
this exercise. Martine wanted to see how Quistis would hold up against having   
  
her authority constantly in question because of her age. Would Quistis throw a   
  
tantrum about it? Would she prove that she was worthy of the authority she   
  
held?  
  
Like Quistis herself, Martine wasn't what he seemed, and that helped her   
  
feel a kinship with him, though his persona was an assumed one while her's   
  
wasn't. All of this was part of a test to see how she would overcome the   
  
obstacles that got in her way.  
  
Maybe that's why she was thinking of Martine, because of the latest 'test'   
  
he'd given her. Few SeeDs escaped from the duty of trying to track the   
  
Sorceress down, and that included Instructors. Quistis remained stationed here   
  
throughout the Sorceress hunt because the woman she was supposed to guard was   
  
missing. When Quistis asked why she wasn't sent to find the woman, Eileen   
  
explained that the Galbadians were going to take over the search.  
  
Quistis had yet to hear anything regarding their progress, even when she   
  
pressed for more information. She idly wondered if they'd forgotten entirely   
  
about her mission. That is, until this morning. The folded sheets of her   
  
updated orders were pressed flat and lying on her desk.  
  
She didn't like them, not one bit. Martine couldn't possibly have come up   
  
with more awkward conditions for her to work within. The missing woman, Anna   
  
Corin, was last seen in the Lake Obel region. More specifically, she resided   
  
in Cottage Grove. Quistis felt a ripple of emotions at the prospect of   
  
returning to the home she barely remembered. She wouldn't allow herself to   
  
dwell on that thought, instead focusing on other potential difficulties that   
  
the mission presented.  
  
Cadet Wedge, one of her best students (if not *the* best student), was to   
  
accompany her. 'Field training' was how it was being explained away, but only   
  
a fool would send a cadet on a mission like this. There was a very real chance   
  
that they would encounter the Sorceress. The madwoman had already killed six   
  
people, including one Galbadian soldier. They couldn't afford to send children   
  
out!  
  
She laughed mirthlessly. No doubt that was how they viewed *her*, even if   
  
she was the commanding officer of this ill-conceived team. Their third member   
  
would meet them en route. Martine was unable to provide Quistis with a dossier   
  
on the Lieutenant. All she knew was that his name was Biggs.  
  
This wasn't a test of her ability, it was downright insanity. The prudent   
  
part of her wanted to ask Martine to assign another SeeD to go with them, but   
  
that would confirm to him that she wasn't ready for a SeeD's responsibilities.   
  
No, she had to take the resources she was given and make something of them.   
  
Biggs may be a complete mystery to her, but she knew Wedge quite well. That   
  
knowledge was something she could build on.  
  
"First thing's first, I suppose," she said before sending a page for Wedge   
  
to come to her office. He may not even know that he's going on this little   
  
field trip yet.  
  
*****  
  
"Damn this is depressing," Sierra breathed as she took in her   
  
surroundings. Mountain peaks were off in the distance, but there was a hell of   
  
a lot of desert between here and there. Sierra was tempted to speak with the   
  
ship's captain and ask to return to Dollet. She could wait for the villagers   
  
to offloading supplies and then ask for a ride, but even before she stepped off   
  
the ship she decided that she wouldn't do that. She wanted to walk there and   
  
familiarize herself with this tortured land. Maybe along the way she'd be able   
  
to convince herself that it was worth saving.  
  
The dirt road that led from the docks cut across the land like a scar.   
  
There were no crossroads, no deviations, only the distant village at the end of   
  
the road.  
  
When she heard the sound of an upcoming vehicle from the dock she hid   
  
herself among the tall grasses until they passed. She closed her eyes as she   
  
laid face down on the ground, the relentless sun beating on the back of her   
  
neck and drew in a deep, dusty breath.  
  
'If only this were snow instead,' she thought. Snow in and of itself   
  
wasn't that pleasurable to lay in, but it would melt into water and bring life   
  
with it. This... This was just grainy dirt with patches of dried brown   
  
grasses. The grasses hinted that there may have been life here -- or at very   
  
least enough water to maintain a miserable existence -- but nothing worth   
  
saving. She dug into the ground with a fingernail and didn't come across   
  
anything to alter her first impression. No worms, beetles, spiders, anything   
  
to preserve.  
  
A shadow came over her, relieving her from the sun's onslaught.  
  
This couldn't be good.  
  
Slowly she leaned up to see a pair of ugly Jelleyes floating right above   
  
her. Didn't their three huge eyes see her laying here vulnerable to attack?   
  
One of their whiplike tails traced lightly along the ground and went right over   
  
her. Sierra remained frozen and the Jelleyes made no moves towards her.  
  
Were monsters the only form of life around here?  
  
She laid there for the better part of a half-hour, waiting to be   
  
discovered, but it never happened. The monsters went on their way without   
  
taking issue to her presence. Sierra wasn't about to chase them down if they   
  
were content to let her go.  
  
"Why did I let myself be talked into this?" She stood up and brushed the   
  
worst of the dirt off her clothes. Not even Hyne would stop here to take a   
  
shit. Arjun was out of his damned mind if he thought she could do anything to   
  
help save *this* place. It wasn't worth the effort.  
  
*****  
  
Eileen Pearcy's carefully schooled features did not betray the anger that   
  
was bubbling inside her. To all but a few people her upbeat tone of voice and   
  
flashing smiles would seem completely in character. They weren't in character   
  
when combined with the ice blue eyes that could kill on sight. Jennifer   
  
Sakachi, Eileen's best friend and life partner, could read her mate like a book   
  
and put her fork down with a soft clink.  
  
"It's not like you to let concern over Martine's latest decisions follow   
  
you home," she probed gently. In Jen's biased opinion, Eileen was far too good   
  
of an aide to be wasted on a man like Martine. She may not have the military   
  
experience that he does, but she outstrips him a hundred times over when it   
  
comes to people skills and good old common sense.  
  
Eileen's assumed smile faded after her bluff was called. "I'm upset that   
  
he's selling Quistis short, but I'm also afraid that he's not." Her lips   
  
pressed together in an uncharacteristic frown.  
  
"What do you mean?" Jen stretched a reassuring hand across the dinner   
  
table and gave Eileen's hand a squeeze.  
  
"The timing of Quistis' deployment is all wrong. The Galbadians *haven't*   
  
located Anna Corin yet, they only have a general area where they think she may   
  
be. Martine insists on sending Quistis out now because..." And Eileen's rich   
  
voice dropped off in a whisper. She didn't want to say it, even if it wasn't   
  
true. As if repeating the words enough times would give them the weight of   
  
truth.  
  
"Because..?"  
  
At Jen's prompting nudge she finished, "Because she's not going to   
  
graduate the Instructor program, not at this rate. I know that you've been   
  
helping her all you can, Jen, and it shows. But she just doesn't have her feet   
  
under her yet. There are some things that can only come with age; an authority   
  
and confidence that's only gained through having experienced life!"  
  
It was Jen who turned away. The couple had always danced around this   
  
topic, not wanting to dwell upon the possibility of Quistis' failure. It was a   
  
personal matter for them. The teen was like a sister to Xu, and that meant   
  
they would try to look out for her. Though they both knew it, they didn't want   
  
to admit that this assignment was proving to be too much for Quistis.  
  
"How is sending Quistis away now going to help matters?" Jen's tone was   
  
devoid of emotions. When it came to the future of SeeD she had to do what was   
  
best for the organization, above her personal desires. Even before voicing her   
  
question she suspected the answer, whether she liked it or not.  
  
"Martine expects her to be out on assignment during the next Field Exam.   
  
Other Instructors will take over her candidates with hopes of preparing them   
  
for graduation. We need the SeeDs too much right now to let sentimentality   
  
hold them back."  
  
"Are you saying that Quistis is preventing them from graduating?" Jen   
  
accused sharply.  
  
Eileen looked down at her forgotten dinner to escape Jen's eyes. "Quistis   
  
is a brilliant thinker, but her gift is unique to her. A brilliant Instructor   
  
doesn't automatically make the students brilliant. She must instill within   
  
them her work ethic and value for learning. It's a task she won't be able to   
  
accomplish fully as long as the students lack respect for her. Oh, they may   
  
salute and act properly when authority figures are around, but they see her as   
  
an upstart."  
  
"That's been a problem since the beginning," Jen pointed out.  
  
"It has," Eileen allowed. "Quistis tried compensating at first by   
  
demanding their respect, doing everything by the book. That alienated the   
  
students. Then she tried being their friend and gaining their respect through   
  
loyalty. That got her a bit further, but it also undermined her position as   
  
their superior officer. No, this problem will only go away with time."  
  
Jen's frown mirrored Eileen's. She could understand the position that the   
  
Garden's administration was in. They would graduate only the best of the best   
  
and Quistis wasn't producing SeeDs of that caliber. They didn't view authority   
  
figures with the proper respect because they were used to sliding by with their   
  
youthful Instructor.  
  
"I wish you were wrong," Jen admitted after a long silence.  
  
Eileen nodded sadly. "I hate it when Martine's right."  
  
*****  
  
The sun had fallen below the horizon hours ago when Sierra made it within   
  
yelling distance of her destination. She'd spotted the compound around dusk   
  
and kept going straight until she arrived. It was a shame that it turned dark   
  
when she'd finally ran across something to look at. Acres of crops created   
  
their own barrier outside the walls that protected the Anshin people from the   
  
monsters that roamed the Serengeti Plains.  
  
Sierra placed a weary hand on the wooden door that was to the side of the   
  
main gate. She balled her hand into a fist and rapped on it soundly until an   
  
inset panel slid aside to allow the guard to see who it was. His greeting   
  
wasn't the friendliest, or so she assumed. She didn't quite understand him,   
  
but was certain part of it was asking for identification.  
  
"I'm here to see Kei," she answered in broken Anshin. The guard quirked   
  
his head slightly, having trouble with her accent. Well, tough shit, it was   
  
the best she could manage.  
  
The panel slid closed and she could hear movement from behind the door.   
  
She was expecting him to open it, but that didn't happen. Fifteen minutes   
  
passed and she was fed up with waiting. If they didn't let her in soon she'd   
  
find a place where she could scale the wall or something.  
  
The guard's face reappeared in the opened panel briefly before it was   
  
replaced with Kei's.  
  
"It's about damned time," Sierra adjusted the pack on her shoulders. "I   
  
was told to tell you that silence sent me."  
  
Kei's expression crinkled with confusion. From how her hair was sticking   
  
out at odd angles it's likely that the guard had drawn her from her bed.  
  
"Sierra? What are you doing here? And what do you mean 'silence sent   
  
you'?" She opened the door and allowed Sierra to enter.  
  
"To cut a long story short; I was guarding Winhill when I met a man named   
  
Arjun. The Sorceress showed up and killed one of the villagers. After the   
  
mayor dismissed me, Arjun said to come here and tell you that I was sent by   
  
silence."  
  
Kei's eye's narrowed. "Did he have coppery hair, blue eyes, and was a   
  
complete asshole?"  
  
"He said you two were friends," Sierra replied sarcastically.  
  
"Bastard!" She slammed her fist against the door. Kei was wide awake now   
  
and began barking orders to the few guards who had come to see who the late   
  
night visitor was. As if someone had lit a fire under their asses they ran off   
  
to perform the tasks she assigned them.  
  
"What did you say?" Sierra asked, unable to follow the conversation, but   
  
impressed with the results.  
  
"I told them that a messenger from the Spirit of Silence has arrived.   
  
They've gone to convene the elders."  
  
Sierra's mouth worked itself soundlessly, confused by Kei's answer even if   
  
it was translated for her. Kei gave a small shrug before heading into the   
  
village with Sierra in tow.  
  
"I'm sorry, but you won't be able to rest yet. I want to hear about your   
  
encounter with the Sorceress. You can tell me what sort of things to expect."  
  
"Expect to get your ass kicked," Sierra grumbled.  
  
The SeeD gave her a disapproving look.  
  
During her hike here she had hoped that she could arrive, tell Kei about   
  
the Sorceress, and then leave. Instead she found herself in a dimly lit room   
  
that smelled of incense. The relaxing atmosphere was enough to make her want   
  
to go to sleep. It'd been a long day and she was more than ready to go to bed.   
  
The Anshin wouldn't allow her that until she delivered her message.  
  
Kei sat beside her on a floor cushion. The pair of them sat opposite of   
  
five elderly men who had hastily gathered. So these were the mighty Anshin   
  
elders who had banished her grandfather? They didn't seem that powerful to   
  
her. Two of them looked so frail that a violent sneeze could shatter them.  
  
They all spoke standard, thank goodness. Kei was careful to always   
  
address her as a messenger from Silence. She had no idea why it mattered, but   
  
if it made them listen...  
  
Sierra found herself speaking more to Kei than with the elders, who acted   
  
as observers to their discussion. She recounted every detail from the battle   
  
that she could remember. It shamed Sierra to admit to the SeeD who had tutored   
  
her that she was easily trounced by the Sorceress. It was like their hard work   
  
had been put to waste.  
  
"We thank you for coming all this way to deliver your warning," the head   
  
elder said when the conversation was drawing to an end. "Please stay here   
  
tonight."  
  
Sierra looked around the room and decided that it would be better than   
  
sleeping outside.  
  
Before the elders left the room Kei had one final thing to say to them.   
  
"You will let the messenger rest in peace tonight," her dark glare locked onto   
  
each of them before she turned to help Sierra prepare a place to lay down. She   
  
was too tired to ask what that was about. All she wanted to do was go to   
  
sleep.  
  
"How did you sleep?" Kei crouched by Sierra. The younger woman rolled   
  
over lazily until her brain reminded her of where she was. In an instant she   
  
was sitting bolt upright and taking in her surroundings. Okay, this room was   
  
dark regardless of time of day. A lack of windows will do that. Kei had a   
  
slight smirk on her face. Sierra flopped back onto the cushions and pulled the   
  
covers over her head. Maybe she'd wake up somewhere else.  
  
"None of that now," Kei gently prodded her with her foot. "It's time to   
  
get up. We have a lot to discuss before the elders meet this afternoon."  
  
"Yeah? Like what?" Came Sierra's muffled response.  
  
"Like whether you're going to stay or leave," the SeeD took hold of the   
  
covers and pulled them from Sierra's talon-like grip.  
  
"I'm leaving!"  
  
The smirk remained and now a twinkle in Kei's eyes accompanied it. "But   
  
you just got here. I think we should talk before you make up your mind."  
  
Grudgingly Sierra got up and followed Kei to a house that wasn't too far   
  
away from the council chamber. Along the way her hostess pointed out things of   
  
interest. Most of the tour was lost on Sierra, the sun was too bright for her   
  
to see anything with her still light-sensitive eyes.  
  
Kei promised to have brunch ready for her when Sierra was finished in the   
  
bath. It had been years since she last soaked in hot water. The closest thing   
  
would be the Bika hot springs that were a couple kilometer hike outside of   
  
Summit. She allowed herself to revel in the warmth. The tight muscles in her   
  
back unknotted as the heat worked its magic on her.  
  
When she left the bath she was annoyed to find that her clothes were   
  
missing. She should have known that this was too good to be true. What in the   
  
hell was she supposed to wear, a towel? Annoyance gave way to panic when she   
  
realized that she couldn't leave the bathroom like this. She spotted a pile of   
  
folded sheets sitting on a stool by the door. It wasn't the most dignified way   
  
to present herself, but at least she wouldn't be running around naked.  
  
Peering out into the hallway she didn't see anyone. Good. She could find   
  
her clothes and get out of this ridiculous sheet. Stealthily she slinked past   
  
a room that had a few children in it. So far, so good. Her luck didn't hold   
  
out when she heard a loud bark of laughter behind her. Kei made no effort to   
  
hide the amusement that she felt at Sierra's expense.  
  
"Where the hell are my clothes?" Sierra demanded tartly.  
  
"Being washed and mended," Kei's eyes danced. "Want some help getting   
  
dressed?"  
  
"In what?"  
  
"In that," Kei pointed at the sheet she had draped around her. "You've   
  
never seen Anshin robes before, have you? I don't imagine they'd hold up well   
  
against Trabia's bitter cold. In Centra they're the perfect thing to keep you   
  
cool and still be modest."  
  
Sierra rolled her eyes and gave Kei a 'you've-got-to-be-kidding-me' sort   
  
of look. The SeeD deftly maneuvered her guest into an unoccupied room and   
  
helped her get properly outfitted.  
  
"I would lend you one of my uniforms if it would fit," Kei snorted lightly   
  
at the absurdity of that idea. Sierra towered above her former mentor. "I   
  
want you to be ready for when the villagers approach you," Kei admitted in all   
  
seriousness. "Word has gotten out that a messenger from Silence arrived last   
  
night. People are already poking around trying to get a look at you."  
  
"Huh? I don't understand why you keep referring to me as a messenger like   
  
it's important or something."  
  
"You know the stories about the Spirits," Kei reminded while tightening a   
  
sash around Sierra's waist. "Silence is the Spirit of battle. The one who   
  
sets the stage of war. Silence sent you to warn me, and the villagers are   
  
understandably afraid of the upcoming battle."  
  
Sierra twisted abruptly, almost knocking Kei aside. "You believe that   
  
Arjun is *that* Spirit?"  
  
"Most of the villagers do, yes," she confirmed. "When they met him last   
  
he went by the name Enju. I can't discount what they say. I've seen all too   
  
many conflicts follow in his wake."  
  
"He didn't seem so tough to me," Sierra replied. Then again, she hadn't   
  
seen him in a real battle. If he really was the kick ass warrior Anshin   
  
legends made him out to be why didn't the little fuck help her defeat the   
  
Sorceress? "Asshole," she muttered darkly under her breath.  
  
"The villagers expect me to protect them," Kei continued. "And as a   
  
warrior sent by Silence, they expect you to help me. And regardless of what   
  
*they* think, I would feel better with you fighting alongside me. I think we   
  
can take her if we worked together."  
  
Sierra shook her head. "Not to be the voice of reason, but I hope you   
  
have a plan. Otherwise the two of us won't be a match against her."  
  
"As a matter of fact, I do," Kei motioned for Sierra to follow. They went   
  
down the hallway to another bedroom. From a table beneath the window Kei   
  
picked up a sheathed sword and handed it to her.  
  
Sierra took possession of the sword and pulled it from the scabbard to   
  
examine the blade. Suddenly it felt like someone had grabbed a hold of her   
  
heart and squeezed. All her junctions were neutralized and the magic that   
  
usually flowed freely within her body hung frozen like ice in her veins. The   
  
sword clattered to the floor and all at once a rush of magic ran through her.   
  
She staggered onto a nearby bed before she collapsed from lightheadedness.  
  
"What's that sword?" She gasped.  
  
"A special weapon created for the sole purpose of killing Sorceresses,"   
  
Kei knelt and picked up the sword without so much as a wince. "I apologize, I   
  
should have warned you to unjunction your magic.  
  
"The Mage Slasher is plated in Odine metal. It neutralizes the magical   
  
ability of the person who wields it; including drawing, casting, and summoning   
  
Guardian Forces. It also nullifies magic that is cast upon the swordsman. The   
  
person who holds this sword is in for a purely physical battle. Do you think a   
  
Sorceress would survive having this plunged through her heart?" Kei smirked.  
  
Sierra shook her head, finally recovered from the shock the Mage Slasher   
  
gave her. "It looks like you'll do fine without me."  
  
The SeeD laughed. "Hardly, I can't use magic to heal myself. This is   
  
going to be a tough fight and I'll feel better having someone I can trust   
  
covering my back. I'll be the offense, you'll be our defense. Together we'll   
  
smack this witch down."  
  
Sierra snorted. "Sounds good to me."  
  
*****  
  
Only the shopkeeper behind the counter looked up when the bell attached to   
  
the door rang out pleasantly. It was a rare occasion when two customers he   
  
didn't recognize entered his remote shop at the same time. Not many travelers   
  
came this far off the beaten path.  
  
The man wearing a green tunic who had just entered scanned the shop for   
  
other occupants before spotting the copper-haired young man down aisle three.   
  
The newcomer approached the young man and they began to speak. Ah... They must   
  
be traveling together. That discounts the rarity of two customers coming in at   
  
once independent of each other. Amused that he was even keeping score, the   
  
shopkeeper went back to reading his newspaper.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?!"  
  
"It's good to see you as well, Sarkis," Talasu gave the shopkeeper a   
  
sideways glance before continuing. "I want you to return with me to Kinzua.   
  
With regards to certain matters it is too dangerous for us to out in the open   
  
like this. We will be safe in Kinzua until the situation has settled down."  
  
Enju stared at the shopkeeper (who was doing his best to give the   
  
impression of reading his paper and ignore them) until he went into a back room   
  
for something. Once he was gone Enju railed on Talasu.  
  
"You're out of your mind, old man! As I've told you before, I'm not going   
  
back there. I don't care how 'advanced' you claim the security is, I certainly   
  
never saw it."  
  
Talasu's lips thinned and he leaned over to grab an item from the shelf in   
  
front of Enju as a pretense to over his whispered response. "She's hunting   
  
down you and your siblings. All I want is for you to come home until this has   
  
blown over, then you may continue along your way."  
  
"No," Enju growled. "I don't want your concern. Go find your other   
  
students and leave me alone."  
  
"I've collected everyone except for you," Talasu said. "You're the last   
  
one."  
  
"Good for you," the young man sneered. "Instead of hiding in a hole *I'm*   
  
going to do something about this!"  
  
"What do you intend to do?"  
  
Enju weighed whether he should actually answer Talasu's question or not.   
  
After a moment's consideration he decided there was nothing the Master could   
  
say or do to stop him and so it wouldn't hurt to be honest. "I'm going to   
  
protect Quistis."  
  
"Protect Quistis? What leads you to believe that she needs protection?   
  
Don't you think she would want you to take care of yourself by not getting   
  
killed?"  
  
Enju's eyes narrowed and then he rocked back on the balls of his feet and   
  
laughed. "You've obviously never had a girlfriend before! Protecting them is   
  
what any decent guy would do!"  
  
"That's rather sexist of you," Talasu intoned. "Didn't Niethe teach you   
  
any better?"  
  
"Shut up, old man!" Enju picked up the basket of goods he was going to   
  
purchase. He would never admit to Talasu how much he worried about Quistis or   
  
how often she crossed his mind. He would go to the ends of earth to check on   
  
her to put his mind at ease.  
  
"I'll go with you," Talasu announced before Enju left the aisle.  
  
"Don't make me laugh," he called over his shoulder, waving off Talasu's   
  
offer.  
  
"If you can chase after Quistis to protect her, then I go chase after you   
  
for the same reason," the Master explained with a smirk.  
  
Enju's shoulders slumped and he audibly sighed. "Whatever, but I'm not   
  
buying your food. If you want to eat you had better buy something."  
  
*****  
  
A red-faced Seifer saluted an equally angry Xu before leaving her office.   
  
The cadet's displeasure left a trail of unease in his passing. After exiting   
  
the training center there was an audible sigh of relief.  
  
Well aware that he was risking his life, Aucifer stuck his head into Xu's   
  
office. Xu had her head down on her desk. She wasn't crying, that's a good   
  
sign, but an aura of exasperated defeat hung over her. Weary, that was the   
  
word that described her. She was tired of fighting the same battle over and   
  
over again.  
  
Poor thing, there was always a slump in Xu's shoulders after she and   
  
Seifer spent any length of time together. She was too proud to admit that   
  
Seifer was a handful. And they were like the proverbial oil and water that   
  
would never mix.  
  
Compared to the other Balamb Instructors she didn't have that many   
  
students under her direct command; only the drill team and a few special cases   
  
like Seifer. Most students (the drill team) saw it as an honor to have the   
  
Assistant Headmaster as their scholastic advisor, but it wasn't that way with   
  
Seifer. Seifer and Squall were put under Xu's wing because of Cid's desire for   
  
gunblade specialists. But Xu wasn't the best Instructor for them. Aucifer   
  
would have been a better choice since he spent the most time with them, but he   
  
wasn't a SeeD Instructor. Thus, Xu was their advisor by default since she was   
  
over both of them and Aucifer.  
  
That and the fact that today was the Balamb Field Exam was undoubtedly a   
  
source of Xu's current woes. Unless Aucifer missed his guess Seifer didn't   
  
pass. He frowned. Sure, there were always disappointed cadets who failed, but   
  
few turned that disappointment into anger against an Instructor or vise versa.  
  
"What happened with Seifer?" Aucifer asked as nonchalantly as he could   
  
after closing the door.  
  
Xu lifted her head and gave it a little shake. "He nearly killed three   
  
civilians who just happened to be between him and an Anacondaur. He didn't see   
  
them before he summoned Shiva. One of his teammates spotted them and pulled   
  
them to safety before Shiva's invocation."  
  
Though her voice was level the emotions grated painfully behind it. He   
  
was no fan of Seifer, but Xu was easily his harshest and most biased critic.   
  
Seifer could do no right in Xu's mind and Aucifer found himself in the awkward   
  
position of playing advocate on Seifer's behalf.  
  
"Now Xu," he paused to choose his words carefully, "he made a mistake,   
  
yes, but he's also human. You really shouldn't tear him apart for something   
  
like that. I'm sure he'll be more careful next time."  
  
Xu's dark eyes bore into him. "It was the *Field Exam*! This is it,   
  
Aucifer! He's not allowed any more mistakes, none of them are! If he makes   
  
mistakes, people die."  
  
Her knuckles had gone white with barely contained rage. "He doesn't   
  
*care* about those around him and SeeD doesn't need any sword-swinging   
  
cowboys."  
  
"The same could be said about Squall Leonhart," Aucifer pointed out.  
  
The stoic cadet always ended up being the anti-thesis to Seifer. It   
  
really wasn't fair to Squall to think of him in that light. He was certain   
  
that the cadet had some distinguishing quality besides not being Seifer, but   
  
Aucifer was hard pressed to think of one off the top of his head.  
  
Xu pursed her lips together, biting back her retort. "Squall cares, he   
  
just doesn't show it," she said instead. "Besides, this isn't about Squall,   
  
it's about Seifer's irresponsibility. He should know better than this!"  
  
"Yes, he should," Aucifer agreed, hoping to pacify Xu some. "How about I   
  
have a talk with him? It doesn't look like yours went very well and maybe   
  
it'll sink in better if it comes from another source."  
  
"I doubt it will, but sure," Xu sighed heavily. "He won't be graduating   
  
this time around. Cid has already told me to make sure Seifer's included in   
  
the next Exam. Maybe he'll figure it out by then."  
  
There was a knock on the office door. Aucifer scooted out of the way so   
  
that Xu's Shumi assistant, Sree, could speak with her.  
  
"The Garden Master wishes to see you," Sree announced solemnly.  
  
Xu nodded and glanced over at Aucifer. "We were just finishing up here.   
  
Good luck with your talk," Xu gave his shoulder a squeeze in passing. He   
  
didn't know if he'd actually make a different with Seifer, but if took some of   
  
the pressure off Xu the effort was worth it.  
  
Xu's meetings with NORG were becoming all the more frequent as the urgency   
  
of the Sorceress situation increased. A good part of that urgency was of   
  
NORG's manufacture. Every week Xu heard about the Garden's lost revenues due   
  
to the number of SeeDs deployed on non-profit missions. As a placating   
  
concession Cid had agreed that all of the SeeDs that graduated from today's   
  
class would be put to use on revenue generating projects instead of sent after   
  
the rogue Sorceress. Undoubtedly that was what NORG wished to discuss with   
  
her.  
  
"I thank you for coming on such short notice," NORG said by way of   
  
greeting. It was a game they played. NORG was always infallibly polite to   
  
her, but there was a Ruby Dragon beneath that blubbery exterior. She was   
  
always careful to dance the steps NORG led her through, but she couldn't help   
  
but wonder when the day would come when she was no longer useful to the Shumi.   
  
The thought wasn't one she liked to dwell on.  
  
"Of course, Master NORG. What can I do for you?"  
  
NORG somehow laced his long, fat fingers together and leaned over his   
  
towering perch to look down on her. "You can begin by explaining to me why   
  
Seifer Almasy did not graduate."  
  
Xu quickly bit back a surge of anger. The test had been less than two   
  
hours ago and NORG already knew the results. Even more curious, the Garden   
  
Master actually cared about whether one cadet passed or failed. She had   
  
underestimated NORG and how carefully it kept track of its assets.  
  
When Xu wasn't immediately forthcoming with a response, it continued.   
  
"Your assistants have informed me of what a fine student he is. A man with his   
  
skills would fetch a high price for his services. So I ask you again, why was   
  
he failed?"  
  
"Because he lacks the moral character to be a SeeD." Xu said through   
  
gritted teeth.  
  
NORG's large hands parted and were placed along the forward support of its   
  
perch. "Is that all?" It asked in a very disapproving tone.  
  
Xu wanted to retort by asking if that wasn't enough. No, that wouldn't   
  
get her anywhere with NORG. It saw the bottom line and the amount of gil that   
  
Seifer represented.  
  
"Regretfully, Mr. Almasy almost killed three civilians. It would be   
  
improper for us to pass him without giving him due time to consider the   
  
consequences of his actions," she replied more diplomatically.  
  
NORG's fleshy eye ridges hooded its beady dark eyes as it weighed the   
  
sincerity of her words. With no choice but to take her explanation at face   
  
value, it snorted lightly and leaned back in its seat.  
  
"I'm certain that you will do all that you can to assure that he will   
  
reflect upon his actions and succeed in passing the next Exam," NORG said   
  
finally.  
  
"As an Instructor it's my top priority to help my students succeed."  
  
After another long look NORG dismissed her.  
  
Sree accompanied Xu in the lift to the upper levels. Before the lift   
  
reached the ground floor Xu hit the button to halt it. Sree's sleeves rustled   
  
uncomfortably as it waited to find out why Xu stopped the lift.  
  
"I appreciate the fact that you and your brethren report directly to NORG,   
  
but don't you *ever* second guess my judgment regarding a student's   
  
qualifications again." Though the words weren't said, there was a deadly glint   
  
in her eyes. She wouldn't be crossed twice.  
  
She punched the button to send the lift upwards. "Feel free to pass that   
  
along to NORG if you wish."  
  
Sree stood motionless for the remainder of the ride.  
  
*****  
  
Lieutenant Biggs shut off the engine of their jeep near the pump of the   
  
fueling station. Almost before the vehicle was stopped Wedge was out the door   
  
and stretching. It had been a long drive and they still weren't to their   
  
destination yet. Biggs rolled his eyes at the cadet and got out. An old man   
  
came over to offer to refuel the jeep. Quistis nodded her thanks and slipped   
  
out of the passengers side to stretch her legs.  
  
She regarded the Lieutenant without his notice and once again considered   
  
her impressions of him. They were mixed, to say the least. She always tried   
  
to give those who were older than her their due, but she had learned early on   
  
that very few people were truly entitled to what they thought they were. Biggs   
  
fit that category. He immediately took the lead of the group until Wedge   
  
respectfully reminded the Lieutenant that Quistis was the leader of their   
  
party. Biggs wasn't exactly condescending in his response, but he wasn't about   
  
to let them go very far without tugging on Quistis' collar.  
  
Quistis was willing to let the matter slide. They were a search party and   
  
if Biggs had any ideas on places to look she was willing to listen. Though, to   
  
be honest, Wedge was proving to be their sleuth. He had a knack for prying the   
  
information they desired out of the people they encountered while keeping the   
  
conversation to friendly topics. The ease with which he gathered information   
  
wouldn't have been possible if he and Biggs were wearing their Galbadia issued   
  
uniforms.  
  
Though this region was firmly under Galbadia's control, it had its share   
  
of Timber sympathizers. The lands that made up the Lake Obel province were   
  
once ignored by their bickering neighbors. That changed during the war against   
  
Esthar. Galbadia was determined to secure any front that the advancing   
  
Estharians might have used to their advantage. The Horizons Bridge drove a   
  
bitter wedge between Timber and Galbadia. Timber's precautions against   
  
invasion were insufficient in Galbadia's opinion and they refused Galbadia's   
  
offer to provide "peace keeping" forces to guard the Bridge. When Timber   
  
couldn't be reasoned with, they were invaded. And since Lake Obel was a   
  
traditional ally of Timber, they were seized as well.  
  
This was all textbook history to Quistis. She was too young to have   
  
experienced firsthand the devastation that came with an overthrown government   
  
(however loosely based the government in question was in the first place). The   
  
nationality in Quistis' birth registry was Galbadian -- the same as Biggs and   
  
Wedge -- yet they feared being persecuted as foreigners.  
  
So, in a way, it was to their advantage to let Biggs act like he was   
  
calling the shots in order to maintain their oblique cover. If anyone asked   
  
about such a mismatched group of young adults traveling the countryside, they   
  
would learn that Quistis was Wedge's girlfriend and Biggs was Wedge's older   
  
brother. The situation was hilarious, but avoiding trouble made the absurdity   
  
worth it.  
  
Quistis had to admit that she enjoyed the chance to wear civilian dress on   
  
a daily basis. It wasn't that she disliked the SeeD uniform, more that she   
  
reveled in the opportunity to pick her own clothes and accessories. Kei would   
  
be shaking her head at Quistis right now, but even the thought of that brought   
  
a smile to her face.  
  
She walked over to Wedge to see if he had figured out where they were   
  
going next.  
  
"We're going to..." he slid his finger along the map with the route they   
  
were following, "Cottage Grove. It looks like a good place to stop for the   
  
night. That would give us some time to pump the villagers for information."  
  
"Let me see the map," Quistis took the offered map from Wedge's hand and   
  
studied it intently. The possibly of passing through Cottage Grove had crossed   
  
her mind, but she hadn't planned on stopping. "Why not continue on to   
  
Lakewood?"  
  
"Lakewood doesn't have an inn," Wedge twisted the map around to point at a   
  
small icon the indicated the presence of an inn next to Cottage Grove. "There   
  
are a ton of tiny villages in this area. Cottage Grove appears to be at the   
  
center of them judging by how the roads are laid and what services are   
  
available there."  
  
"I hope this Anna Corin chick doesn't live out in the middle of nowhere,"   
  
Biggs looked over both of their shoulders to see where they were going next.   
  
"I hear there are some nasty monsters deep in the woods and I'd hate for either   
  
of you to get hurt."  
  
Wedge rolled his eyes at the boisterous Lieutenant without his notice.   
  
"Then let's get there before it turns dark," the cadet suggested. Quistis   
  
reluctantly nodded her agreement. This wasn't what she had in mind at all.  
  
*****  
  
"Do you have a moment?" Sierra looked up from the book she was reading to   
  
the man standing before her.  
  
Since this desert hell hole lacked anything that would pass for more than   
  
a sapling in Trabia, Sierra had taken to reading in a shaded corner along Kei's   
  
family's home. From her vantage point, she could watch the passing villagers   
  
if she wanted or completely ignore them, whichever suited her mood.  
  
Few people approached her when they saw her reading. In fact, Kei and her   
  
insatiably curious young brother Mikel were the only ones who came to mind.   
  
The rambunctious youngster *loved* to play and would pull anyone he could find   
  
into his games. Yesterday Sierra allowed herself to be coaxed into an after   
  
school game of hide and seek. She wouldn't admit to anyone (not even to   
  
herself) that she enjoyed the chance to sneak around the village, but Mikel   
  
seemed to know. She half-expected him to show up again today.  
  
Pulling her thoughts away from that, she placed a marker in her book and   
  
closed it before giving the man her full attention. "What?"  
  
The man gave her a small bow before sitting down across from her. From   
  
what she could figure, the importance of a person could be determined by the   
  
style of their robes. This man wore robes that weren't cut like the 'common   
  
folk', but not as elaborate as an elder either. (Never mind that he was also   
  
far too young to be one of those stuffy bastards). Where had she seen robes   
  
like his..? Ah! Not worn by one of the elders, but with the elders. He was   
  
an acolyte.  
  
He wasn't that bad looking either, now that she noticed. (That was the   
  
annoying thing with the Anshin acolytes, they were masters of sulking around in   
  
the background.) This guy's hair was inky black in color with dark brown   
  
almond-shaped eyes and a serene expression on his face. It gave her the   
  
creeps.  
  
"I am Tsuyo," he introduced. "I apologize for interrupting you during   
  
your studies but I have a favor to ask of you."  
  
He paused, uncomfortable, though that didn't show in his manner. Sierra   
  
made a motion for him to keep talking.  
  
"I know this is inappropriate, but would you arrange for me to speak with   
  
the Spirit? I cannot ask the elders to arrange such a meeting for me. It   
  
would be very disrespectful for me to seek the Spirit's time to discuss matters   
  
that they see as being trivial."  
  
"Who are they to decide how Kei's time should be spent?" Sierra challenged   
  
sharply. "You people are too damned polite, you know that? Respectfully this,   
  
pardon that. What if I don't want to pardon your breathing the same air as me?   
  
What if I want to take offense at your unpresumptuous manner?!"  
  
Tsuyo's blank expression gave no hint at what was going on behind his   
  
brown eyes. Sierra expected him to apologize for being so timid. Instead, a   
  
small smile upturned the corners of his mouth and he chuckled softly. "You are   
  
a woman who does not mince words; a valuable trait for a Messenger."  
  
"Hmph!" Sierra retrieved her book and stood up. "I'm not a messenger. If   
  
you want to tell Kei something why don't you do it yourself?"  
  
A faint smile played on Tsuyo's lips as they walked together to the   
  
elders' chamber. They would be convening shortly with Kei in attendance. He   
  
could try to catch Kei before anyone else arrived.  
  
He wisely ignored Sierra rolling her eyes when he insisted on opening to   
  
chamber door for her. Kei was seated on a floor cushion in the center of the   
  
dimly lit room with an unoccupied cushion at her left that was intended for   
  
Sierra. Two of the elders were likewise seated in their places. He gave   
  
Sierra a small frown and then shuffled off to prepare tea for those who had   
  
already gathered.  
  
Sierra took the shotaxe from the sling on her back and laid it out before   
  
her, just as Kei's sword was in front of her. It was a concession between   
  
Sierra and the elders. She refused to go around unarmed and they refused to   
  
let her enter the chamber with her weapon. Kei broke the deadlock between them   
  
by having the weapons set out ceremoniously before them. To emphasize her   
  
support for Sierra she began bringing her own sword and laying it out.  
  
These people were backwards, Sierra decided. How else could they continue   
  
to go on with their rituals and traditions when the rest of the world was   
  
changing to neck-breaking speeds. Not even the threat of a Sorceress could   
  
prod them free of the rut they lived in. Life continued at its own idyllic   
  
pace and nothing would change.  
  
'And if they believed that, they're fools.' Sierra didn't have a problem   
  
with categorizing them as such, but it would only make her job harder. Only   
  
morons would convince themselves that they could accurately predict when the   
  
Sorceress would attack. Whenever she asked they would say, "Not today and not   
  
tomorrow." That was well and fine until it actually happened, and if she lived   
  
through the encounter could she say, "I told you so."  
  
Tsuyo handed them each a cup of tea and retreated back to his corner. How   
  
could he stand being subservient like that? Sierra scowled at her tea and set   
  
it aside. "Tsuyo wanted to speak with you," she said for Kei's ears only.  
  
"Do you know what about?" Kei asked just as softly into her cup.  
  
Sierra shrugged slightly and then straightened up when the remaining three   
  
elders entered the room with another acolyte. As the head elder called them to   
  
order, Kei held up her hand and asked for the floor.  
  
"Tsuyo, what did you want to discuss?" Kei turned an inquisitive gaze over   
  
to the person who wasn't supposed to exist during meetings like this. The   
  
acolytes were always in the background, but never heard from or seen. They   
  
served the elders as errand boys and messengers.  
  
A look that could almost be called fear flashed through his eyes and was   
  
just as quickly suppressed. He came forward and bowed before them all. His   
  
eyes rested on Sierra the longest, as if he was drawing strength from her.  
  
"Yes, Spirit... Kei," he spoke softly, with growing confidence. "You are   
  
here to protect our elders from the wrath of the Sorceress. It gladdens all of   
  
our hearts that a Messenger has come to assist you. I will never doubt your   
  
power or skill, but what lies before you is a daunting task. And so... I would   
  
like to assist you in protecting us with the gifts that the Spirits have given   
  
me. I am at your servi-"  
  
"TSUYO!" One of the elders rose to his feet. "This is outrageous! You   
  
would insult the Spirit by offering to 'help' her with your pet monsters? You   
  
never learned such disrespect from me!"  
  
"But father," Tsuyo's unwavering voice interrupted his sire, "I only wish   
  
to offer every tool we have available. The monsters will help us if we ask, as   
  
we have helped them when they called upon us for aid. Did we not rescue that   
  
nest of Jelleyes last summer?"  
  
"We assisted them as a matter of course. To be left in peace is a high   
  
enough price to exhort from them," another elder pointed out.  
  
"Peace, brothers," the head elder held his hands up to call them to order.   
  
"This is not our decision to make. Tsuyo has the right -- no, the obligation   
  
-- to offer himself to the Spirit's service. It is up to her to decide."  
  
Everyone's eyes went to Kei. "Tsuyo..." She took a deep breath and turned   
  
to Sierra. "What do you think?"  
  
Once again every eye in the room shifted and Sierra felt herself in a very   
  
uncomfortable position. "I..." Her voice trailed off. She didn't think   
  
monster trainers were real. The idea was preposterous! How could someone not   
  
only tame a monster, but coax it into following his commands with his voice   
  
alone? But, from how everyone reacted, it had to be real. What had she   
  
learned about trainers when she was a child..?  
  
"I remember a story my grandfather told me once about a trainer who   
  
plotted revenge against his brother by setting a Death Claw against him. The   
  
Death Claw moved as the trainer willed and his brother was destroyed. Then the   
  
Death Claw turned against the trainer and consumed him as well. The hatred   
  
within the trainer's heart fed the primal desires of the monster. Or that's   
  
how the story goes at least, but I have to wonder if part of the reason the   
  
monsters here are tame is because they have not seen the evils of men. Even if   
  
the intentions are noble, the acts are not..." she shrugged. The knot of   
  
tension within the room eased as the moral taught by the story sank in.  
  
"Aisierra, your grandfather has shared his wisdom with you and continues   
  
to enrich us to this day," the head elder complimented.  
  
Sierra stepped on the urge to snap at him for using her full name. How   
  
dare he speak to her about her grandfather?! She shouldn't have told them one   
  
of her grandfather's stories.  
  
"Thank you for your offer, Tsuyo, but for now we'll decline," Kei answered   
  
the question that lingered between them.  
  
He bowed once more before retreating to his post.  
  
Kei felt a twinge of sympathy for him. It wasn't easy being the child of   
  
an elder. Especially when your father insisted that you enter the service of   
  
the Spirits as his had. He'd always been a kind person who spoke with more   
  
confidence than was displayed here today. It took a lot of guts to present an   
  
idea that was sure to be shot down.  
  
"Tsuyo, while we don't need your help protecting the elders, you play a   
  
vital role in protecting the village. Most people don't know of the work you   
  
do and because of that they take their safety for granted. Know that your   
  
efforts are appreciated and that we depend on you to guard us all."  
  
There, that mollified the taunt expression on his father's face. If Kei   
  
spoke so highly of his son in front of the elders, then no shame could fall on   
  
him for Tsuyo's actions.  
  
Tsuyo bowed once more and returned to the background.  
  
"And with that out of the way..." The room went back to mundane noise as   
  
far as Sierra was concerned. She didn't care about how the Chocobo breeding   
  
program was coming along. Now that she was aware of them she kept her eyes on   
  
the acolytes that hid in the shadows.  
  
"Do you like Chocobos?"  
  
At the sound of Tsuyo's voice Sierra turned away from the Chocobo she'd   
  
been scratching over the wooden fence at. The bird gave a pitiful wark and   
  
stuck its head across the barrier to recapture her attention.  
  
"They're good companions," she answered, stroking the bird's head feathers   
  
back. "We have a Chocobo forest in Trabia -- two in fact -- and the Garden   
  
maintains a modest stable of its own. Chocobos are such surefooted mounts.   
  
I'd choose a Chocobo over a Mesmerize any day when it comes to traversing the   
  
trails outside of Summit."  
  
Tsuyo leaned against the fence a comfortable distance away from Sierra and   
  
her new friend. He was close enough to converse but not be intrusive of her   
  
personal space. She twitched slightly at his ill-conceived notions of   
  
etiquette. He didn't have to maintain a safe distance from her or Kei or the   
  
elders.  
  
"Do your people have monster trainers as well?" He asked.  
  
"Eh? Trabians?" Sierra smiled. Of all the Anshin she'd met so far Tsuyo   
  
was the only one who seemed to get it. She belonged up north away from this   
  
sandy pit. When they were finished wasting her time she would go someplace   
  
that as least had foliage and preferably snow!  
  
Still pleased with that idea she answered his question. "They're not as   
  
skilled as you. The only monsters that I know of that are occasionally used as   
  
pack animals are Mesmerizes, and not just anyone is going to tame one. The few   
  
people who do it have gone through a lot of training themselves. Heh, northern   
  
animal trainers bear about as much resemblance to you as a pile of rocks does   
  
to the Yohn mountains."  
  
"What you say is flattering if not a bit disheartening," he admitted.   
  
"How do the people of the north discourage monsters from harassing their   
  
settlements if animal training is not widely practiced?"  
  
Sierra stopped herself before she blurted out her first response, shook   
  
her head, and then said it anyway. "We kill them. Local patrols keep the   
  
immediate area clear of monster nests and drive away any that wander too   
  
close."  
  
"I see," he said slowly, not as upset by her answer as she thought he   
  
might be. There was no reason to try to crush the man further by telling him   
  
what they did to dispose of the carcasses...  
  
"Isn't monster training a lot like Blue magic? I suppose not many people   
  
have the gift for it," she asked to turn the subject away from northern monster   
  
control methods.  
  
"It is a less common skill," he demurred, "but it bares little resemblance   
  
with Blue magic except that both involve monsters. Blue magic is when you   
  
learn the animal's skills as your own. What I do... I talk with them... On a   
  
one-to-one basis."  
  
He paused to give her a sheepish grin. "I realize that sounds odd. It is   
  
the only way I can think of to describe my relationship with non-humans. They   
  
tell me what is on their minds. Like, right now, Teioh wants you to move your   
  
hand up a few centimeters and get the itch above his eye ridge."  
  
Her hand obediently followed Tsuyo's direction and Teioh whistled with   
  
pleasure at having his eye ridge scratched. "How did you discover that you   
  
could speak with monsters?"  
  
"I used to spend a lot of time here when I was a child," he replied;   
  
fondness lighting his expression. "I understood the Chocobos. At the time I   
  
thought everyone could hear them, but that wasn't the case..."  
  
"There you are!" Mikel shouted from the other side of the pen. He waved   
  
and then ran along the fence. "I've been looking all over for you cousin   
  
Sierra!"  
  
"What do you mean 'cousin Sierra'? I'm not related to you," she chided   
  
less harshly than she would have most of these inbred yo-yos.  
  
"Sister Kei said to treat you like family," he explained with an impish   
  
gleam in his eyes. "So I figured you would be at least a cousin and since   
  
you're a cousin you wouldn't mind helping me with my homework. Uncle told us   
  
to memorize the names of the major northern cities for a quiz tomorrow." He   
  
was a perfect model of student's distress; the helpless victim of a teacher's   
  
unreasonable demands on his precious free time.  
  
"You've been all over the north, right? You know both the standard and   
  
the Anshin names for all the cities, right? You'll help me study them so that   
  
I pass my quiz and don't disappoint Uncle and Sister, right?"  
  
"Alright already!" Sierra threw up her hands in defeat. "I'll help you   
  
study. You act like this is the end of the world or something. I hope you   
  
realize that you'll be taking countless more quizzes before you're finished   
  
with school, so why get all bent out of shape about this one?"  
  
"Because I know that I'll do well on it if you help me," he answered.   
  
"Come on, let's go!" He took hold of her hand and dragged her off.  
  
Tsuyo didn't leave his spot resting against the fence even though they had   
  
left. He let his eyes fall out of focus as he watched a handful of Chocobos   
  
grazing in the backfield. Any time spent at the Chocobo stables always brought   
  
back memories. There were so many reasons that he loved this place. The   
  
happiness that filled his heart was always followed by a pang of sorrow when   
  
the reality of his situation confronted him.  
  
"I need to fulfill my promise before Father does something rash," he   
  
murmured aloud. No one could fault him for not acting when he had the chance   
  
and now that he was an adult he lacked the brazen resolve of his youth. He was   
  
confident enough in himself to admit that he was terrified of following   
  
through. If things went poorly his Father would get involved and it would only   
  
get worse from there. If it turned out well...  
  
He smiled.  
  
That was the possible outcome that made the risk worth taking.  
  
*****  
  
the children are gone  
  
The children are gone.  
  
The Children Are Gone!  
  
THE CHILDREN AR-  
  
Silence! SILENCE! She knew it was an illusion, she knew what she saw   
  
wasn't real. She swallowed down her rising panic. The children were here --   
  
they had to be! -- perhaps on the beach or in the house?  
  
Ethereal specters of her children dashed out of sight as quickly as she   
  
spotted them. Where were they going? Why are they fleeing from her? She   
  
followed the phantoms out the back door.  
  
Seeing the bodies of her children sprawled out on the beach was like a   
  
punch to the gut. She fell to her knees and wept. Jerrick. Jessica. Who did   
  
this to them? Who killed her children?  
  
The grief turned into an anger that was like a vile poison burning in her   
  
belly. The children were gone and those that were left were dead. Who did   
  
this? Who would she make pay for this?  
  
*****  
  
"We're on to something here, I can feel it," Wedge argued passionately   
  
with Biggs over dinner. "I just need a few more days!"  
  
The three of them were seated at one end of the generously sized dining   
  
table. A couple of other guests sat at the opposite end of the table, engaged   
  
in their own conversation.  
  
"You've had two days already and haven't figured out where we should   
  
search next," Biggs waggled his fork at the younger man.  
  
"That's because we should be searching *here*. I'm sure that Anna is   
  
around here somewhere, but it's like the villagers are hiding her from us.   
  
With a bit more time I can gain their trust and learn where she is."  
  
"And why would these backwater hicks be hiding her?" Biggs questioned, his   
  
voice rising in volume.  
  
"I don't know! Maybe because they know that we're searching for   
  
Sorceresses right now."  
  
"They may know that SeeD and the Army are looking for Sorceresses, but   
  
we're neither of those things, are we?" Biggs challenged, breaking the   
  
comfortable murmur of conversations around the room.  
  
"If they didn't suspect us already they certainly do now," Quistis said   
  
dryly and removed her glasses to set them down carefully on the dinner table.   
  
The innkeeper had been silently tending to his guest registry when the guys   
  
started arguing. Undoubtedly the innkeeper heard their bickering if not other   
  
guests who had come downstairs for supper.  
  
Biggs leaned forward so that the inn wasn't privy to anymore of their   
  
conversation. "What should we do then?"  
  
"If our best leads are here we continue searching Cottage Grove. If the   
  
well dries up and we haven't found her we'll move along to the next village."   
  
Quistis shook her head and went back to eating her dinner.  
  
The last two days hadn't been easy ones for her. She found herself   
  
spending far too much time watching the lake. Intellectually she acknowledged   
  
that it was the body of water that her parents died in, but the slowly lapping   
  
waves that hit the shore gave it a peaceful appearance. She wished that she   
  
remembered her parents. All that she had of them was a photo that replaced her   
  
memories of them as time wore on.  
  
She physically shook her head to free herself of those thoughts. Wedge   
  
hastily shoveled the last few bites into his mouth and stood up. "I'm going   
  
out," he announced. Quistis nodded her head. A few minutes later Biggs left   
  
as well. She was alone at her end of the table with her thoughts and her peas.  
  
'Why is it always peas?' she mused silently, recalling another brooding   
  
session involving chasing peas around her dinner plate.  
  
Quistis focused on her meal and ignored the fact that someone was watching   
  
her. At first she suspected the innkeeper, but he had left the room a few   
  
minutes ago. Silently the other guests left as well with only Quistis and her   
  
meal remaining. She could hear soft footsteps approaching her from the   
  
doorway, but she childishly refused to turn around. Foolish, if it were an   
  
assassin she should be on her feet to meet them. Then again, if they were an   
  
assassin she would likely be dead already.  
  
"Quisty? Quisty Trepe?" It was a woman's voice, older, matronly, but not   
  
her Matron. She should have insisted on going by an alias while they were   
  
here. She'd carefully avoided giving her name to any of the villagers, but   
  
that didn't mean either of the guys didn't hand it out.  
  
Fighting down the knot that exploded in her belly she turned around to   
  
address the woman. "I am Quistis Trepe, and you are?" She inquired politely.  
  
"Alis Thomas, the mayor of this village. I..." she paused and smiled   
  
fondly. "I didn't believe Rudo when he told us that you were staying here. I   
  
owe him an apology."  
  
Quistis gave Alis an appraising look. She was in her mid-fifties, average   
  
build, with wavy brown hair that was streaked with silver and bound at the nape   
  
of her neck. Her face was that of a woman who had endured many trials in life,   
  
but her blue eyes spoke of a caring woman at heart.  
  
"You take after your mother." Alis said after regarding Quistis for   
  
several moments.  
  
Quistis shrugged slightly. "If you say so. I don't remember her or my   
  
father."  
  
The elder woman's expressive face tugged into a slight frown. "It hurts   
  
to lose a member of your family when you're young," she murmured softly.   
  
"Perhaps fate is kind for ebbing your memories away."  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm not comfortable discussing this," Quistis shook her head   
  
and glanced at her forgotten meal. 'Not with you, at least,' her mind amended.   
  
Another knee-jerk reaction. This woman could potentially answer so many   
  
questions if Quistis was willing to speak with her.  
  
"I see. Rudo's inn isn't the best place for this," Alis allowed, "though   
  
don't you dare tell him I said that!" Her mobile features changed into an   
  
inviting smile. "Would you join me on an evening walk? I feel a certain   
  
responsibility for whatever difficulties and opportunities life has presented   
  
you since Rolf and I sent you to Deling City. I want to know what sort of   
  
damnation my soul is up for." Though her words were light there was an edge of   
  
concern to her voice. Quistis nodded once and snatched a bun from the   
  
breadbasket before leaving the inn with Alis.  
  
Dusk was setting on the village, making it the perfect backdrop for a   
  
scenic postcard. An elderly man tending his vegetable garden waved to them.   
  
Alis pointed out houses and introduced the families that occupied them. Three   
  
children went buzzing by them in a wild game of tag. One of them looked to be   
  
Quistis' age.  
  
"Where do you live now?" Alis asked after the small talk had broken the   
  
ice between them.  
  
"Ahhh..." Quistis shuffled slightly. If she told Alis much about herself   
  
it would compromise their mission, but Biggs and Wedge did that earlier this   
  
evening with their little spat. Maybe Alis would give her the benefit of the   
  
doubt, or maybe even help them find Anna Corin if Quistis played her cards   
  
right. "Currently I'm stationed in Galbadia, though Balamb is where I make my   
  
home."  
  
Both of Alis' eyebrows rose at that. Her hands went to her hips as she   
  
weighted the implication of Quistis' words. "You're in the Galbadia military?   
  
Aren't you a bit young, even for them?" Her eyes reflected her concern.  
  
"Not Galbadia. I'm a member of SeeD. I graduated from Balamb Garden last   
  
year and am currently earning my teaching credentials in Galbadia," she   
  
explained. If she was going to solicit Alis' aid she had to take some risks.  
  
For the first time Alis' expression was neutral. "How did you end up in   
  
SeeD?"  
  
"That's a longer story," it was Quistis' turn to smile. She told Alis   
  
about going to the orphanage in Deling City, her adoptive family that didn't   
  
work out, living with Matron in Centra, and finally entering the Garden. Alis   
  
was such an attentive listener. Quistis found herself telling the woman about   
  
topics she hadn't intended to breech, like Sean and Xu, and her hopes of   
  
becoming an Instructor. Quistis didn't get to why she was in Cottage Grove,   
  
nor had Alis asked during their conversation. When a wide yawn punctuated one   
  
of her sentences Alis chuckled lightly and apologized for keeping her up so   
  
late. The sky was a blanket of stars, yet it felt as though they'd only spoken   
  
for a short time.  
  
"Please don't leave the village without seeing me. I would like to speak   
  
with you again," Alis wished her a good evening and went home.  
  
Rolf didn't get up from the comfortable sofa he was lounged in when he   
  
heard the door open and close. He was used to Alis coming in late. She was   
  
the type who wouldn't sleep unless she knew everything was right with the   
  
village. That was part of the reason he loved her.  
  
"How is Mr. Barker's garden doing?" Rolf asked while setting aside the   
  
book he was reading.  
  
"I didn't speak with him tonight," Alis answered from the breezeway. Once   
  
her shoes were neatly tucked away she came into the living room and sat next to   
  
her husband on the sofa.  
  
"Quistis Trepe is at the inn," she said.  
  
The next question he was going to ask about Justin Callahan's fishing boat   
  
died on his lips. "I never thought she'd come back. Is she staying?"  
  
Alis shook her head. "She's passing through with those two fellows who   
  
have been lurking around the village lately."  
  
"Did you figure out why they're looking for Anna?"  
  
"I'm sure Quistis would have told me if I'd remembered to ask."  
  
That curious response piqued Rolf's interest. "What stopped you?"  
  
Alis looked down at her hands. She'd been kneading them in her lap, "We   
  
made a mistake, Rolf. We shouldn't have let her leave the village. We should   
  
have raised her ourselves if nothing else!"  
  
"Hon..." He took her hands into his own and squeezed.  
  
They had watched over the village for more than twenty years now, taking   
  
turns answering to the title of mayor. Whenever something dreadful happened   
  
Alis always took it hard. The villagers were family to her and the tragic   
  
deaths of the Trepes had been a harsh blow. Alis tried to find someone in the   
  
village who was capable of raising Quistis, but no one had the right   
  
combination of resources, time, and patience that it took to raise a child.   
  
Rolf and Alis' son, Chaz, was an unruly teenager then. Bringing a toddler into   
  
their home would have been a disastrous mistake. And so, lacking any other   
  
option, they contacted the government's social services department about taking   
  
Quistis into its care. It broke Alis' heart to make Quistis a ward of the   
  
state (and she cried for weeks after doing it) but they really had no other   
  
choice.  
  
Rolf put an arm around Alis and pulled her up against him. "Why are you   
  
still regretting that decision?" He asked gently.  
  
She leaned into his embrace and took the strength he offered her. "She's   
  
a SeeD, Rolf. She's brilliant, just like her parents, and the orphanages we   
  
thought would protect her turned her into a mercenary." The last words were   
  
spit out bitterly. They had both seen their share of conflict during the last   
  
Sorceress War and neither of them wished such a fate upon another.  
  
He stroked her hair reassuringly as he considered whether to sympathize   
  
with her frustration or play Devil's advocate. Alis was too smart to let her   
  
guilt-ridden conscience control her emotions like this. He chose his words   
  
carefully before speaking. "Being a SeeD isn't like enlisting in the Galbadia   
  
army," he reminded. "Their academies are among the finest educational   
  
institutes on the planet. And," he poked her gently, "Skye attended SeeD's   
  
academy. You've seen her since she graduated and haven't made any mention of   
  
her no longer being a good person."  
  
Alis snorted at the reminder. "Skye's different! She *chose* to go   
  
become a SeeD, though I think she could have ended up just about anywhere but   
  
here and been happy," she muttered. "The impression I got is that Quistis went   
  
into SeeD because that's where the orphanage dumped her off. She never had any   
  
other alternatives! What if she wanted to attend Deling University instead?"  
  
"Hon," he hugged her tight because the upcoming truth would hurt, "How   
  
would Quistis afford to go to Deling University? The village couldn't sponsor   
  
her and orphans aren't known for having vast financial resources. Considering   
  
what she had available to her, SeeD has undoubtedly provided her with the best   
  
education she could get."  
  
Alis glared at him in a manner that meant he was probably going to be   
  
sleeping on the sofa tonight. He accepted her scorn and squeezed her again.   
  
"I'm sorry, but it's the truth. What could we have done differently?"  
  
"I don't know," she admitted. "I don't know what we could have changed,   
  
but I do know what we can change."  
  
Rolf leaned back from her slightly. He knew that tone of voice. It was   
  
the one she used before charging recklessly into battle when they were still   
  
young and stupid. It was reinforced with determination and a refusal to be   
  
satisfied with anything less than her intended goal.  
  
"What are you up to?"  
  
"It's Quistis' dream to become a teacher. Why should her talents be   
  
wasted on a bunch of mercenaries when we're always struggling to find someone   
  
to teach the next semester? Why can't we have our own teacher instead of   
  
relying on ones we've hired from Deling City who end up teaching for a semester   
  
and then leaving?"  
  
"You're going to pressure her to resign from SeeD and become a teacher in   
  
a rural area?" He drawled. "I'm not sure about this Alis. What teenager wants   
  
to spend their time here? We're a village of retired folks and young families.   
  
Quistis deserves the chance to see the world."  
  
"Quistis deserves the chance to follow her dreams without running the risk   
  
of getting her head blown off!" Alis retorted. "You know what it's like out   
  
there. A single mission could be the end."  
  
Rolf sighed and let go of his wife. "I think we need to sleep on this,"   
  
he said while standing up. "I intend to study this problem in more detail from   
  
the inside of my eyelids."  
  
"I told you she'd be back before it got too late," Wedge mumbled from his   
  
side of the darkened room.  
  
A wide range of snide replies came to mind. Instead Biggs settled with,   
  
"Who gives a fuck about Quistis? Do your job and find the Sorceress before   
  
SeeD does."  
  
Biggs could feel the disapproval radiating off of this upstart cadet.   
  
Best to take him to task before he got it into his head to balk orders.   
  
"Remember which military you're a member of, CADET. If Deling tells you to   
  
piss on the head of a Hexadragon you'll do it. For us to make contact with the   
  
Sorceress before SeeD does should be simple compared to that."  
  
There was a shuffling of bedcovers and sheets, but no thump of feet   
  
hitting the wooden floor. Wedge must have sat up. "I don't see why we have to   
  
betray our superior officer. Aren't we all working towards the same thing?"  
  
"Two things kid; first, Quistis ain't your superior officer. Second,   
  
we're *not* working towards the same thing. Now go to sleep." Biggs snorted   
  
lightly at how naive Wedge was and closed his eyes. He'd sleep well tonight,   
  
even if Wedge didn't.  
  
*****  
  
It was a nice day, well, most Centran days were nice if you didn't mind   
  
the extreme heat. Today was one of those days. The temperature was   
  
comfortably warm with a gentle breeze that took the edge off the worst of it.   
  
During these ideal conditions it wasn't out of the ordinary to see people   
  
sitting outside enjoying the weather. However, it was unusual to see someone   
  
so obviously working with her Puzzle Stone sitting outside where anyone could   
  
trip over her. No, that wasn't fair. Sierra was leaned up against the elder's   
  
house away from the path that ran along it. No one would disturb her unless   
  
they intended to.  
  
And Tsuyo was sorely tempted to do just that.  
  
The only thing holding him back was a warning Kei had given him to stay   
  
away from Sierra. Yes, he could understand the cause for Kei's concern.   
  
Sierra hadn't gone out of her way to make many friends here. In fact, he got   
  
the impression that Kei and Mikel were the only people she would tolerate   
  
spending time with.  
  
He stood there, watching her, wondering what had made her so bitter. The   
  
force of her emotions was strong enough to drive away anyone who was sensitive   
  
to such things. In fact, the grandmother who lived by the well refused to   
  
leave her house when the Messenger was present. (Not that encouraging her to   
  
stay hidden away in her home hurt many people's feelings, especially those of   
  
his and Kei's generation.)  
  
He was curious, oh so very curious, to know what sort of puzzles she faced   
  
in her Stone. He knelt down before her, watching her stoic face that held   
  
neither the concentration nor the relief that most people enthralled with the   
  
Stone displayed. Discreetly he looked around to see if anyone was present to   
  
witness his next act. Confident that they were alone he put his hands over   
  
hers and laced his fingers so that he could touch the Stone nestled within.  
  
It came as no small surprise when he found himself standing on the magic   
  
plane of the village instead of in a Stone workroom. How many people outside   
  
of the elders and acolytes even knew such a place existed? Sierra's presence   
  
here only served to strengthen his assumption that she was blessed by the   
  
Spirits.  
  
This plane was as large as the village itself. Locating Sierra could take   
  
a while if she wasn't inside one of the structures. If she was, he probably   
  
wouldn't locate her before she decided to leave the Stone and eject him from   
  
their mutual reality.  
  
He walked to the central courtyard to being his search. A hint of   
  
movement gave him a direction to go in. In this place there was no life   
  
besides those who visited, no wind to caress the grasses, no water running   
  
along its given path. He followed the kicked up dust through the main gates   
  
and saw his quarry knelt next to a moat of Holy magic that had taken the   
  
village founders years to construct.  
  
"Jelleyes will not cross the Holy barrier," he explained. Then the   
  
insanity of what he had done crashed down on him. He'd *violated* the sacred   
  
recluse of a Spirit's Messenger. He's gone into her Stone without her   
  
invitation to enter. His father's wrath would be the least of his worries once   
  
they left this place.  
  
She spun around at the sound of his voice, the mask of annoyance already   
  
on her face. Her expression then softened slightly and she turned back to the   
  
pools of magic she was examining.  
  
"Cheater," she snorted. "Here I thought your animal training was doing a   
  
lot to protect the village when it's this barrier that keeps the monsters at   
  
bay."  
  
"It is a combined effort," he huffed, momentarily forgetting his fear to   
  
defend his honor. "Holy magic alone will not keep the Jelleyes away!"  
  
He would have gone on to explain just how much attention a well-behaved   
  
Jelleye required if it weren't for Sierra laughing at him.  
  
"Thanks, I needed that," she said sheepishly. "You looked so serious...   
  
Thanks. Being in the village puts me on edge -- it makes my skin crawl -- that   
  
coming here, into the Stone, seemed like the only place I could escape from it   
  
all."  
  
"If I may ask, why are you uncomfortable?" He knelt down next to her on   
  
the ground. There wasn't anything interesting to look at, not even the   
  
motionless clouds forever inching across the sky. He would have given much to   
  
fine something else to watch than her at that moment. There was so much pain   
  
and anger in her eyes, it could kill a man if it were unleashed.  
  
"You should ask your father that question," she replied tartly. "The   
  
elders were the ones who banished my grandfather. It galls me to protect your   
  
ungrateful hides."  
  
He mulled over her answer and nodded. "I will ask him." He waited a few   
  
moments before saying the rest of what was on his mind. "I know not of what   
  
happened to your grandfather, but I am glad that you are here to guard our   
  
village."  
  
She nodded jerkily, but didn't say anything. It will take more than him   
  
saying nice things to work her through the perceived wrongs. Nothing more   
  
could come of them dwelling on the subject. So, he moved along to some other   
  
things that needed to be said.  
  
"I apologize for entering your Stone without permission. I... Let my   
  
curiosity get the better of me. I have shown you grave disrespect and will   
  
accept whatever punishment you deem fit."  
  
"What are babbling on about?" She chided, a hint of amusement entering her   
  
voice. "I thought you were here to do maintenance on the magic pools. Weren't   
  
you just about to tell me how much effort it takes to keep the magic flowing?"  
  
"I..." Again, he was at a loss for words. He was torn between correcting   
  
her by admitting that he's purposefully followed her here, but her eyes said   
  
that she already knew that. He mentally shook his head and told himself to get   
  
a grip. Sierra was an interesting enough person but he shouldn't pursue her   
  
any further than the village gates. There was someone else he wanted to chase   
  
and this wasn't the time to become distracted.  
  
"Yes, it does take a lot of effort," he said. "Gathering enough Holy   
  
magic to keep the barrier full takes us acolytes all over Centra."  
  
"Tell me about your travels," she invited, turning around to him her full   
  
attention.  
  
It had been a very long time since he had such a rewarding conversation   
  
with someone. She knew the locations he mentioned, whereas most Anshin would   
  
simply nod their head with false understanding. She asked intelligent   
  
questions of him, wanting to know about these places that she had yet to visit.   
  
They both had a passion for traveling that made them kindred spirits.  
  
"Where have you been? You missed the afternoon session," Tsuyo's father   
  
scolded as soon as his wayward son entered the house.  
  
He bowed his head. "I apologize, Father. I spent this afternoon in the   
  
service of the Messenger. I lacked the opportunity to inform you of my   
  
whereabouts."  
  
Tsuyo moved past his father down the hallway to the small room that was   
  
his.   
  
"I noticed that you and Aisierra have been spending a lot of time   
  
together," his father said, following him down the hall.  
  
"I consider myself fortunate to spend as much time with her as I have,"   
  
Tsuyo dodged his father's unspoken question. "And she does not like her Anshin   
  
name. Spirit Kei has instructed us to honor her request to be called Sierra."  
  
His father grunted at the reminder. "When are you going to start a   
  
family, Tsuyo? Is she the one you've chosen?"  
  
Tsuyo felt the surge of angered annoyance that happened whenever his   
  
father brought up this topic. "As much as I respect Sierra, she is not the   
  
one."  
  
"Is there anyone you would marry? You shame the family by remaining under   
  
my roof when you should have a couple of children by now."  
  
Tsuyo recited the names of the major Spirits to until his temper receded.   
  
"I thank you for the patience you have displayed in allowing me the chance to   
  
find the woman who is the other half of my heart."  
  
His father's face clouded over with muted anger as his son's respectful   
  
reply. "You cannot delay this forever. If you will not find a suitable mate   
  
then I will find one for you!"  
  
Tsuyo bowed in silent acceptance of the oft-heard ultimatum. Then he   
  
retreated into his room and let out a heavy sigh of relief. These arguments   
  
were occurring with increasing frequency. His father wouldn't be put off for   
  
much longer. All thought of asking his father about Sierra's family had   
  
retreated from his head while he concentrated on more pressing issues.  
  
*****  
  
"Hey! Cut it out!" Mel Alces, 14 years-old, ducked under the stick his   
  
friend Jeffy swung his way.  
  
"Awww... I was just joshin' with ya," Jeffy pouted and tossed the stick   
  
away. Their teacher had let them out of class early today. Instead of going   
  
home and doing their homework they went to the lake to play.  
  
Mel was an adventurous lad, with a mop of dark hair and intelligent eyes.   
  
He was smaller than Jeffy, but time may very well reverse that. Jeffy was the   
  
more energetic of pair, with hair that was an unnaturally bright orange. (How   
  
he convinced his mother to let him do that Mel had yet to figure out). The   
  
boys were inseparable, which meant they got into twice as much trouble together   
  
as they could individually. Despite the amount of trouble they caused they   
  
were good boys at heart.  
  
"I overheard mom and dad talkin' this morning. They said there's a SeeD   
  
and a couple army guys in the village right now," Jeffy pondered, balancing on   
  
a rock with the cat-like reflexes of an invincible teen. "Said the foreigners   
  
were looking for Anna."  
  
"Didn't she move away?" Mel asked, skipping a stone across the lake's   
  
smooth surface.  
  
"I dunno," Jeffy shrugged and jumped off the rock to land on another with   
  
little slippage. "But I bet if we snuck around we could figure out where Anna   
  
is."  
  
"Why bother? She moved," Mel skipped another stone.  
  
"Well, why would those army guys be hanging around if she wasn't here   
  
somewhere, huh?"  
  
Mel stopped with his rock skipping to consider it. A slow smile came to   
  
his face and another stone was flung out over the water. "It might be kind of   
  
fun to find out."  
  
"What do you think?" Alis led Quistis into the single room schoolhouse.   
  
She was torn between answering honestly and telling Alis what she would want to   
  
hear. Truthfully, the schoolhouse was primitive by SeeD standards; lacking the   
  
data terminals, wall displays, and presentation equipment Quistis was used to   
  
having access to. This room was dominated by rows of long wooden tables,   
  
chalkboards, and shelves full of hardbound books. Windows set high up in the   
  
walls let the western sun flood the room with light.  
  
"It's not what you're used to, I know," Alis admitted, freeing Quistis   
  
from the fear of insulting her hostess. "The children here need an education   
  
and fancy equipment isn't what makes the students smart, it's the teacher."  
  
"What you say is true," Quistis agreed.  
  
Alis nodded and ran her hands along the lectern at the head of the room.   
  
"Would you considering becoming our children's teacher?"  
  
The young SeeD's jaw hung slightly open with surprise. "I can't. I have   
  
students back at the Garden to look after."  
  
"Quisty..." Alis shook her head slowly. "Why are you wasting your talents   
  
by being a *SeeD*? It's obvious that you're as gifted as your parents were,   
  
and yet you throw it away by being a mercenary. Why not teach here and make a   
  
*difference* instead of simply programming more soldiers to follow orders?"  
  
Quistis' expression grew cold, "SeeDs are not robots. That's what makes   
  
us different than other armies."  
  
"Are you sure?" Alis kneaded the wood of the worn lectern as she spoke.   
  
"I was a soldier too, you know. Rolf and I fought during the Sorceress War to   
  
keep our village from being run over by opposing armies who cared so much for   
  
their own cause that they forgot about the people in the middle.  
  
"Your traveling companions -- the ones in the Galbadia army -- I bet   
  
they consider themselves free thinkers, but they're not. If they're given an   
  
order they will carry it out regardless of the morality behind it. The only   
  
way SeeD is different is because they consider the financial consequences   
  
before accepting contracts. SeeD has committed its share of atrocities against   
  
people who had no way to defend themselves.  
  
"I don't want to offend you, Quisty, but I do want you to consider my   
  
offer instead of dismissing it out of hand. If you were here you would be safe   
  
from those who would love to do a SeeD harm. You can make a positive change to   
  
the lives of the villagers. You may not get such an opportunity with SeeD,   
  
especially when your students start dying on the field of battle..."  
  
"That's not fair," Quistis growled softly. "You assume that the people   
  
who have been my family are evil simply because of what they are."  
  
Alis rocked on her feet, at ease with Quistis' assertion. "Think about   
  
this: Monsters have a mother, a father, and siblings. Are they not evil for   
  
what they are?"  
  
"I'll consider what you've said, but I make no promises to change my   
  
mind."  
  
"That's all I ask. And while you're thinking about it ask yourself if   
  
you'll have regrets when you're my age. You're a smart girl, I'm sure you can   
  
visualize the future ramifications of your actions."  
  
"Yeah," Quistis left the schoolhouse, her day significantly gloomier than   
  
when it had started.  
  
"They have us pegged," Wedge grumbled to Biggs, who was seated at the base   
  
of a tree watching the lake. "They all know why we're here and are dead set on   
  
foiling us."  
  
Biggs gave a snort of disgusted. "I guess we'll have to find a way to   
  
'convince' them to tell us where Anna is."  
  
"You think Quistis isn't going to object to coercing the villagers?" Wedge   
  
challenged.  
  
"I told ya already, it doesn't matter what Quistis or SeeD thinks. Just   
  
so long as we get to the Sorceress before they do."  
  
Wedge shook his head slowly. "I don't like this. Heads will roll if the   
  
higher ups hear of this and I don't want my career to come to a crashing halt   
  
before it even starts!"  
  
Biggs barked a laugh. "Your career will come to an end if you *don't* do   
  
it. Our orders are from President Deling himself. I am one of his personal   
  
escorts, you know!"  
  
"Yeah, I know," Wedge muttered. The fact that Biggs bragged about it at   
  
every opportunity made sure the whole world knew. But what if the President   
  
really did hand this mission off to one of his escorts. A court-martial would   
  
be the least of his worries if he refused to carry out the Lieutenant's orders.   
  
Deling wasn't known for being merciful when it came to failures due to   
  
incompetence (which is what this would surely be seen as).  
  
"As long as we don't burn down the village or anything like that..." Wedge   
  
agreed hesitantly.  
  
Biggs craned his neck up to look at his standing companion. "We'll work   
  
on that iron-willed resolve of yours," he mocked. "The ends justify the means   
  
as long as Galbadia ends up on top."  
  
A few trees and a thick undergrowth away, two boys listened intently to   
  
the Galbadians as they plotted a way to gain the villagers' co-operation. Mel   
  
had placed his hand over Jeffy's mouth several times to keep the other boy from   
  
yelling in outrage.  
  
Once the soldiers were gone they felt safe to crawl out from their   
  
hidey-hole. Twigs and leaves clung to their clothing, but that didn't matter.   
  
They needed to tell an adult about what they overheard. That was the   
  
responsible thing to do.  
  
"Mom always said soldiers were baaaaad news," Jeffy said as they made   
  
their way through the forest.  
  
"Your mother was right," Biggs swung around from behind a tree to grab Mel   
  
by the arm and hoist the boy up onto his shoulder. Jeffy made a break for the   
  
village with Wedge on his heels. All things being even the footrace should   
  
have gone to Wedge, but Jeffy, being scared witless as he was, used the extra   
  
adrenaline to the fullest to duck and weave between the trees. He didn't stop   
  
sprinting until he rushed through the door of the closest building he knew had   
  
an adult present.  
  
"What the hell are you doing, Jeffy?" Rudo, the innkeeper, exclaimed as   
  
the boy dove through the door and rushed behind the counter. "I told you not   
  
to play your games in here!"  
  
Jeffy was unable to answer because of the huge gasps of air his lungs   
  
greedily gulped. Rudo was about to ream the boy when he saw how frightened he   
  
was. Quickly setting aside his anger he knelt down to see if Jeffy was hurt in   
  
anyway.  
  
"What's wrong? Was a monster chasing you? Where's Mel?"  
  
A gurgled gasp answered the last question.  
  
"Where's Mel, Jeffy?" Rudo asked again more urgently. He poured the lad a   
  
glass of water from the pitcher he kept out on the dinner table for the guests.  
  
"Army... Guy... Took... Him..." Jeffy gasped out between gulps.  
  
Rudo's eyes hardened dangerously. "The foreigners who have been staying   
  
here?"  
  
The boy nodded, his sweaty orange hair clinging to his head at awkward   
  
angles.  
  
Rudo stood up and started calling for the maid and the cook that helped   
  
maintain the inn. He quickly explained the situation and told the cook to go   
  
find Alis and Rolf. The maid he put in charge of calming Jeffy down enough to   
  
get a more detailed account from him. Then he went to his private office to   
  
retrieve his weapon; a heavy gun that could punch a hole the size of his fist   
  
into a Grendel.  
  
With the weapon slung over his shoulder he jogged down the stairs to see   
  
how Jeffy was doing. Alis and Rolf were both present and armed with swords.  
  
Rudo growled. "Any idea why they took Mel?"  
  
Alis shook her head. "I don't know. Quistis was upset after I spoke with   
  
her this afternoon, but I don't see her going to this extreme."  
  
"Even though she's been corrupted by SeeD?" Rolf drawled.  
  
"I believe she's better than at. If she'd intended to come here and   
  
kidnap our children she would have done it sooner than this. Has anyone found   
  
Mel's parents yet?" She asked the growing crowd of villagers who got word of   
  
Mel's kidnapping and came to the inn to offer their help.  
  
"They're back here, Alis," a man waved from the back of the room where a   
  
gaggle of women had gathered to offer Mel's mother comfort.  
  
"We'll get him back, don't worry," a man near the door to the inn called   
  
over to her. A rumble of agreement went through the room.  
  
Jeffy led them back to where the struggle was and told the adults what he   
  
and Mel overheard the Army guys discussing. From there search parties fanned   
  
out as wide as they dared to locate Mel and his captors. The forests around   
  
the village were usually clear of monsters, and tonight was no exception. Not   
  
a single one made its presence known. They sensed the anger of human predators   
  
and survival instincts kicked in.  
  
The only person they were able to locate that night was Quistis sitting on   
  
a log by the lakeshore. Luckily Alis was present to restrain the mob's anger.   
  
She didn't have any idea what was going on, having spent the afternoon and   
  
evening on the shore thinking about what Alis said. Of course, she had no   
  
alibi, so it's possible that Quistis was in on the kidnapping, but she seemed   
  
genuinely horrified and outraged when she learned of what Biggs and Wedge had   
  
done.  
  
Alis escorted Quistis back to her cottage, where Rolf would keep an eye on   
  
her. Though it went against her instincts, Quistis surrendered her weapons   
  
when Rolf asked for them. He never asked for her magic or Guardian Forces and   
  
she didn't volunteer that she had them.  
  
Quistis wasn't the only person in the village who didn't sleep that night.   
  
This mission had gone horribly wrong because she didn't keep an eye on Biggs   
  
and Wedge. If she had been less trusting and more attentive she might have   
  
prevented this from happening. Maybe Alis was right, maybe all that soldiers   
  
looked at was accomplishing their ends. That had to be the reason they   
  
snatched the boy; to compel the villagers to hand over Anna. But why go to   
  
such an extreme?  
  
She should contact the Garden to let them know what's happened, but does   
  
this village even have access to HD? Somehow she doubted it. Any message to   
  
the Garden would take days to get there and this might well be over by then.   
  
What could she do?  
  
Her eyes were dry, finally. She'd shed far too many tears during the   
  
night because of the helpless frustration she felt. The question that kept   
  
twisting in her mind like a knife was if Alis was right? There was no doubt in   
  
her mind that Biggs and Wedge acting under someone's orders take Mel. Would   
  
Quistis have done the same thing if the Headmaster ordered her to? The answer   
  
that came was like a bitter pill to her. All these people's grief was the   
  
result of just following orders.  
  
And once that insecurity had its claws in her other demons came out as   
  
well... She began to doubt that she was good enough to be a SeeD Instructor.   
  
Things weren't going as well at Galbadia as she could have hoped. Xu had   
  
completed the requirements of her internship with a half year to spare while   
  
earning her qualifications in the Weapons Guild and here Quistis was struggling   
  
to even make the cut. She was even further behind now that she was in the   
  
field and away from the students she was supposed to be teaching.  
  
Worse yet, she was still undecided about what she could do to make things   
  
right by the people of Cottage Grove. She wanted to be out there helping to   
  
locate Mel, but Rolf wouldn't allow it. If she snuck out and they caught her   
  
that would only make things worse. The benefit of the doubt that Alis granted   
  
her would evaporate.  
  
What would Xu do in this case? She'd been wondering that all night and   
  
came to one very real conclusion; she wasn't Xu. She could try to talk her way   
  
out of confinement, but that would take valuable time.  
  
The tears started to well up in her eyes again. How did things get so out   
  
of hand? All she had to do was find Anna and offer to protect her. She was   
  
here to do a good deed, not to anger the villagers or cause them grief. The   
  
saying was true... The road to Hell was paved with good intentions.  
  
It was afternoon and the villagers had yet to locate Mel. Quistis watched   
  
the hands of the wallclock in the bedroom she was confined to crawl across its   
  
face. She was getting restless. Between her bouts of pacing she'd drafted a   
  
half dozen letters to the Headmaster explaining the situation and apologizing.   
  
All of them were discarded in the wastebasket as unacceptable. Neither Cid nor   
  
Martine wanted to hear excuses or apologies, they would expect her to *do*   
  
something to rectify the situation.  
  
And all she could do was try to not make it worse. She was in emotional   
  
quicksand, steadily sinking even when she did nothing.  
  
There was a tapping on the window that startled her out of her self-pity.   
  
She pulled the curtains aside, but saw nothing. While she watched a finger   
  
came up and tapped the glass again. She couldn't see who it was because the   
  
person was inched up against the cottage. She opened the window to speak with   
  
the unexpected visitor.  
  
A friend she hadn't seen in too long gave her one of his patented charming   
  
grins while he carefully pulled the screen off of the window. "Miss me, babe?"  
  
"En-!" She caught herself before she exclaimed his name. "Enju! What are   
  
you doing here?" She asked in a whisper.  
  
"Hunting Sorceresses is dangerous business and I thought you might run   
  
into trouble. You really outdid yourself," his grin faded for only a moment as   
  
he pried the last corner of the screen free and set it down next to the wall.   
  
"Come on, we've found the kid, let's go get him!"  
  
"Wait, wait, you found Mel? Where? And who's 'we'?"  
  
"Always full of questions, aren't you? This really isn't the best place   
  
to be having a discussion. I hate untimely interruptions," he purred, leaning   
  
forward on the windowsill.  
  
Quistis had to smile at that. "You can flirt later, but..." she looked   
  
back over her shoulder at the locked bedroom door. If they discovered she   
  
left...  
  
Enju followed her eyes and sighed. "We don't have time to explain things   
  
to your warden. If we told them they'd want to bring the mob and that isn't   
  
going to help. We need you and only you to get the kid back."  
  
She considered it for only a moment longer before Enju helped her over the   
  
windowsill. "They have my weapons," she told them as they quietly slipped into   
  
the surrounding woods.  
  
"That's okay. You won't need them unless you encounter a monster and I   
  
haven't seen one in two days."  
  
They were outside of the village perimeter when an orange blur jumped out   
  
of the brush at them. The boy was lucky that Enju had spotted him creeping   
  
along back at the cottage, else the ex-assassin might have killed him by   
  
reflex. Quistis hadn't seen him trailing them and was startled by his sudden   
  
appearance.  
  
"You're going to save Mel. Take me with you!" Jeffy begged. He had a   
  
wooden baseball bat on his shoulder and a determined expression on his face.  
  
"It's too dangerous," Quistis explained hastily. "This is a, uh, SeeD   
  
only mission."  
  
Jeffy caught the hesitation in her voice and looked to Enju. "You're a   
  
SeeD, huh?"  
  
"You bet, kid," he answered jovially. "We're going to bring your friend   
  
back, but you can't let anyone know until we do. Can we count on you to keep   
  
this operation a secret?"  
  
The boy's eyes widened slightly and his mouth made an o. "This is an   
  
operation and I know about it? Wow! Oh, yeah! I won't tell a soul!"  
  
"Excellent! Go back to the village and wait for us. We'll be back soon,"   
  
Enju gave him a SeeD salute, with Quistis quickly doing the same to further   
  
impress him. Jeffy mimicked the salute and ran back towards the village.  
  
"Damn I'm good with kids," Enju chuckled as they continued to make their   
  
way.  
  
"We're nearly there," Enju said. "The idiots took Mel with hopes of   
  
exchanging him for the woman with the Sorceress powers."  
  
"Anna?"  
  
"Yeah, her. Anyway, while they were looking for a place to hide out they   
  
stumbled across the cabin she was hiding in. They don't have any use for the   
  
kid now."  
  
"But..." Quistis frowned. "That doesn't make any sense. Why are they so   
  
desperate to get to Anna? We're just going to take her back to the Garden if   
  
she'll come, else stay here until we receive orders to leave."  
  
"It's not Anna they're after," a light tenor voice replied. It was   
  
vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place it until its owner jumped down from   
  
his perch in the trees.  
  
"Master Talasu?" Things just kept getting stranger and stranger.  
  
"I'm honored that you remember me." The elfish looking Master hadn't   
  
changed a bit since Quistis last saw him. He wore exactly the same green tunic   
  
and loose black pants. She reminded herself that this man was considerably   
  
older than that mid-twenties he appeared to be.  
  
"To elaborate upon your question, it is not Anna that they want. She's   
  
nothing more than bait to lure out Sorceress Edea. As to why they would wish   
  
an encounter with such a dangerous woman, I'm at a loss. The only possibility   
  
that comes to mind is that they were ordered to make contact with her."  
  
"So here's the plan," Enju continued. "Talasu and I will confront them.   
  
They're looking for a way to get rid of the kid, so we expect them to hand him   
  
over without any fuss. We'll pass him off to you and you'll get him back to   
  
the village as quickly as possible. I've knicked the trees along the way so   
  
that you can get back if the kid doesn't know the way."  
  
"And what about Biggs, Wedge, and Anna?"  
  
"If they aren't as willing to release their newest prize, we will convince   
  
them to," Talasu answered without any of the malice that Enju's expression   
  
contained. "Now that we are all up to speed, let's go."  
  
Quistis followed Enju and Talasu to the clearing where Anna's cabin was.   
  
"This is nuts! We're just going to *ask* them to give Mel and Anna back?"  
  
"Indeed," Talasu answered, leading the way to the front door.  
  
Quistis and Enju positioned themselves a few steps behind the Master   
  
before he rapped on the door. A moment passed before it was hesitantly opened   
  
by Anna. She was careful not to open it too wide, only enough so that her   
  
guest would see her and not into the cabin.  
  
"Good afternoon, Anna," Talasu gave her a small bow. "I would like to   
  
speak with Biggs and Wedge if you would be so kind as to fetch them for me?"  
  
There was a startled oath from inside the cabin and Anna's face paled.  
  
"Please come out from behind the door, Lieutenant, we have business to   
  
discuss," Talasu called into the house.  
  
Anna was shoved aside and the door flung open. Biggs held his arm cannon   
  
at Talasu's chest, his right hand over the trigger. "Who the fuck are you?"  
  
"I am Master Talasu of the Weapons Guild," he bowed slightly again.   
  
"Since Mel's presence is no longer required I've asked Quistis here to take him   
  
home," he stepped aside slightly to motion to Quistis. "You have Anna, so give   
  
us the boy."  
  
Biggs' eyes narrow suspiciously. Talasu clasped his hands behind his back   
  
and waited for Biggs to give his answer.  
  
"Fine, the brat was eating too much anyways. Wedge!" Biggs stepped aside   
  
so that Wedge could push Mel through the doorway. The Master caught the lad   
  
before he fell to the ground. Quistis came forward and took Mel's hand.  
  
"Go quickly," Enju whispered to her as she passed. "What happens next   
  
won't be pretty."  
  
Quistis ducked her head and rushed Mel along. No, she doubted very much   
  
that Biggs would give up easily, though Wedge might listen to reason. She   
  
didn't let her mind dwell on the thought too much. With Enju involved, things   
  
were sure to get messy.  
  
It wasn't until they were a good half klick away from the cabin that   
  
Quistis allowed them to slow down and catch their breath. They could probably   
  
run the rest of the way to Cottage Grove without stopping again, but she needed   
  
to be certain for her own peace of mind that Mel was unharmed. He only   
  
suffered a few bruises, scrapes, and an empty belly.  
  
They were on the outskirts of the village when Jeffy pounced Quistis   
  
again.  
  
"Mel!" He flung his arms around the smaller boy and squeezed the life out   
  
of him. Mel's feet didn't hit the dirt until Jeffy had spent much of his   
  
exuberance.  
  
"You kept your promise!" He bounced and then glomped Quistis as well. She   
  
stumbled backwards as his full weight tackled her.  
  
"Let's get him home," Quistis suggested kindly after extracting herself   
  
from Jeffy's hug.  
  
Enju watched Quistis pulling Mel away while Talasu kept his green eyes   
  
level on the soldier standing across from him. "They're clear," Enju whispered   
  
once the pair had safely escaped.  
  
Biggs smirked and said, "You have what you came for, now leave." He began   
  
to shut the door but Talasu's foot prevented that.  
  
"Our business is not quite concluded," he smiled thinly. "I would ask   
  
what insanity is driving you towards forcing an encounter with a Sorceress gone   
  
mad, but I very much doubt you will enlighten me. So instead I simply ask that   
  
you release Anna to us."  
  
"And why should we do that?" Biggs retrained his weapon on Talasu's head   
  
and laughed.  
  
"Because I am willing to let you leave, unlike the villagers of Cottage   
  
Grove."  
  
The Lieutenant's laugh rolled like rumbling thunder. "That's rich! If   
  
that's all you can offer then you might as well leave now!"  
  
"Cadet Wedge?" Talasu inquired evenly of the man hovering at Biggs'   
  
shoulder while keeping an eye on Anna.  
  
"Wha-? Uh, I'm just following orders, Sir," he answered.  
  
"I see, very well then," Talasu removed his foot from the door and backed   
  
away. Enju wasn't happy about leaving matters as they stood, but obediently   
  
followed the Master back into the woods.  
  
"I thought we were going to save her!" Enju hissed.  
  
Talasu bowed his head solemnly. "She's as good as dead, Sarkis. There is   
  
nothing we can do at this point but wait."  
  
"And people think *I'm* the heartless bastard!" Enju snapped. "Dammit, I   
  
shouldn't have agreed to travel with you. If I was on my own I could save   
  
her!"  
  
"Take solace in the fact that a child's life was spared today, but lament   
  
not those that could not be saved," Talasu advised. "They would all be dead if   
  
we didn't interfere, now three of them will live."  
  
"That's not how it should be! Fuck this, I'm going to kill those   
  
Galbadian bastards myself and get Anna back. Stay here if you want you good   
  
for nothing sack of shit," Enju kicked a clod of dirt at Talasu and ran to the   
  
cabin clearing.  
  
He approached the cabin from the back when he entered the clearing.   
  
Silently he slid along the side of the house, looking for the most advantageous   
  
way to ambush them. He was nearly to the front door when he noticed that it   
  
had been blown off its hinges. Within a slender woman in a long gown of violet   
  
that was so deep it was nearly black held Anna limply in the air. Biggs was   
  
bowing profusely to the woman while proffering her an envelope. Wedge was no   
  
where to be found.  
  
'What the hell?!' His mind screamed. 'We were only gone for a few   
  
minutes!'  
  
Anna was going to die if he didn't do something *now*. And that sniveling   
  
Biggs handing her over like a sacrifice to the Sorceress. Doubtless that was   
  
his intention from the very start!  
  
Pure disgust and hatred took over Enju's emotions. Diablos expanded his   
  
presence, demanded to be set free on these 'people' who made such a mockery of   
  
life. Enju may be a killer but even he recognized when a great wrong was being   
  
committed.  
  
Enju slid into the house, removed a throwing dagger from his belt, and   
  
flicked it at Biggs. He aimed not to kill but to maim. He wanted the soldier   
  
to survive witnessing what he intended to do to the Sorceress, and then he   
  
would do things that were much, MUCH worse to Biggs.  
  
Diablos liked that idea and roared from within the confines of Enju's   
  
body. The Guardian Force would no longer be restrained. The invocation   
  
brought havoc to the scene, flinging household wares around as though they   
  
weighed nothing. Diablos roared again and Enju had an equally wicked sneer on   
  
face as he considered what to do first to the witch.  
  
The Sorceress was unfazed by the chaos reigning around her. Her eyes   
  
flashed for but a moment before a lance of ice pierced Anna's body like a knife   
  
through cloth. Blood splattered every surface in the room before her corpse   
  
hit the wooden floor. The few, faint motes of light that represented the   
  
disembodied Sorceress's power floated to their new Mistress. Compared to the   
  
power she collected from Deana Frost it was barely worth the bother. Anna's   
  
death was a cheap one.  
  
"You bitch!" Enju spat out between gritted teeth. "I won't forgive you!"  
  
"Whoever asked for *your* forgiveness?" Edea turned to face the wrath Enju   
  
had summoned to destroy her.  
  
Diablos had already gathered a ball of sickly dark energy in his upraised   
  
hand. The demon brought his hand down and encapsulated the room in the   
  
non-elemental energy of his Dark Messenger attack. Silence replaced the   
  
whipping winds and then an explosion tore at the Sorceress. When the energy   
  
was spent she was still standing there, defiant, even though she had been hit   
  
with an attack that had destroyed more than a few of Enju's enemies.  
  
"Now it's my turn," she extended her hands out to Diablos in a welcoming   
  
gesture. Castings of his devastating Demi magic flowed to her.  
  
"You can't kill me with Demi!" Enju snarled. Demi was an offensive,   
  
non-lethal spell. It always took a fraction of a person's health, but was   
  
incapable of taking that last bit that brought death.  
  
"Stupid boy," she cast the pilfered spells not on Enju but on Diablos.   
  
The GF writhed in pain and counterattacked by casting Curaga on the Sorceress.   
  
"Don't you even know the limits of your pet?" She laughed as she continued her   
  
assault on Diablos. Each attack was countered in the same manner, with healing   
  
magic.  
  
"Diablos!" Enju yelled, trying to get the GF to leave before the Sorceress   
  
drained him of his life or he unintentionally helped her anymore. A barrage of   
  
ice lances followed the last volley of Demi castings. Diablos' death roar was   
  
something Enju heard physically and inside his head. It was like he was   
  
suddenly deaf and blind to the world as a part of him died.  
  
Diablos dissolved from the battered room, leaving a crippled Enju to face   
  
the Sorceress alone. He removed the hands from his head, unaware that he   
  
himself had been screaming until his throat was raw.  
  
Before he could draw a weapon the Sorceress had him hanging helplessly in   
  
the air as Anna was before her death.  
  
"It's a shame I can't absorb your limited powers, but eliminating someone   
  
as potentially troublesome as you makes it worth the effort." She ran her   
  
elongated fingers along his jaw. In that moment, when faced with death, Enju   
  
realized that she was a beautiful creature to look at.  
  
"Edea!" Talasu's voice called from outside the cabin.  
  
Her golden eyes flashed again as they darted towards the sound of his   
  
voice. "Talasu, perfect," she purred. "He's not as worthless as you are."  
  
She turned her back to him and paused for a moment, then turned towards   
  
the door. In the middle of the floor she left a fiery orb that only grew with   
  
intensity as Enju started at it. 'Flare!' his mind screamed. If Diablos'   
  
invocation and Dark Messenger hadn't brought the cabin in on itself, that spell   
  
certainly would! He fought against the invisible bonds that restrained him.  
  
Edea glided out the front door. "Ah, Talasu, it's been many years since   
  
we last met-"  
  
And as if on cue the cabin behind her exploded. A barrier spell protected   
  
her from the projectiles that flew in all directions. Talasu flattened himself   
  
against a tree until the debris stopped flying.  
  
She smiled. "I do hate loose ends. It was kind of you to save me the   
  
trouble of tracking you down. Tell me, are you still Esthar's lap dog?"  
  
Talasu brushed himself off and glanced at the tree that now had many   
  
pieces of debris embedded in its trunk. "I remain in the service of the   
  
President," he answered nonchalantly. "I'll warn you now that you'll enjoy no   
  
success today when it comes to consolidating the powers of the Sorceress."  
  
"Another one of your predictions?" She laughed. "My my, your precognitive   
  
skill is powerful, but limited. I've already taken one false Sorceress today.   
  
It's a shame that you can't see further than five minutes in advance, else you   
  
might know what will become of you."  
  
"Five minutes is more than enough time to get away," he replied.  
  
"An admirable trait for a spy."  
  
"I prefer to consider myself an observer on behalf of an isolationist   
  
country," he corrected.  
  
"Enough of these games, Talasu. The powers you have belong to the   
  
Sorceresses. If you won't have the decency to die, I'll force you to surrender   
  
them."  
  
That elicited a chuckle from the usually courteous Master. "People might   
  
be more willing to let them go if surrendering them didn't involve dying.   
  
You've killed enough people, including the Mime. For that I cannot forgive   
  
you."  
  
"Oh? You noticed that a Mime was missing? Not even their Master knows   
  
their location most of the time. They drift around the world like a feather on   
  
the wind, never staying in one place for long."  
  
"You're mistaken, Edea. I always know where my Journeymen are." And now   
  
his expression was stone cold. Gone were his baby-faced features and the   
  
kindness in his grass green eyes.  
  
Mimes were different from other Weapons Masters in more ways than even the   
  
Guild realized. Each one of them had that something special that allowed them   
  
to mimic another person's actions with apparent ease. The trait they all   
  
shared -- the well guarded secret to their success -- was that they had a   
  
fraction of the Sorceress's powers to draw upon.  
  
The Mimes were yet another part of a multi-faceted plan to create a system   
  
of checks and balances to the Sorceress's powers. He trained his Journeymen so   
  
that they could protect themselves and their rare gift, and offer aid to those   
  
in need. Edea knew of the Mime's clandestine efforts, having been the one who   
  
taught him how to sense the power within others.  
  
In the time Talasu had been the Master of the Mimes, only one student had   
  
realized they possessed such power before he unlocked it within them. And only   
  
once had he made a mistake when it came to recruiting a potential Mime. That   
  
mistake was a young boy by the name of Sarkis. He had been correct when he   
  
sensed the power flowing through the lad, but he had not accurately identified   
  
it. At the time he hadn't realized just how wide a variety of magical beings   
  
roamed the planet.  
  
Never did he regret taking the boy into his care. Sarkis was a special   
  
student with magical abilities no one truly understood, not until Talasu was   
  
more traveled and had learned the Anshin Spirit legends.  
  
But even more than that, Sarkis was like the son he never had and Edea   
  
just buried him. No, there would be no quarter offered today.  
  
Edea was the first to attack, but Talasu knew she would be. He was   
  
already out of range of her ice lances by the time she flung them at where he   
  
was. She wasn't going to hit him with an attack that relied on physical   
  
contact. Changing tactics she cast a Fira spell on him, only to see it   
  
completely neutralized.  
  
"You devious little man," she sneered. "You don't have much faith in your   
  
abilities after all it seems."  
  
"There's no harm in using a Hero's drink when entering a dangerous   
  
situation," he replied in a chipper tone. The bitter tasting concoction was   
  
difficult to manufacture -- especially in quantity -- but well worth the   
  
effort. It made the person who consumed it temporarily invulnerable to injury   
  
caused by magic or physical attack. The Hero's drink had taken decades to   
  
perfect. Such alchemy was nearly a magic of its own, woven by the Chemists of   
  
Esthar.  
  
Talasu mimicked Edea's last Fira spell, turning her own magic against her.   
  
The magical strike hit, but didn't do as much damage as Talasu would have   
  
hoped. Their magical duel continued with everything Edea tossed at him being   
  
thrown back until she cast a Reflect spell on herself. Then Talasu's hijacked   
  
magic boomeranged on him with still no damage being done to the Master himself.  
  
They were caught at an impasse. Anything Edea did Talasu could avoid or   
  
counter while the unarmed and pacifistic Talasu was unable to perform a   
  
finishing blow against her. The healing magics she possessed were capable to   
  
completely neutralizing any series of strikes he performed.  
  
Talasu captured her left hand with his right and pulled Edea off balance.   
  
"What happened to the wedding ring that you asked Cid for?" He accused harshly.  
  
"I grew tired of holding myself back. I don't need it or him!" She jerked   
  
her wrist free of his grasp and fought to keep the distance between them.  
  
'The madness has corrupted more than her mind, it ate away at her heart,'   
  
Talasu lamented silently. The ring she asked Cid for was made of Odine's   
  
wondrous metal. It was a symbol not only of their enduring love but of their   
  
devotion towards defeating the insanity that plagued countless generations of   
  
Sorceresses.  
  
"Over there!" A man's shout interrupted their private duel. A dozen   
  
villagers swarmed out of the woods and leveled their rifles at the combatants.   
  
Edea's eyes flecked and an explosion of fire consumed the men in the lead of   
  
the group. The others fired their weapons at the Sorceress, not afraid to die   
  
as long as vengeance was served.  
  
The flames from Edea's Fira spell caught the thick underbrush on fire.   
  
The fire spread out across the forest's carpet and crawled slowly up the tough   
  
bark of the trees. The men retreated only when they could no longer escape the   
  
flames to take another shot at her.  
  
Edea smirked and created a portal to teleport her from this place. Before   
  
Talasu could stop her she was gone.  
  
His eyes lingered on where the last wisps of the portal's distortion   
  
marred the fabric of time and space. "I wish you could remember the oath we   
  
made to save the children..." He whispered.  
  
The growing heat of the forest fire licked his back as he went over to the   
  
wreckage of the collapsed cabin. The Flare spell that brought it down hadn't   
  
set it aflame. Sarkis deserved better than this. He was a rebellious lad, but   
  
he deserved to be interned where he would be remembered.  
  
Talasu reached within himself, drawing out the magics he had commanded   
  
since he was a child. He knew where to look for Sarkis and what he would find.  
  
And that brought him hope.  
  
He shoved aside a piece of the ruined roof and dug deeper into the debris.   
  
Sarkis was under here clinging to life. In a small pocket he was there,   
  
broken, crumpled on the cabin's floor. Blood drained from his body as though   
  
it were a prisoner escaping confinement.  
  
"Sarkis," Talasu pled and crouched down next to Sarkis' head. His eyes   
  
were open, but not registering his surroundings. Slowly and soundless his   
  
mouth worked while blood slowly dripped from the side.  
  
The waist pouch Talasu dug his hand into contained many small vials of   
  
potions, elixirs, and drinks that would do everything from restore a petrified   
  
man to bringing someone from the brink of death. It was the latter miracle he   
  
hoped his vials would provide today. Magic was useless in this case, but an   
  
all-restoring elixir should do the trick.  
  
He carefully cradled Sarkis' head with one hand as he dripped the contents   
  
of the vial into his mouth. Even the small amount of elixir that got into his   
  
blood stream through absorption was enough to begin the healing process. The   
  
cuts on his face healed and his eyes blinked once. He swallowed, spluttered,   
  
coughed, and then the healing power of the elixir took over. Wounds all over   
  
his body began to close up.  
  
"Di...ablos..." It was a weak cry, childlike and uncharacteristic with the   
  
raw wanting that prompted it.  
  
Once again Talasu searched his pouch for the appropriate vial. Only the   
  
commonly available "G-Returner" could bring a Guardian Force back after his   
  
incarnation in this world was defeated. Talasu used the potion to restore   
  
Diablos' avatar. The demonic Guardian Force was as weak as his human, but both   
  
were alive.  
  
The younger man's eyes recaptured the edge of awareness they were lacking   
  
just a few short minutes before. He sat up and his left arm remained crushed   
  
beneath the rubble. He sat there dumbfounded, considering the impossibility of   
  
the missing limb.  
  
Talasu wouldn't let him dwell on the thought right now. He and Diablos   
  
survived and it wasn't safe to remain here. Talasu grabbed Sarkis around the   
  
chest and pulled him to his feet. "We have to leave," he said, half-dragging   
  
the other man behind him.  
  
"My arm..."  
  
"You don't want Quistis to see you like this, do you?" Talasu asked the   
  
near panicking Sarkis. He shook his head silently in near horror at the   
  
prospect. "Come along now, before the villagers brave the fire to find us."  
  
*****  
  
Traitors! Back-stabbing ungrateful children. How dare they..! She could   
  
no longer forgive them for trying to stop her. Didn't they realize that she   
  
had to gather the power of the Great Hyne?  
  
She raised them, fed them, clothed them, educated them, and this was how   
  
they repaid her! They betrayed her trust in them and each other. She would   
  
never teach her children to turn on each other.  
  
Cid... Cid must have been the one... That's with whom the treacherous   
  
children lived, the ones who abandoned Jerrick and Jessica on the beach. Yes,   
  
Cid was to blame for this. He was the one who allowed her children to mingle   
  
with those filthy Anshin Travelers.  
  
If they wanted a fight, she would take it to them!  
  
-----  
  
The characters Jennifer Sakachi and Eileen Pearcy are property of LeVar Bouyer   
  
and have been used with permission.  
  
If you hadn't guessed, the residents of Cottage Grove belong to Sega and were   
  
used without permission ;)  
  
Please visit us on the web at http://www.centragarden.net 


	21. Part 21

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 21  
  
a fanfic by Greenbeans gbeans@tyrlen.org  
  
edited by Helen Fong iriachan@yahoo.com  
  
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8  
  
created by Square Enix www.square-enix.co.jp  
  
"I apologize, elders, but I fail to see the wisdom of this."  
  
Few villagers would politely refuse to do as the elders asked, Tsuyo   
  
observed. Only someone who was supremely confident of their standing within   
  
the clan would dare stick his neck out like this. Great Uncle, the clan's   
  
eldest storyteller, was such a man.  
  
After the elders themselves he was the most respected man in the village.   
  
His opinion on matters was often sought because of the insight his words   
  
carried. He had mediated countless disputes throughout the years and oversaw   
  
scores of marriage arrangements. His pilgrimages to the Centra Ruins to   
  
consult with the King of the Tonberries had returned many forgotten stories to   
  
the Anshin people.  
  
Both Great Uncle's son and his grandson were well regarded because of   
  
their even temperament and ironclad adherence to tradition. They dedicated   
  
themselves towards carrying on the family's proud tradition of storytelling.   
  
Under their watchful eyes the village would not forget the lessons passed along   
  
from generation to generation.  
  
But there was one story they wished to forget. It was the story of Great   
  
Uncle's older brother; a crazed man who insisted that the Anshin's ultimate   
  
survival depended upon co-operation with the outside world. When matters got   
  
out of hand the elders exiled him and turned to Great Uncle to fill the vital   
  
role as one of the clan's historians. It was a responsibility he took   
  
seriously, far more seriously than his free-thinking brother.  
  
It was a consequence of his brother's exile that brought Great Uncle   
  
before the elders today. The meeting started out as a casual affair that had   
  
since turned uncomfortably serious.  
  
The elders had taken notice of how much time Sierra devoted towards   
  
teaching Mikel about the outside world, but that wasn't the only topic she   
  
tutored him in. Her vast knowledge of Anshin stories was impressive for   
  
someone who lived away from the clan all of her life. It was entirely possible   
  
that Kei or Xu taught her so many stories, but that idea seemed off when Xu's   
  
father overheard her reciting a rare tale that he didn't recognize. He asked   
  
Great Uncle about the roots of the story. That prompted Great Uncle to   
  
approach the elders to ask them to speak with Sierra about not teaching stories   
  
to the children when she wasn't a storyteller. (A completely reasonable   
  
request since the storytellers were charged with passing the tales along).  
  
The elders had an entirely different opinion of Sierra's performance as a   
  
storyteller. Unknown to Great Uncle, Xu had written a letter to the elder over   
  
half a year ago that called into question their decision to exclude Sierra from   
  
the clan when she wasn't the one who had caused the breech between them. Xu's   
  
intention at the time had been to facilitate bridging the gap between the two   
  
sides. The elders took her words to heart. Sierra obviously had her   
  
grandfather's repertoire of stories to draw from, and his talent for capturing   
  
an audience's attention, so why not encourage her to follow in her   
  
grandfather's footsteps before his exile?  
  
The storytellers -- Sierra's family -- wanted nothing to do with her. As   
  
far as they were concerned, that branch of the family died when her grandfather   
  
left in shame. They should be proud that their niece was a Messenger for the   
  
Spirits, in Tsuyo's opinion, but not even that was enough to overcome the   
  
decades of bitterness.  
  
It saddened Tsuyo to see her blood relatives pushing for her leave as soon   
  
as the village's safety was assured. He wondered if Sierra even know that she   
  
had blood relatives here? He didn't think anyone had gone out of their way to   
  
introduce them to her, nor, from the sounds of it, did they make themselves   
  
known to her. The point was driven home as Great Uncle and the elders   
  
discussed Sierra's current living arrangements. There was enough room for her   
  
to remain with the elder's family, but by all rights Sierra's own family should   
  
be hosting her. They knew that and refused to extend the invitation to her.  
  
The entire situation was childish. Tsuyo privately wondered if the true   
  
reason they didn't want to welcome her in was because it would take away from   
  
their prestige and give it to her. Spirits forbid someone seeking out Sierra's   
  
opinion on a matter instead of going to Great Uncle!  
  
"Wisdom has very little to do with it," Kei's father admitted with his   
  
usual somber tone. "It is about doing what is right."  
  
"Right by who?" Great Uncle challenged peevishly.  
  
There was another measured silence -- a favored tool of the elders for   
  
controlling difficult meetings -- before the head of the elders spoke. "The   
  
Spirits of the Path have blessed us with their presence and offer us their   
  
protection. They have also challenged us to re-evaluate our relations with the   
  
outside world."  
  
Great Uncle clinched his jaw as he considered the arguments available to   
  
him. He could point out the corruption that the outside world has introduced   
  
to the clan; how children nowadays are more rebellious and increasingly   
  
striking out to forge their own paths. But if Kei and Xu hadn't left they   
  
wouldn't be in a position to protect the clan. He could argue that they are   
  
the exception to the rule, that mere Travelers shouldn't follow their example.   
  
But if they weren't to follow the Spirits' example, who were the children to   
  
emulate? It was a crisis of faith for those who were unwilling to be flexible   
  
in their beliefs.  
  
"We have survived for generations without interference," his voice took on   
  
the lecturing tone that he used when reciting stories. "The stories teach us   
  
that-"  
  
The head elder held up his hand to silence Great Uncle. "We are all aware   
  
of the lessons the stories teach thanks to your diligence," he said by way of   
  
polite dismissal. "However, while the future is guided by history, it cannot   
  
be ruled by it.  
  
"Times change. The generation following us is waiting in the wings," he   
  
startled Tsuyo by motioning towards him, "and the generation following them is   
  
already being born. To make the transition to their guidance from ours as   
  
smooth as possible we must endeavor to understand the thinking of their future   
  
leaders. We have had our opportunity to change the world, let us not spoil   
  
theirs."  
  
"I don't agree with your line of thinking," the storyteller said.  
  
"You do not have to agree with us, only honor the directives of this   
  
council," Kei's father explained.  
  
"As you have with other matters on which we did not agree," Tsuyo's father   
  
reminded.  
  
Great Uncle shook his head. "I cannot this time, you ask too much of me.   
  
I will not welcome that foreigner into my home as a member of my family."  
  
There was another lengthy silence as each side tested to see which would   
  
give in first.  
  
Finally the head elder broke the silence. "I see..." he said with a tone   
  
that spoke volumes of the disapproval and disappointment he felt.  
  
Tsuyo was glad when the audience with Great Uncle ended and he was free to   
  
leave. The internal struggles that kept the peace within the clan were a   
  
trying burden that Tsuyo hoped would never fall upon his shoulder. Having two   
  
older and more competent brothers kept him out of the running unless his father   
  
lost his mind and chose Tsuyo as his successor.  
  
May the Spirits have mercy on them all if that should ever happen.  
  
But the head elder had brought up a point he'd never considered before:   
  
they were getting older and couldn't lead forever. It was plain that they   
  
considered Kei and Xu to be among those who would shape the clan's future and   
  
he was intrigued by what directions they may take. He also had concerns on a   
  
more personal level that Kei might be able to put at ease.  
  
Since Sierra had been here Tsuyo had grown more comfortable with   
  
approaching Kei. Perhaps it was Sierra's refusal to defer to Kei simply   
  
because of who she was and that was rubbing off on him. Or, he suspected,   
  
because she peeled away the reverence he felt so that he now saw Kei as she   
  
was; a determined woman who had a low tolerance for nonsense.  
  
It was because of his bias towards Kei that she was biased towards him.   
  
He discovered, upon reflection, that the situation was entirely of his own   
  
creation. When they were children, Kei and her twin siblings were often   
  
playmates, especially when his brothers were away in the afternoons learning   
  
their acolyte duties. And though he and Kei had started with similar lots in   
  
life, the passage of time and the paths they took resulted in them being two   
  
people with very different perspectives regarding their homeland.  
  
In a way, he envied her. While he held no regrets about the path he   
  
chose, the desire burned deep within him to explore the world Out There. It   
  
was a desire that was rekindled when Sierra came. She was on a pilgrimage   
  
herself and this was but a way stop during her journey.  
  
Try as he might, he couldn't think of a reason to justify leaving to his   
  
father. Were Tsuyo a commoner -- like Xu, his mind offered as an example,   
  
though the comparison wasn't fair -- he could leave with no regrets. That   
  
wasn't the role life cast him in. He played an important part in maintaining   
  
the integrity of the clan's monster control methods. Countless times his mind   
  
argued that they could get along without him, he was replaceable, but the   
  
responsible part of him was quick to silence such rebellious and selfish   
  
arguments. It would be wrong for him to turn his back on his calling.  
  
It was all so reasonable, yet...  
  
Tsuyo was surprised to discover that he was standing outside the classroom   
  
with the sole HD terminal the clan possessed. In the afternoons Sierra and   
  
Mikel studied here, sometimes making use of the exotic tool. He didn't know   
  
why he thought to look for Kei here first since she often had other things to   
  
do besides participate in something Sierra had well in hand, but there she was   
  
watching as Mikel worked.  
  
"Hey Tsuyo, what's up?" Sierra asked when she noticed him standing in the   
  
doorway.  
  
"I apologize for interrupting," he replied by reflex. She gave him a sour   
  
look and he smiled sheepishly in response. It annoyed her how he always   
  
phrased things in a manner to provide the least offense. "I was wondering if I   
  
could have a few minutes of Kei's time?"  
  
Kei shrugged and stood up. "Sure, let's go for a walk."  
  
They were well down the path from the school house heading towards the   
  
Chocobo stables by the time he found a neutral topic to begin their discussion   
  
with. He'd spent far too much time as they walked worried that she was   
  
impatient with him wanting to speak with her and then not saying anything. She   
  
seemed to understand that he needed to work his way up to saying what was on   
  
his mind and was willing to give him the time to do it.  
  
"Mikel is blessed to have you two as his tutors," he said finally.  
  
Kei snorted lightly. "Blessings have nothing to do with it." Tsuyo   
  
smiled to himself as she used the same turn of phrase her father had earlier   
  
this afternoon. "Mikel is a smart boy and I want to see him grow up right.   
  
Sierra is glad to work with him because it's a worthwhile endeavor."  
  
How interesting that both father and daughter wish to do what they   
  
perceive to be the 'right thing'. And that the 'right thing' were investments   
  
in the clan's future. Kei's father wanted to make amends and rebuild burned   
  
bridges. And Kei...  
  
"What role do you see Mikel playing when he gets older?"  
  
"I want him to have the freedom to do whatever he would like to do with   
  
his life," and she paused to give Tsuyo a meaningful glance. "Would you have   
  
chosen to be an acolyte if your father hadn't pressured you into it?"  
  
He flushed at have the conversation unexpectedly turn towards him. Rarely   
  
did anyone ask him what his desires or opinions were. "I must admit that I am   
  
not certain that I would, but I am happy with the life I lead."  
  
Kei shook her head in disagreement. "Your father rules your life. I   
  
thought my father was bad, but since I've been here I've noticed how yours   
  
behaves. Does he ever thank you for the services you perform?"  
  
"Thanks are not required for me to perform my duties," Tsuyo replied   
  
softly.  
  
That answer only frustrated Kei more. "What's wrong with you? You're not   
  
the Tsuyo I remember. He was someone who went on adventures and wasn't afraid   
  
to stand up for himself. They broke his spirit and replaced him with a   
  
submissive yes-man. You should go to your father and demand to be recognized   
  
for what you do and who you are!"  
  
"What you say is tempting like the Siren's song, but I can only see grief   
  
resulting from it."  
  
"Tsuyo!" Kei grabbed him by the upper arms and gave him a small shake.   
  
"Dammit! How can you be content with letting them waste your life? Don't you   
  
have any dreams?!"  
  
"I do," he said stiffly after politely disengaging himself from her grasp.   
  
They were at the Chocobo stables now and he took comfort in the soft buzzing of   
  
the bird's chatter.  
  
"What is it?" Kei asked after taking control of her anger. He didn't   
  
blame her for her outburst. It wouldn't have happened if she didn't care about   
  
what he was doing with his life.  
  
"You may mock me, but I want to get married," he admitted.  
  
She shook her head with a wry expression on her face before leaning up   
  
against the fence. "That's an easy thing to do around these parts. Ask your   
  
father to arrange something."  
  
"NO!" He snapped and then looked away, ashamed.  
  
"Ah, so you have your eye on someone specific."  
  
"Yes," and his face grew flush again. Kei was the first person he ever   
  
admitted that to.  
  
"May I ask who..?"  
  
His cheeks were on fire. Maybe Kei was right. Maybe he did need to   
  
re-grow his spine. If he couldn't even admit it to Kei how would he approach   
  
*her*? He took a deep breath to calm his fluttering nerves. "I- I love Xu,"   
  
he whispered softly.  
  
Kei's playful expression instantly turned glacially cold. That look   
  
silenced his anxious nerves and instead caused his heart to race for another   
  
reason: fear. "I mean no disrespect. I realize it may be blasphemous to long   
  
for someone such as her but I-"  
  
She cut off his explanation with a chop of her hand.  
  
"You're in love with a memory, Tsuyo. Xu isn't the same person that she   
  
was when we were children. The elders changed us. The Guardian Forces changed   
  
us. SeeD changed us. We're not who we used to be. If you want a wife, ask   
  
your father to find you one. You'll be happier in the long run."  
  
Tsuyo gritted his teeth as Kei shot down his dream. How could she   
  
disregard it out of hand? She who was Xu's cousin but not Xu! It was too   
  
much! "I hold no illusions about who we were and who we are now. I understand   
  
what has changed you better than you do," he jabbed a light fingertip into her   
  
tunic. "It has been my life study to know these things!"  
  
She grabbed his hand and held it tight within her own. "Then know this,   
  
Tsuyo who understands things, Xu already found the love of her life and he died   
  
protecting someone they both cared for. No man can fill the void in her heart   
  
that his death created. I love her as a sister and I will be most displeased   
  
if she suffers unnecessary grief."  
  
They stood there like that; searching each other's eyes for any hint of   
  
what the other may be feeling. In Kei's eyes he saw her desire to protect the   
  
one who meant more to her than anyone else. And in his eyes... In his eyes   
  
were tears, unabashed, unashamed as they traced lines down his face.  
  
"I'm sorry," Kei whispered and squeezed his hand, knowing that she had   
  
hurt him very deeply.  
  
He brushed his free hand across his eyes to clear away the tears. "You   
  
*are* right. Your love for her is different. *Every* love is different. I   
  
cannot replace that which she has lost, but can I not offer her something that   
  
would be just as fulfilling?"  
  
Kei frowned sadly. "Even if we disregard everything and assume she loves   
  
you from the bottom of her heart, she is still a SeeD. She loves her work as   
  
well. Can you share her with it? She won't come back here to be a typical   
  
Anshin wife. She'll continue to perform her duties as a SeeD. This is, of   
  
course, assuming that she would even consider marriage. It's something SeeDs   
  
tend to avoid."  
  
"Afraid of commitment?" He asked, his spirits lifting enough to jest.  
  
"We favor short term contracts," she replied.  
  
He nodded and let the hand he clung to go. "I still want to try. 'Tis   
  
better to try and fail than to never have tried at all, right?"  
  
"I'm not sure that applies when you ask for the impossible..."  
  
"This is the second time today that I have heard the impossible being   
  
asked," he smirked. "It is too soon to give up."  
  
"Regardless of what else happens we need to get you out from your father's   
  
shadow," Kei concluded.  
  
"That would be greatly appreciated," Tsuyo agreed with a heavy sigh.  
  
He hated the visions that foretold the future. Never did they show him   
  
joyous times like his marriage to Aiterra, the births of his children, or the   
  
day he became an elder. Instead the visions were always of ominous events that   
  
scarred the fabric of time.  
  
It took him years to figure out why he saw the deaths of his twin   
  
children. Erroneously he believed that the power of his gift revolved around   
  
his own life. It wasn't until he considered the impact on Kei that he   
  
understood. Their deaths were the catalyst for her later rebellion. The rift   
  
between father and daughter would grow and she would leave the secluded Anshin   
  
to learn fighting skills from the SeeDs. All these events tied into each other   
  
and led up to their current situation.  
  
At this age, he was no longer vain enough to believe that Kei's destiny   
  
led her to guard his life. He was nothing more than a pawn in a minor conflict   
  
in the greater war she would wage against the forces rallying to destroy this   
  
world.  
  
And so, when he saw the next link in the chain of events he felt both   
  
relief and dread. Relief that the war had yet to be concluded, thus there   
  
would be another day to fight and win. The dread was because the upcoming   
  
battle included his oldest daughter. That was the father in him. No parent   
  
wished their children to go to war for fear that they may not return.  
  
Kei would be warned so that she may prepare.  
  
Word spread quickly of the Sorceress's impending attack. The acolytes,   
  
leaving only a handful of stubborn men and the elders behind evacuated most of   
  
the villagers to the coast. The elders had to stay. They were the bait that   
  
would lure the Sorceress. At first Kei wanted to take the battle to the coast   
  
and leave the villagers here, but there was no guarantee that the Sorceress   
  
wouldn't come after the village any way. The land the Anshin compound was   
  
built on pulsed with magic and would undoubtedly attract a woman bent on   
  
collecting all the power that she could.  
  
Kei and Sierra wore outfits that were prepared especially for this day.   
  
In Sierra's opinion, anything short of naked would be an improvement over the   
  
Anshin robes she was obligated to wear half the time. The robes were   
  
comfortable, but decreased maneuverability during a fight considerably. That's   
  
why the uncharacteristically practical clothes she wore now were a surprise.  
  
The most vital part of the outfit was the vest had a tight woven lining   
  
that she was assured would prevent the Sorceress's ice lances from piercing   
  
through. Padding of the same material was sewn into other strategic regions of   
  
the clothing without being restrictive of movement. Sierra's outfit differed   
  
from Kei's in that it had more pouches and pockets than she could ever find the   
  
items and beads to fill. But just because *she* didn't have the materials to   
  
fill them didn't mean that others didn't. The Anshin people proved to be   
  
embarrassingly generous with their supplies. She could open a small shop with   
  
everything that she carried now.  
  
She didn't have much faith in the elders' claims that the embroidered   
  
designs on the back of the vest would increase her magical resistance. She   
  
doubted the designs would do anything besides look pretty, but she long ago   
  
learned that if it made them feel better she shouldn't burst their bubble with   
  
such devastating consideration as reality. The only magic related 'equipment'   
  
that Sierra believed in was the Cerberus stone that Kei lent her.  
  
The only GF Kei would be taking into the battle was Alexander. Sierra was   
  
under the impression that the Mage Slasher locked off all of Kei's magic   
  
skills, but Kei assured her that her bond with Alexander was strong enough that   
  
she could overcome the lock if she had to.  
  
Everyone at the compound was on edge as they waited. There was nothing   
  
left that they could do to prepare. Kei was of the opinion that worrying   
  
wasted energy. That outlook was well and good, but how could she maintain it   
  
when so much was on the line? Sierra hoped that the Sorceress *did* attack   
  
today. That way there wouldn't have to psych up for the fight again.  
  
"Mikel! You need to remain with your mother," Tsuyo scolded after   
  
catching the boy running around the temporary camp. "Now is not the time to   
  
play," he continued as he led Mikel back to where his mother was. The boy was   
  
fast approaching the age to be named. If the situation weren't so grave he   
  
would have let Mikel explore the coast some on his own as practice for the   
  
upcoming trial.  
  
Mikel was the least of Tsuyo's worries. The elders had left the care of   
  
the villagers to their acolytes. It was a challenging task they felt   
  
themselves prepared for, but there were always snags when it came to executing   
  
the best-laid plans. The Chocobos sensed their fear and were unruly until   
  
Tsuyo spoke with each and every one of them. He wasn't the only animal trainer   
  
amongst the acolytes, but he was the one the birds trusted the most. Because   
  
he was calming the birds his duties were shifted to others who were already   
  
burdened with their own responsibilities.  
  
Despite this complication they got everyone to the coast with enough   
  
provisions to survive for a few days at least. They weren't to return to the   
  
village until they were sent for. The elders were very clear on that.  
  
It was a lot of work for the eleven acolytes and at times like this Tsuyo   
  
was glad for his fellow Anshin. While he had no personal experience otherwise,   
  
he got the impression that the general population of the world wasn't as...   
  
dutiful... as the Anshin were. If an acolyte gave an instruction that was in   
  
line with the authority the elders had granted him, then it would be followed.  
  
"I wanted to explore the beach," Mikel protested meekly, hoping that Tsuyo   
  
would to let him go if the acolyte believed his intentions were innocent   
  
enough.  
  
"I know, but I need you to stay with your mother. Sierra and your sister   
  
are doing something very important right now and trust me to keep you safe.   
  
Maybe after this business is finished we can ask your sister about going on a   
  
camping trip..."  
  
Tsuyo's voice trailed off as he strained to hear a sound off in the   
  
distance. It was a battle cry, but it came from no human's throat. He nudged   
  
Mikel to continue back to his family before Tsuyo jogged to the perimeter of   
  
the temporary camp. The monsters had honored their request to be left in peace   
  
if they remained within the agreed upon area. He found his feet carrying him   
  
outside of that safe zone to investigate. The cries hadn't ceased. In fact,   
  
they were joined by more and more voices.  
  
Mild alarm set in as his mind presented one gruesome scenario after   
  
another. Had a child wandered off as Mikel had and crossed paths with a   
  
monster? Were the monsters fighting amongst themselves (and would it spill   
  
over into the camp if they were)? He crested a small ridge and felt the blood   
  
in his veins freeze. She was here. The Sorceress was *here* and cutting a   
  
swath through any Geezards that got in her way.  
  
He turned around and sprinted back. He grabbed the first acolyte he found   
  
and hastily explained the situation. The other man's face was a mirror of   
  
Tsuyo's. What could they do? Tell her that Kei and Sierra were waiting for   
  
her at the village? How did she even find this place? He doubted very much   
  
that she was stopping by for tea.  
  
"Go warn the others," Tsuyo glanced back at the ridge. She hadn't crested   
  
it yet, there was still time. "My brothers will know what to do."  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"To find help," Tsuyo ran back towards the ridge and then took a sharp   
  
left. It was a long shot, but the monster might be there. The local monsters   
  
had warned him to stay clear of the Ruby Dragon that made its home nearby, but   
  
he had no choice. A dragon was the only creature that might convince a   
  
Sorceress to go somewhere else. He had never spoken with a dragon before,   
  
never mind trying to convince it to chase off a Sorceress on his behalf. A   
  
small voice in the back of his mind screamed out against the insanity of his   
  
thinking, but what other choice did he have?  
  
He called out for the greatest of the dragons, for that best described   
  
what a Ruby Dragon was. It was the largest member of the dragon family and   
  
could easily lay waste to any creature who opposed it. But its size was not   
  
what made Ruby Dragons so dangerous, it was their intelligence. They had   
  
access to many powerful magics (if their deadly breath didn't do the job) and   
  
the skill to put them to good use. No one sought out a Ruby Dragon unless he   
  
had a death wish or was as desperate for help as Tsuyo was.  
  
"Cease your noisemaking, human," a gravelly voice growled from around a   
  
rock ledge. The Ruby Dragon's head came from around the corner and already   
  
Tsuyo's legs were paralyzed with fear. The dragon's scales shone like the   
  
rubies it derived its name from and a few pairs of broad black horns spread out   
  
like a wave from the back of its head. One yellow eye snapped onto Tsuyo   
  
before the dragon swung its head around to address him. "Have you come to   
  
offer yourself as a snack?"  
  
"Greatest of the dragons," he said and bowed stiffly to the monster. "A   
  
Sorceress is attacking our camp. I beg your assistance in driving her away."  
  
The dragon snorted, its dangerous breath visible and thankfully not   
  
directed towards him. "I care not if you humans slaughter each other, then   
  
there will be fewer of you around."  
  
Tsuyo sucked in his breath as he weighed his words carefully. Any   
  
missteps in this negotiation and he would be a dead man along with everyone   
  
else. "I can understand your reflexive disdain for humans, as a species we   
  
have not been very kind to our monster neighbors. But not all humans hunt your   
  
brothers. We, the Anshin, have always tried to live in peace with you and the   
  
land."  
  
"Such pretty words mean nothing to me, human. I know of your people. You   
  
are the two-legged dogs who marked your lands with Holy magic and then stand   
  
before me speaking of co-existence. You are the ones who have a Holy warrior   
  
living among you. How arrogant are you to seek help from a creature you have   
  
gone to such lengths to alienate?"  
  
This wasn't going as well as Tsuyo could have hoped. Never before had he   
  
met a monster capable of communicating even a fraction of what this Ruby   
  
already had. And... The dragon had a point. Holy magic was purposefully   
  
spread throughout the Anshin lands to discourage the monsters of Centra from   
  
passing through. Jelleyes were the most common monster in the region, but Ruby   
  
Dragons were just as vulnerable to the magic as their smaller brethren.  
  
"Humans will do all they can to protect themselves from what they fear.   
  
They will go to even greater lengths to protect themselves from what they   
  
cannot control, for that is the source of their fear."  
  
"Do you fear this magic-woman because you cannot control her?"  
  
"I fear her because she cannot control herself," Tsuyo answered honestly.   
  
"If she were in her right mind she would not be attacking my people."  
  
"Do you fear me?" And now the dragon brought itself out into full view.   
  
Its forearms were more powerful than Tsuyo imagined, its body was so large   
  
Tsuyo wondered how he'd missed seeing it behind the ridge. The dragon stood up   
  
on its hind legs and extended its leathery wings to their full width.  
  
Tsuyo did not look away as the dragon challenged him. "I am afraid,   
  
greatest of the dragons, but I will overcome my fear to protect the people I   
  
care for."  
  
He thought he heard the dragon laugh when it roared at his answer. "Very   
  
well, human, I will chase your magic-woman away and then you can tell me more   
  
about your fears." The strong muscles in the Ruby's hind legs tensed before it   
  
sprang to the air in flight. The powerful down strokes of its large wings blew   
  
Tsuyo off his feet and he landed awkwardly on the ground. Already the Ruby was   
  
hundreds of meters away, heading towards the coastal camp. He scrambled to his   
  
feet and ran that way, hoping that it was not too late.  
  
By the time he arrived the battle between the dragon and the Sorceress was   
  
already underway. He quickly appraised the ruined camp and regretted that his   
  
negotiations with the Ruby had not gone faster. The scattered bodies he   
  
spotted -- temporarily abandoned as the survivors fled for their own lives --   
  
was evidence of his failure.  
  
Why... Why did she come after the villagers? Was it not the elders she   
  
was after? Could they have been wrong in predicting her dark intentions? All   
  
these questions demanded to be answered and he couldn't.  
  
His gaze returned to the battle. The Sorceress just cast Firaga on the   
  
Ruby, but the dragon had already protected itself with a Reflect spell, turning   
  
the magic back on the caster. The dragon opened its maw and let loose with one   
  
of its horrible Breath attacks. Tsuyo had never seen it before and instantly   
  
felt sympathy for anyone or thing caught on the receiving end. The Sorceress   
  
fell back, dazed by the powerful blast of non-elemental, non-magical energy.   
  
Sensing her imminent defeat the dragon lunged forward to capture the woman   
  
within its jaws. She dove to the side and opened a portal to escape from the   
  
battle. She slipped into the tear in space before the monster could come after   
  
her again.  
  
Satisfied that the Sorceress was thoroughly routed the dragon lumbered   
  
back to the camp where Tsuyo stood and watched him.  
  
"I have done as you have asked," the Ruby announced, understandably   
  
pleased with itself.  
  
"You have my unending thanks," Tsuyo bowed deeply to the monster.  
  
The cowering villagers slowly came out of their recesses in which they had   
  
taken refuge. Reluctantly at first, and then with growing confidence they   
  
approached the dragon and added their thanks to Tsuyo's.  
  
"They are not afraid of you," Tsuyo said.  
  
"Because they believe that you control me?" The Ruby challenged.  
  
He shook his head. "Because they recognize a friend when they see one."  
  
The dragon said nothing as it soaked in the gratitude the villagers   
  
lavished upon it. Tsuyo had never been one to try to dismiss a monster as   
  
though it were a mere servant. He figured that when the Ruby was grew bored   
  
with the humans who admired it, it would leave. Instead the monster surprised   
  
Tsuyo by asking him why they were away from their home. He explained how the   
  
Sorceress was going to attack and their plans to defeat her.  
  
"Your Holy warrior will be fighting this magic-woman?" Tsuyo confirmed   
  
that what it said was true and the dragon waved its head slowly from side to   
  
side. "I must witness this battle. You will guide me to the battleground so   
  
that I may watch."  
  
Tsuyo wanted to protest, but there was no way he could without offending   
  
the monster. He couldn't say that it would be too dangerous to go there after   
  
the Ruby had just chased the Sorceress off. Maybe what the dragon really   
  
wanted was an opportunity to finish what it had started... The thought crossed   
  
his mind, but that didn't seem in character for the Ruby. The monster wished   
  
to see Kei in battle; the opponent didn't matter as long as Kei wasn't after   
  
the dragon itself.  
  
The Ruby lowered its large head to ground level. "You may sit behind my   
  
crown and hold on tight. I won't be responsible if you fall." Tsuyo's heart   
  
was beating in his throat while he did as the dragon instructed. He sat   
  
himself behind the ridge of horns that splashed up from the back of the Ruby's   
  
head and prepared himself for a wild ride. An excited thought shot through his   
  
mind: How many other animal trainers could say that they were offered a ride on   
  
a Ruby Dragon? None, he was willing to wager. He really shouldn't be thinking   
  
of such things when there were so many other problems to be worried about, but   
  
he will never forget this flight.  
  
"There she is," Kei murmured when she spotted the Sorceress off in the   
  
distance. Sierra had told her that the Sorceress could teleport anywhere she   
  
wanted, but if it were truly that easy wouldn't she have teleported in, stabbed   
  
her victim, and teleported out with none the wiser? Kei wasn't about to   
  
discounting the idea out-of-hand, but there had to be a limit to any   
  
Sorceress's power and the compound was pretty remote. She very much doubted   
  
that the Sorceress could make a jump from Lake Obel (her last known location   
  
according to Xu) to the Anshin compound.  
  
"Is it just me or does it look like she's limping?" Sierra adjusted her   
  
binoculars, trying to get a better look at the approaching woman.  
  
"She isn't limping anymore. Did you see the green shimmer from that   
  
Curaga spell?"  
  
"Yeah, how many more of those do you think she has?"  
  
"At least 99," Kei drawled. "And a hundred elixirs to match it."  
  
"Optimistic, aren't you?"  
  
"Realistic," she corrected. "It's time."  
  
The preparations for the battle were carefully planned out. Sierra cast   
  
every beneficial spell that knew on herself; Shell to lessen the magical   
  
damage, Protect to lessen physical, Triple to increase her spell casting   
  
ability, Haste to make her the fastest person on the field. She didn't cast   
  
Reflect on herself. That was a tricky spell to work with. She would only cast   
  
it if she thought it would actually help. She also refrained from using the   
  
Aura beads that Arjun gave her. The magic would have no effect on Kei and on   
  
Sierra they would turn her into a berserker. She needed to remain in control   
  
of herself and back up Kei's during the fight.  
  
"Sorceress! I've come for your head!" Kei called to Edea, striding   
  
purposefully out to meet the approaching Sorceress.  
  
"Do you really think it's a good idea to egg her on..?" Sierra muttered   
  
from several paces behind Kei.  
  
They met outside the gates of the Anshin compound. Edea towered over   
  
Kei's small stature, but was shorter than Sierra, who was the largest person on   
  
the field. Despite that fact, she was forgotten as Kei and Edea battled each   
  
other with their eyes. The air nearly crackled with the energy they held in   
  
reserve to use against the other once the fighting began.  
  
"You forget your place, Spirit. It is the Sorceresses that the Great Hyne   
  
entrusted his power to. The Guardians were too immature to swallow their petty   
  
jealousies and work together to protect this world. Now stand aside so that I   
  
may retrieve what is rightfully mine!"  
  
Kei drew the Mage Slasher from its scabbard and relaxed into a ready   
  
stance. "The only way you'll get past me is by stepping over my dead body."  
  
A sinister smile curved Edea's purple lips. "That's all for the better,   
  
but first..." Her eyes flicked over to where Sierra was standing behind Kei.   
  
"First I must educate this brat who did not learn the first time."  
  
Kei slid into a position to cover Sierra if Edea chose to attack her.   
  
Edea brought her hand up and then down again in a fluid motion. All at once   
  
every spell Sierra had cast on herself to aid her during the fight was   
  
neutralized by Edea casting Dispel. A casting of Demi quickly followed up the   
  
Dispel.  
  
The force of the spell's effects brought Sierra to her knees. Demi,   
  
dammit dammit dammit, how she hated Demi! It sucked a victim's energy out of   
  
them by halves. She fought off a bout spell-induced weakness, and was hit with   
  
Demi again before she could get up from her knees. A third casting had her   
  
folded over retching with what little strength she had left. It was hard to   
  
imagine a more terrible spell to endure.  
  
Kei quickly closed the gap between her and Edea and was attacking the   
  
dodging Sorceresses as aggressively as possible. Why hadn't Kei cut her down   
  
already?! Haste, the Sorceress had to be hastened, just as Sierra once was.   
  
Kei struck Edea's wrist with the flat of her blade, which was enough of a break   
  
to give Sierra a chance to act.  
  
Sierra performed a casting of Curaga to restore some of her health.   
  
Slowly she returned to her feet while preparing to cast the same spell on   
  
herself again, but Kei was in need of it more from how ferociously she and Edea   
  
fought. Sierra broke off casting the Curaga and instead pulled out a powerful   
  
healing potion to use on Kei.  
  
Edea was healing herself whenever Kei wasn't actively swinging at her.   
  
The Sorceress saw that Sierra was on her feet and tossed another Demi her way.   
  
The spell knocked her down again and Sierra cursed her own foolishness for not   
  
casting a spell to reflect magic on herself before Edea remembered that she was   
  
a threat.  
  
Sierra healed herself enough to get back to her feet and was about to cast   
  
Reflect on herself, then stopped. If she cast Reflect then if she used Curaga   
  
it would bounce off of her and hit Edea instead. The same would be true if   
  
Sierra wanted to Haste herself so that she could keep up with the Sorceress.   
  
Dammit, Reflect was such a fucking stupid spell.  
  
Sierra set her frustration aside and focused on backing up Kei. Another   
  
healing potion was brought out of her pouch and used on the SeeD that made up   
  
their offensive. It was so frustrating to watch the two of them duke it out.   
  
The Sorceress quickly recovered from everything Kei did to her!  
  
The Sorceress took a blow from Kei instead of dodging it. This time two   
  
Demi spells hit Sierra in rapid succession. Demi can't kill, Sierra kept   
  
reminding herself, though she felt like she'd rather die than get hit with it   
  
again. She returned to her feet just in time to receive the ice lances that   
  
Kei couldn't stop in the chest.  
  
Sierra fell backwards and rolled before landing in a crumpled heap. Kei   
  
couldn't spare her more than a quick glance as Edea now focused all her efforts   
  
on destroying Kei. The magically summoned flames or ice Edea would have   
  
normally used to harm Kei had no effect, but if Edea picked up a large rock,   
  
lifted it above Kei's head, and let gravity do the rest...  
  
Pain didn't even begin to describe the throbbing in Sierra's chest. She   
  
could hear the sounds of smashing stones and Kei's grunts as she was chased   
  
around the clearing. Slowly she opened her eyes and saw that the Sorceress had   
  
backed Kei up to the gates of the compound. The gates began to creek and sway   
  
as Edea tried to pull them apart with her magic.  
  
Sierra squeezed her eyes shut as a stab of pain shot through her. There   
  
was pain, and something else, a burning... Her Limit. Hyne no, not that   
  
horrible Limit! Tears came to her eyes as she realized that she had to give   
  
herself over to it if she wanted to help Kei. Sierra's heart was consumed with   
  
berserker's rage and she was no longer in control of herself.  
  
She got her feet and stomped to the outskirts of the battle. Blood from   
  
where the ice lances had pierced the woven vest blotted the cloth, giving her   
  
the appearance of a hell-bent zombie. Strong gusts of wind buffed against Kei   
  
and Edea. Sierra balled both hands before bringing them up as though she were   
  
upending a table. The ground beneath Kei and Edea's feet moaned in protest as   
  
Sierra ripped it apart. Kei ran away while Edea remained there and cast a   
  
Float spell on herself.  
  
"How foolish of you to create an earthquake when it can so easily be   
  
countered!" Edea mocked the crazed geomancer. "Is that the best you can do?"  
  
Sierra's fists continued to rise above her head. Shards of rocks shot up   
  
into the air around Edea. A moment later Sierra brought her hands down in a   
  
savage swipe. The rock shards shot down at the Sorceress, lashing at her   
  
through the Protect and Shell spells she had cast to dampen battle damage.   
  
Edea prepared to cast a spell, but Sierra interrupted her by summoning the wood   
  
within the village gates towards her, thus bringing them down on top of the   
  
Sorceress.  
  
A moment later the wooden gates exploded and debris flew in all directions   
  
away from the enraged Sorceress. She wouldn't be interrupted again from   
  
casting her spell on Sierra. With a flick of her wrist the wild Trabian was   
  
turned into solid stone. Instantly the rumbling grounds were calmed and the   
  
winds that kicked the wooden debris around stopped.  
  
Kei took advantage of the momentary calm and charged at the Sorceress to   
  
prevent her from healing herself after Sierra had caused so much damage. Edea   
  
teleported away from the advancing SeeD, but was still within sight of the   
  
village. Kei would have to run at least a hundred meters to catch up with her,   
  
giving Edea ample opportunity to heal herself before Kei could arrive and   
  
continue the battle.  
  
As it turned out she didn't have to rush. Kei slowed down her mad dash   
  
when she spotted a Ruby Dragon landing practically on top of the Sorceress.   
  
The two immediately began fighting. The dragon unleashed its Breath attack.   
  
Kei didn't know what Edea had done to anger the dragon, but the distraction was   
  
welcome. While the dragon kept the Sorceress occupied Kei took a moment to   
  
completely heal herself with the potions she had on hand. Sierra had carried a   
  
majority of their potions, but only a fool wouldn't keep a few with herself   
  
just in case.  
  
By the time Kei arrived the battle between the Sorceress and Ruby Dragon   
  
had nearly drawn to a conclusion. Both sides were battered and panting from   
  
the tolls their fighting had taken. Edea gathered her strength and threw a   
  
barrage of ice lances into the dragon's side. The Ruby Dragon roared and   
  
collapsed to the ground.  
  
Once again Kei charged towards the Sorceress before she had the chance to   
  
recover. Edea opened another portal so that she could slip away from Kei, but   
  
the SeeD grabbed her by the arm and yanked her out from the portal.  
  
"Your murderous ways end here," Kei growled, swinging her katana at Edea,   
  
but missed.  
  
"Who are you to call me a murder, SeeD?!" The Sorceress spat angrily.   
  
"You killed my children! You Black SeeDs left the White SeeDs for dead on the   
  
beach!" Her shrill screams belied the cool collected exterior her previous   
  
crimes had been committed with.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Kei retorted. "The SeeDs I found on the   
  
beach had passed away long before I discovered them!"  
  
The Sorceress clung to her head and stumbled around like a drunken woman.   
  
Kei was puzzled by her actions, but refused to let her guard down to offer any   
  
sort of assistance. Edea opened another portal to attempt escape. Kei was too   
  
far away to catch her arm again with her right hand and so she swung for the   
  
Sorceress's head with the katana in her left.  
  
The Sorceress had managed to slip away, but not without leaving a souvenir   
  
of her visit. Kei knelt down and picked up a corkscrewed horn that was a part   
  
of her headgear before Kei's sword removed it.  
  
Edea was gone. Kei couldn't explain how she knew that, but the elders and   
  
Anshin were safe for now. The Sorceress had been driven away and all Kei had   
  
to show for it was the trophy in her hand.  
  
She considered the horn thoughtfully as she walked back towards the   
  
village. Her route took her past the body of the defeated dragon. She didn't   
  
know what prompted it to challenge the Sorceress, but the delay it created made   
  
a difference in the battle. Kei walked over to the carcass so that she could   
  
pay the fallen monster proper respect for its deeds. Slowly she paced around   
  
the monster, appreciating just how large of creature it was, when she spotted   
  
Tsuyo crushed beneath the dragon's body.  
  
"Tsuyo!" She checked for a pulse. Nothing. There were no signs of life   
  
in his glossed over eyes. Kei shoved her shoulder into the dragon while trying   
  
to dislodge Tsuyo's body from beneath the monster. She should be able to pull   
  
him out...  
  
Tch! The idiot must have convinced the Ruby Dragon to assist her and   
  
Sierra in battling the Sorceress and then been crushed when the dragon was   
  
defeated.  
  
"You're such a fool, Tsuyo! I'm going to bring you back just so I can   
  
kill you!" She gave his limp shoulders another shake. "How dare you die before   
  
you get a chance to ask Xu to marry you?!" she accused the corpse.  
  
She searched her pockets for the Phoenix Down she thought she had. It   
  
wasn't there; she must have lost it during the fight. She felt herself getting   
  
angrier as desperation set in.  
  
'I can bring him back,' Alexander whispered in her mind. 'Together we can   
  
revive the dead.'  
  
"Then let's do it already!" Kei yelled at the voice in her head. She   
  
could feel Alexander shifting around inside of her. It felt a lot like he was   
  
adjusting her junctions except that she didn't have any magic currently stored   
  
within her because of the Mage Slasher. Once he was finished preparing he told   
  
her what to do to bring Tsuyo back to life.  
  
His body didn't look to be in too bad of condition, certainly not to the   
  
point where he couldn't be restored and then healed. Upon completing   
  
Alexander's instructions Tsuyo's eyes blinked, though he didn't move right   
  
away. Blinking was a good sign, blinking meant that he was alive. Next she   
  
used the last few potions she had to recover his health as much as possible.   
  
He was sitting now and looking around confused.  
  
"Wha- What happened?"  
  
"You had a Ruby Dragon take on a Sorceress!" Kei accused with angered   
  
relief.  
  
"I- No, that is not how it was. The Ruby wanted to witness your fight   
  
against the Sorceress. I could not deny its request after it saved us. I... I   
  
cannot hear it..." Tsuyo got his feet and ran over to the dragon's still head.   
  
He wrapped his arms around the dragon's neck and hugged it. "Come on, wake up!   
  
You cannot be dead! She could not have killed you, not after you ran her off!"  
  
"Tsuyo, the dragon's dead."  
  
The animal trainer refused to believe it. He continued to hug the dragon   
  
and sob into the folds of its leathery skin. "It saved us. It cannot be dead.   
  
Can you bring it back?" He begged.  
  
"Listen to yourself. You're asking for the life of a monster!" There was   
  
a heartbroken expression on his face. Even before he asked Kei about his own   
  
life he was begging her to restore a monster's. It was easy to consider him   
  
some sort of monster loving crackpot, but it was true compassion motivating   
  
him. Kei acknowledged that they owed this monster a debt of gratitude, but   
  
there was little they could do to repay it at this point.  
  
"I'm sorry, Tsuyo. I can't bring back a monster. Their souls don't go to   
  
the Path like human ones do; those are the souls I can ask to return." She   
  
knew that she couldn't restore a monster, not because she didn't want to but   
  
because she *couldn't*. Alexander was in agreement that even in this case   
  
there was nothing they could do. She didn't know if what she told Tsuyo was   
  
completely accurate as for why a monster couldn't be returned, but he seemed to   
  
accept the answer.  
  
"I apologize. This brave dragon answered my plea for help when the   
  
Sorceress attacked the camp. It deserved better than to die at her hands."  
  
"I know," Kei said softly. "But..." she stood there thoughtfully as she   
  
ran through some options in her mind. Regardless of Tsuyo's good intentions   
  
there was no doubt that his father would be furious about him coaxing a Ruby   
  
Dragon into a fight. The Anshin didn't practice the use of Life magic, so his   
  
father would expect even *more* from Tsuyo because Kei brought him back.   
  
Hmm...  
  
"The dragon has done more for us than you might think," Kei said slyly.   
  
"I'll tell your father that you were killed by the Ruby Dragon and conveniently   
  
forget to mention that you were resurrected. If he thinks you're dead then he   
  
won't hound you anymore."  
  
"I am not following you..." he admitted hesitantly.  
  
Kei glared at him with impatience. She was going to have to translate her   
  
intentions into Anshin terms or this nitwit wasn't going to understand. "I   
  
brought you back from your journey to the Path because I wanted you to have a   
  
chance to pursue your own dreams. You have spent entirely too much time living   
  
the life your father has given you. As a Spirit of the Path it is my right to   
  
claim your life as my own. And in return for resurrecting you I want you go on   
  
a journey -- a pilgrimage, if you will -- to explore this vast world. I want   
  
you to visit every corner of the planet if you must until you find the person   
  
who makes you happy."  
  
Tsuyo stared at her blankly. Maybe the Revive had some sort of stupefying   
  
side effect that the Guardian Force hadn't warned her about.  
  
"You have never addressed me as a Spirit before," he said finally. "I   
  
will follow your command as I am obligated to do... But as your friend... I   
  
thank you."  
  
Kei shook off his thanks. "Things aren't easy Out There. You're going to   
  
encounter people who hate you simply because of who and what you are, but I   
  
have faith that you'll also discover happiness. Just promise me that you won't   
  
squander the opportunity by getting crushed again, okay?"  
  
"I will refrain from prematurely returning to the Path," he agreed.  
  
[Epilogue]  
  
- Biggs & Wedge -  
  
"Congratulations, kid, you've made it to the big time!" Biggs gave Wedge a   
  
hardy pat on the back as they sidled up to the bar.  
  
"Oh ho! Do we have ourselves a new Lieutenant?" The bartender asked,   
  
making a show of examining Wedge's recently received rank insignia. The   
  
bartender was a nice enough fellow who went to great lengths to accommodate his   
  
military patrons. The fact that there wasn't a single civilian in the bar   
  
demonstrated the success of his efforts.  
  
"Yep, straight from the President himself, in fact!" Biggs bragged.  
  
"I see that you've done well for yourself too, Captain," the bartender   
  
complimented, sliding a beer to each of them.  
  
Biggs and the bartender chatted while Wedge slouched over the bar and   
  
looked into the amber liquid in his mug. He didn't like beer. It never   
  
offered him the solace that the drunks claimed it could. No amount of brew   
  
could wash away the nagging guilt he felt for what happened in Lake Obel.  
  
It was a bad situation all around, that's what it was. Biggs had pulled   
  
rank on him and forced their search to become a confrontation. It wasn't until   
  
after they returned to Deling City that Wedge learned that meeting the   
  
Sorceress had been the plan all along. Before that man showed up and attacked   
  
the Sorceress, Biggs had delivered a letter to her from President Deling.   
  
Wedge didn't know what the letter said, but Biggs hinted in his heavy handed   
  
manner that it was important business.  
  
Ungrateful Biggs! The *Captain* had yet to thank Wedge for pulling him   
  
out of that house before the Sorceress blew it sky-high. When Biggs gave his   
  
report to the President he had been careful to play down that little detail,   
  
not that it really mattered to Wedge. Any commendations he might have received   
  
for saving a fellow soldier's life were cheapened by the lives he let be taken   
  
to accomplish Galbadia's ends.  
  
When Quistis first told him that he was assigned to this mission he was   
  
excited. He looked forward to some field experience before he graduated from   
  
the academy. And because of his actions he will never be able to return to   
  
Galbadia Garden, not while SeeDs were there, at least. That hurt him the most,   
  
the guilt grating against his heart for betraying Quistis' trust.  
  
He was a Lieutenant today because President Deling promoted him to that   
  
rank as a 'reward' for his good service. He wished that he were still a Cadet   
  
studying under the guidance of Instructor Trepe, that way he could earn the   
  
rank on his own without it being given to him.  
  
Instead he sat here in a bar next to the braggart Biggs. They had just   
  
come from a meeting with the President in which he promoted them both and   
  
welcomed Wedge into the ranks of elite troops who performed special duties on   
  
his behalf. Under other circumstances he would have felt honored, but not if   
  
these were the sort of special jobs the President required of them.  
  
"Hey, kid, drink up!" Biggs noticed that Wedge had yet to take a sip of   
  
his beer. "It's not every day you feel like this!"  
  
Wedge lifted his mug and took a swig. 'I hope you're right,' he answered   
  
silently.  
  
- Sierra -  
  
Sierra slowly stretched her arms above her head and winced as stiff   
  
muscles protested the action. The Anshin medic (or what they claimed passed   
  
for one, he was certainly no Kadowaki) promised that she would be released   
  
today after a final examination. There wasn't much more for them to look at.   
  
All of her wounds were healed and most of her strength had returned after a   
  
couple days of solid rest.  
  
She couldn't get out of here soon enough. Villagers who were injured   
  
during the Sorceress attack on the temporary camp occupied every bed in the   
  
small infirmary. Kei went through and cast Curaga on those Anshin who would   
  
accept her use of magic, but others were adamant on letting nature take its   
  
course. Fools. Sierra would have left the minute she was restored from   
  
petrifaction except that her weakened legs betrayed her and she was unable to   
  
stand without assistance. The only way to completely regain her strength after   
  
the Demi-beating she took was to rest.  
  
The medic came by right after breakfast to examine her. Sierra wanted to   
  
laugh at him and his naive questions. Every time he saw her he asked if her   
  
joints were feeling stiff or if she had noticed any patches of hardened skin.   
  
Petrifaction was a completely reversible spell with no after effects once it   
  
was cured.  
  
Mikel was waiting for her when she exited the infirmary. He was more   
  
somber than usual, without the usual bounce to his step. "Sister asked me to   
  
take you to the elders when you got out," he said. "I'm really glad that you   
  
and Sister are okay, but Tsuyo..."  
  
An uncomfortable silence settled between them as they walked slowly to the   
  
council chamber.  
  
Kei had asked Sierra to meet her within the Puzzle Stone yesterday. Once   
  
there, Kei manipulated the environments of the Stone to recreate the battle for   
  
Sierra from the SeeD's perspective. It came as a small comfort to Sierra to   
  
know that she was completely railroaded by the Sorceress (again), but managed   
  
to get her licks in before being turned to stone. Kei led her through the   
  
entire engagement and its aftermath, including reviving Tsuyo and sending him   
  
on his way. Kei didn't go into why Tsuyo wanted to leave or where he would go,   
  
and Sierra didn't ask. As she saw it any sane person would want to escape this   
  
desert prison.  
  
Sierra wanted to tell Mikel the truth -- that Tsuyo was alive and well --   
  
but Kei made her promise to not comment on the acolyte's fate. The only thing   
  
Kei told Tsuyo's father was that she had sent Tsuyo on a journey. By Anshin   
  
reasoning this could be either a physical journey or a metaphysical one to the   
  
Path. Sierra knew which one Tsuyo's father would assume. Fucking Anshin, shit   
  
like that made her want to hate them all the more.  
  
They arrived at the elders' chamber and Sierra entered while Mikel did   
  
not. The elders better not be trying to train him up as an acolyte to replace   
  
Tsuyo or she'll be pissed. Kei was already seated on her cushion, her sword   
  
lay out before her. It brought a small smirk to Sierra's face when she saw   
  
that her shotaxe was set out before the cushion next to Kei's. Sierra settled   
  
down after giving those gathered already a small bow.  
  
"We are relieved to see that you have recovered so quickly," the head   
  
elder said by way of greeting.  
  
"I don't want to overstay my welcome," Sierra said without her usual bite   
  
of sarcasm.  
  
"And that is why we have asked you here-"  
  
Knowing where this was going Sierra began shaking her head. "I'm not   
  
staying."  
  
"We understand your reluctance, but-"  
  
"I'm *not* stay-"  
  
"Shut up and listen to him, Sierra," Kei said sharply.  
  
Stunned by Kei's rebuke, Sierra snapped her mouth shut and nodded.  
  
The head elder began again. "We realize that there is a breach between us   
  
that you have overlooked in order to assist the Spirit. From all of us, I   
  
thank you for your indulgence. We have been struggling to find a way to repay   
  
your kindness. It was not until after your valiant efforts to stop the   
  
Sorceress that we learned of your geomancy skills."  
  
Sierra's expression told him that she was quickly losing patience and so   
  
he cut to the chase.  
  
"You cannot control your earth magic," he said, not as an accusation, but   
  
as a statement of fact. "Kei has told us of your efforts to tame the   
  
berserker's rage that overtakes you during battle. We feel obligated -- not   
  
only as a repayment of our debt to you, but as people who value the sanctity of   
  
the earth -- to teach you how to control your gift. We would be remittent in   
  
our duties to protect this land if we let you leave without first taming the   
  
power within you."  
  
This wasn't what she was expecting them to say. Tsuyo had discretely   
  
warned her and Kei of the negotiations the Anshin elders were performing with   
  
her family on Sierra's behalf. At the time she had scoffed and told him that   
  
they shouldn't bother. *Nothing* that they had to offer would convince her to   
  
stay here a day longer than she had to. But now they offered something that   
  
piqued her interest despite herself; control over her Hyne-forsaken Limit.  
  
She glanced over at Kei. "What do you think?" Kei was one of those   
  
people who had always played Sierra straight, even when it telling her what she   
  
didn't want to hear. In fact, Tsuyo's disappearance was the only act of   
  
deception she recalled Kei ever performing.  
  
"I think that I've failed you," she admitted softly. "Xu trusted me to   
  
train you to use your Limit because you two couldn't get along. I tried and   
  
failed. Whenever you use your geomancy its in a destructive manner. You know   
  
what the grounds outside of the gates looked like when you were finished;   
  
impassable.  
  
"I thought the elders were lying to me when they suggested that they might   
  
be able to help, but then I saw some of the clan's geomancers repairing the   
  
damage you caused. They closed the cracks your earthquakes created and   
  
encouraged the plants that were destroyed by the windstorms to grow. I was a   
  
fool for thinking that carving such productive crops out of this desert could   
  
be done with hard work and limited technology alone. It takes a geomancer's   
  
special touch to bring enough food to this part of the world. Wouldn't you   
  
like to try creating life instead of destroying it?"  
  
"But... Geomancy is my Limit. I can only use it as a desperation move,"   
  
she pointed out.  
  
"How do you know that?" Kei quirked her head slightly and shrugged. "I   
  
wouldn't say that you couldn't before you give it a try. You might just   
  
surprise yourself."  
  
Sierra turned her attention back towards the waiting elders. "How long   
  
would it take?"  
  
"How long depends on how quickly you learn. You will be given guidance by   
  
geomancers who have worked for decades and you will have ample opportunity to   
  
practice your skills," Kei's father answered for them.  
  
Sierra nodded and stood up, taking her shotaxe with her. "I'll have to   
  
think on it," she slung the shotaxe harness over her shoulders as she left the   
  
chamber. No one stopped her when she left the stuffy room. It was a nice day,   
  
one of those mornings that make you feel like all is well with the world.   
  
Perhaps in the Anshin version it was.  
  
She settled into her preferred reading spot next to the house so that she   
  
could think.  
  
What was it with Anshin and their stick and carrot approach on life? Xu   
  
did the same thing to her, made her hop through all these hoops if she wanted   
  
to graduate. Now the elders promised her the training neither Xu nor Kei could   
  
give her if she remained.  
  
The question that needed to be answered was 'Did she *really* hate it   
  
here?' There were plenty of things wrong with this place, like its lack of   
  
snow. There was also no meat. She missed meat. Her fluency in Anshin had   
  
grown in leaps and bounds during her time here, and there were countless Anshin   
  
books she wouldn't be able to read anywhere else if she left.  
  
Kei already told her that she would be leaving on the next transport.   
  
Would the Anshin become unbearable without Kei around to kick some sense into   
  
them, or would that become Sierra's job? There weren't many people left that   
  
she could spend time with. Once Kei was gone only Mikel came to mind. She   
  
chided herself for even worrying about that. Since when did she *need* other   
  
people to make her life comfortable? Wasn't she an independent woman who could   
  
go for months without human contact? Yes, that was the explorer in her. And   
  
speaking of exploring, she *still* hadn't climbed the mountain range east of   
  
here. Wasn't doing that part of the bait she was offered for coming down here   
  
in the first place?  
  
"Come to a decision?" Kei knelt down next to her on the grass. They were   
  
both dressed in Anshin robes with their weapons equipped. If anyone were to   
  
take their picture and post it on the newslinks people would claim that it was   
  
doctored. The clash of cultures made Sierra smile and that told her what she   
  
needed to do.  
  
"I think I'll stay for a while."  
  
"What made up your mind?"  
  
Sierra's grin turned devilish. "Learning to control my Limit is   
  
important, but they've invited a fox into the hen house. My grandfather wanted   
  
to turn them onto their ear for their own good; something we've already   
  
started," she motioned at their weapons. "If they banish me, it's no skin off   
  
my nose. So I might as well rock the boat as hard as I can while I can."  
  
Kei's laugh startled a villager who was walking by. The grin on her face   
  
was one to match Sierra's. "It'll be good for them to have someone like you on   
  
the loose! Promise me that you'll keep an eye on Mikel. Teach him to see the   
  
broad perspective on things and to think for himself, not parrot what's been   
  
taught to him."  
  
"Of course! And I'll work with him until he no longer has that damn   
  
accent when speaking standard."  
  
That earned her another chuckle. "And I'm sure my uncle will be happy to   
  
work with you until you no longer have an accent when speaking Anshin."  
  
She snorted. "I don't plan on being here *that* long. Just long enough   
  
to learn geomancy and cause some much needed discontent among the younger   
  
generation."  
  
- Edea -   
  
The Sorceress who feared by people the world over looked nothing like the   
  
monster rumors made her out to be. Dark, gray streaked hair cascaded down her   
  
back and shoulders. The usually pronounced veins around her ears and face had   
  
receded to near nothingness. She sat on a rock outcropping overlooking the   
  
beach clothed in a simple summer dress.  
  
It was peaceful here; a facade that she wished from the bottom of her   
  
heart she could make real. The winds were calm, but they wouldn't remain that   
  
way. Her eyes fell upon the sword that was plunged into the ground at the foot   
  
of the rock she was perched on. Madness clawed at the back of her mind, but   
  
she held it at bay. She was strong enough to do that right now.  
  
The sword marked the graves of two of her children. Kei had put them in   
  
those graves -- and the madness clawed at her again. NO! It. was. not.   
  
SeeD's. fault. She bit off each word in her mind, solidifying the truth behind   
  
it.  
  
But it was that same SeeD who nearly removed her head from her shoulders.   
  
The madness didn't like being reminded of her near defeat. Kei was too   
  
powerful to challenge after the geomancer and the dragon, she reasoned with the   
  
madness. Plus she has that sword...  
  
And Kei was but one SeeD. Cid has *hundreds* of them at his disposal.   
  
The next time she crossed paths with a SeeD, any SeeD, she may not be so lucky.   
  
What she needed was a way to distract the SeeDs.  
  
Between her elongated fingers was the letter addressed to her from   
  
President Vinzer Deling. The man was a snake in the grass. Only someone like   
  
that would have his mindless minions sacrifice -- Edea winced. Yes, it had   
  
been a sacrifice -- an innocent woman to her.  
  
She was both repulsed and intrigued by what he proposed. She wouldn't   
  
play him for the fool, Vinzer Deling was just as dangerous as the SeeDs, but   
  
she could use this to further her own ends. SeeD needed to be nipped in the   
  
bud before it could cause her any more grief.  
  
- Kei -  
  
"Will you lend me a sword when I get back?" Kei asked the small image of   
  
Xu on the HD. After all the other weighty matters they had discussed the use   
  
of a sword was but a minor detail.  
  
"The Garden doesn't have anything in stores that I can lend you. I just   
  
started a new group of cadets on bladework," Xu's crackled over the connection.   
  
The distance and terrain between them made it difficult to maintain a clear HD   
  
line. Kei couldn't complain, at least the HD was *working*.  
  
"I'll commission a katana from the Balamb junk shop for you if you want?"   
  
Xu offered instead.  
  
"That works, thanks," Kei nodded, trusting Xu to know what she'd want. "I   
  
can't use the Mage Slasher for everyday battles..."  
  
Xu's tiny face gave her a curious look. "Have you been using it that much   
  
down there?"  
  
Kei frowned, considering the best way to answer the question. "I haven't   
  
been using it in battle except against the Sorceress, but I have been   
  
practicing *enduring* it..."  
  
Xu nodded sympathetically, understanding what Kei couldn't put into   
  
words. Items made or plated with Odine material were terrible things for   
  
people with any inherent magical ability. Someone like Zell could unjunction   
  
all his magics and then pick up the item without any adverse effects. But for   
  
Kei and Xu, even with their magics unjunctioned, it was like the thickening of   
  
joints that happens to older people--only spread throughout their entire   
  
bodies. The ache wasn't painful; more like being hit with a Drain spell or   
  
having a lingering illness that couldn't be shaken.  
  
Right after receiving the weapons they had discussed ways to overcome or   
  
become used to the sensation. Kei's idea was to wrap the Mage Slasher in a   
  
cloth to protect her from the blade and then sleep with it at night. Xu wasn't   
  
fond of the idea of waking up in the morning feeling horrible, so she didn't   
  
try it herself, but Kei must have.  
  
Cid once confided in Xu that Edea wore a ring made of Odine material. It   
  
was one of the safeguards put in place to protect her sanity. After   
  
experiencing the sickening effect first hand, Xu didn't want to imagine what   
  
Edea must endure.  
  
"I'll commission a good blade for you," Xu promised.  
  
- Martine -  
  
"We had a deal, Martine!" Headmaster Cid's face, flush with anger, was   
  
closer to the HD pick-up than necessary. Eileen wasn't sure if Cid was   
  
crowding the visual pick-up in an effort to intimidate Martine or if was due to   
  
his infamous technical ineptitude.  
  
"Yes, we did. You would send me a SeeD who had the aptitude to be an   
  
Instructor and I would train her!"  
  
Cid's face turned a deeper shade of red. "Are you implying that she's not   
  
*capable* of being an Instructor?"  
  
"Well, if she is she has yet to demonstrate the ability," Martine sneered.   
  
"Look at these test results! We can't graduate cadets who score like this," he   
  
tossed aside the printout he'd been waving at the screen. Out of the pick-up's   
  
range Eileen sighed and refused to gather up the papers from the office floor.   
  
Martine could be as flamboyant as he wanted when making his point, but she   
  
wasn't his maid.  
  
"You haven't given her a chance!"  
  
"A chance? How many of my cadets do you expect me to let fail before I   
  
step in? Besides that, her last mission blew up in her face."  
  
"Ah, so *that's* what this is about," Cid said knowingly. "You're   
  
punishing her for failing."  
  
"I'm certainly not rewarding her!" Martine sputtered. "You are far too   
  
forgiving, Cid. She has demonstrated time and again that she IS NOT READY for   
  
the responsibilities you place on her shoulders. Age is no excuse! If she   
  
wants to perform at this level she will have to accept the consequences for her   
  
failures!"  
  
Martine looked down at the papers on his desk before addressing Cid again.   
  
"She will be arriving here within the hour. As soon as she arrives Eileen will   
  
help her pack her things and send her on her way. I'm returning Quistis Trepe   
  
to Balamb Garden and washing my hands of her. If you want her to be an   
  
Instructor so bad, YOU train her!" And with that Martine cut the HD link.  
  
Cid's knuckles were white with barely contained fury. Damn that Martine!   
  
It was like he went out of his way to ruin everything Cid expected of Quistis.   
  
The Balamb Headmaster took a deep breath and then punched in the connect code   
  
for the training room. His fingers rapped along the surface of his desk as he   
  
waited for someone to pick up. When no one answered (not even one of the Shumi   
  
assistants) he called one of his own aides.  
  
"I don't care what she's doing; I want Xu in my office now!"  
  
Never had his Shumi assistant seen him so angry. It scurried off to   
  
locate the SeeD before Cid's anger grew even more frightening.  
  
- Quistis -  
  
She was glad that no other SeeDs occupied the private train car that was   
  
reserved for their use. That meant that none of her peers would see her crying   
  
as she watched the Galbadia landscape flowing by through the windows. Quistis   
  
wanted to be angry, to complain that what Martine had done was terribly unfair,   
  
but she wasn't sure that it was. Anna was dead because of her failure. Wedge   
  
was gone, she didn't know where. Four cadets who hadn't been able to graduate   
  
under her tutelage had done so under Jen's while she was away. No, Martine   
  
wasn't being unfair. The lion's share of the blame rested on her own   
  
shoulders.  
  
Eileen tried to cheer her up as they packed Quistis' things. Martine's   
  
assistant insisted that this decision wasn't personal, and that Quistis   
  
shouldn't give up because of what's happened in Galbadia. Her words were like   
  
a bitter pill to Quistis. How could she *not* give up after being told that   
  
she wasn't good enough to fulfill her dreams? Martine knew what it took to be   
  
a SeeD Instructor, didn't he? He was the one who trained them after all. If   
  
he didn't think that she was cut out for the job then she probably wasn't.  
  
More tears streaked down her cheeks as she recalled Alis' efforts to coax   
  
Quistis into remaining in Cottage Grove, even after she failed to protect Anna.   
  
Quistis humbly declined the Mayor's offer because she had students waiting for   
  
her in Galbadia.  
  
Hyne, how that memory now stung!  
  
Quistis buried her face into her hands, wondering how she was going to   
  
face Xu when she arrived at Balamb. She was so tempted to get off the train at   
  
Timber and run away to Cottage Grove. As tempting as that was, she couldn't do   
  
it. SeeD was the life she chose and she didn't want to give it up even if it   
  
was being taken from her.  
  
How was she going to face Headmaster Cid? He was the one who put so much   
  
faith in her abilities. All the SeeDs would know that she failed, as would the   
  
student body...  
  
She shoved aside all of her professional worries to make way for another   
  
set that hadn't ran through her brain in a few hours: whatever happened to   
  
Enju? The villagers found one of his kote and some remains in the ruins of   
  
Anna's cabin, but nothing else. She didn't want to believe that he could have   
  
died and those few remains were all that was left...  
  
There were no signs of Master Talasu; either by way of his death or   
  
indications of where he might have gone. Quistis didn't even know what had   
  
become of the Sorceress. All these unknowns were so vexing!  
  
She would worry herself sick if she continued as she was. There was   
  
nothing else for her to do but worry. There were no students for her to teach,   
  
no classes for her to prep for, no papers to grade. She had no assignment   
  
waiting for her when she returned to Balamb. She could only sit here and dread   
  
what the next few hours might hold for her.  
  
She was of no use to SeeD. When she returned to Balamb she would offer   
  
her resignation to Cid and go to Cottage Grove where she couldn't cause any   
  
more harm.  
  
- Xu -  
  
Xu sat on the floor in her Puzzle Stone and slowly stroked the green tuffs   
  
of Carbuncle's fur. The setting was deceptively peaceful, especially with the   
  
Guardian Force sitting in her lap enjoying the attention she lavished on it.  
  
In truth, she didn't have much time to set into motion Cid's plan. She   
  
had even less time to consider the morality of it.  
  
Xu was outraged when she learned of what Martine had said and done. Cid   
  
stopped her from putting a call in to Eileen for an explanation. Instead, Cid   
  
wanted to continue Quistis' Instructor training here at Balamb. Xu was all for   
  
that idea, but they needed to make the arrangements quickly. What would be a   
  
suitable test of Quistis' skills? Where could they put her to the most use?  
  
Cid had an answer for that; one that could heartened Quistis if Xu was   
  
willing to let him cast her in a more human light. Quistis' challenge would be   
  
to graduate Balamb Garden's two gunblade specialist. As much as it irked Xu to   
  
dump such a poor excuse for a student as Seifer off on Quistis, she had to   
  
admit that he probably had a better chance graduating with Quistis than with   
  
her. That was the leverage that Cid was going to use to encourage Quistis to   
  
try again: graduate the student that Xu could not!  
  
Xu was more than willing to take the hit to her pride for Quistis' sake,   
  
but that wasn't all that Cid asked of her... He wanted her to steal Quistis'   
  
memories as well.  
  
On the surface the idea would seem preposterous to someone who was from   
  
the north, but the Anshin believed (correctly, in Xu's opinion) that Guardian   
  
Forces could seal away the memories of those who summoned them. This was a   
  
beneficial and merciful trait because a person's ultimate position along the   
  
Path could be influenced by the amount of emotional baggage they carried with   
  
them when they died. The elders sometimes gave dying men a GF to help them   
  
forget their sorrows. They also used the GFs if someone has suffered a great   
  
tragedy and counseling and time were unable to ebb away the pain.  
  
It was this latter aspect that Cid wanted Xu to do for Quistis; not to   
  
remove the memories but to dull the sharpness of their edges. By the mores of   
  
her homeland what he wanted was completely reasonable, but Xu was unconvinced.   
  
For one thing, she wasn't an elder and she didn't know how to single out   
  
specific memories for sealing. Besides that, Xu wasn't comfortable with the   
  
idea of messing with Quistis' memories like that. As Kei would eloquently (if   
  
not bluntly) put it: if the Anshin wanted to let the elders screw with their   
  
heads that was their decision. Cid didn't propose giving Quistis a choice in   
  
the matter.  
  
The way in which Cid knew exactly what he wanted done told Xu that this   
  
wasn't the first time he's had someone's memories sealed. When she asked him   
  
he admitted the Edea would do it for him before she went insane. Why couldn't   
  
he do it himself? It required someone who possessed a Sorceress's powers or   
  
who had an exceptionally strong link with a GF. And that was why he asked   
  
(ordered?) Xu to do it. Carbuncle would do as she directed if she was careful   
  
in how she explained her intentions.  
  
That didn't make Xu feel any better. Was it fair to Quistis to take away   
  
something that was uniquely hers? Weren't mistakes meant to be learned from?   
  
Was it doing Quistis a disservice to relieve her of the grief she would   
  
undoubtedly be feeling instead of working her way through it and growing?  
  
Carbuncle sensed all the questions tumbling around in Xu's mind and looked   
  
up at her curiously.  
  
"Shuu protek?" It squeaked with great effort since it wasn't in its   
  
humanoid form.  
  
"Do you think doing this will be protecting Quistis?" She asked the   
  
emerald green Guardian Force.  
  
Carbuncle's ears flipped as it considered her question. "Protek," it   
  
squeaked again.  
  
"Very well, my little thief," she pulled it into her arms and hugged it   
  
tight. "Please steal the memories that bring Quistis the most sorrow. I don't   
  
want her to forget everything, but she needs to be able to move beyond this..."  
  
When Xu returned from her meditations she held within her hand two stones.   
  
One was the familiar Puzzle Stone that she has possessed since childhood. The   
  
other was an emerald stone that could be used to summon Carbuncle. Xu stood up   
  
and pocketed the second stone.  
  
She was going to be the only one to pick up Quistis from the train   
  
station. She would offer Quistis some carefully chosen words of encouragement   
  
and then give her the Carbuncle stone as a gift. Carbuncle was the best of the   
  
Guardian Forces, in Xu's highly biased opinion, and would protect Quistis from   
  
those who would do her harm.  
  
Giving Quistis Carbuncle's stone wasn't the only way Xu hoped to comfort   
  
her. Quistis was also likely to be concerned about Enju. The after mission   
  
report she had filed made very little mention of him, but he played a   
  
significant part in the battle and Quistis had no way of knowing how it all   
  
turned out.  
  
Master Talasu had contacted Xu two days ago and she was able to flesh out   
  
Quistis' report with information he provided, including Enju's status. Talasu   
  
asked her to not tell Quistis the full extent of Enju's injuries. Enju just   
  
wanted her to know that he was alive and that he would contact her when he had   
  
the chance. That wouldn't be enough to satisfy Quistis, Xu told him, but   
  
Talasu was adamant.  
  
Would it be so bad if Xu told Quistis the truth of what she was doing?   
  
Cid had told Xu not to, and in a way his logic made sense. The Garden   
  
officially denied that GFs could *erase* memories (technically correct since   
  
the memories were sealed. They could, in theory, be retrieved if the block on   
  
them was broken). And every term Xu fielded at least a handful of questions   
  
from concerned students who didn't want to forget anything.  
  
Xu could understand their position; she used to be that way herself. Then   
  
she came to the same conclusion that Kei had years ago: there were some things   
  
she simply didn't want to remember. There was enough grief and sorrow in this   
  
world that she didn't need to cling to her share of it.  
  
- Talasu & Enju -  
  
The capital city of Esthar was straight out of a science fiction novel.   
  
It was Enju's first time here and he was trying not to gawk like a tourist; a   
  
difficult feat considering the amazing things he was witnessing. Covered   
  
walkways made of a translucent material criss-crossed the city above roads   
  
occupied by futuristic vehicles. Enju wasn't even sure that he should call the   
  
path he and Talasu traveled a walkway. A hovering platform within the tubes   
  
carried them from place to place until Talasu indicated that this was their   
  
stop.  
  
Enju gave himself a mental shake. Just because Esthar had all these   
  
technological gimmicks didn't mean that they were better than everyone else.   
  
In fact, the general lack of natural landscaping was unsettling. At least the   
  
Anshin had grass!  
  
The walkway opened into the lobby of a large building. At one end of the   
  
lobby were two sets of lifts. On this level was a promenade of shops with all   
  
manner of wares. Talasu handed him a card key. "My apartment is on the   
  
seventeenth floor. This is the key to get you in. Wait for me there when   
  
you're done exploring the shops."  
  
"And where are you going?" Enju demanded, not liking the idea of being   
  
abandoned in a strange building.  
  
"To make arrangements for you to see a doctor," Talasu replied. "I have a   
  
meeting to go to before I do that, so I will be a few hours. Get something to   
  
eat." The Master gave him a small bow and re-entered the walkway tube.  
  
The man Talasu went to see was one of the most genuinely open people he   
  
knew, perhaps too open. President Laguna Loire was well known for wearing his   
  
heart on his sleeve. Though Talasu had to pass countless security measures to   
  
get to the President's office none of those checkpoints were intrusive. He was   
  
well known person to security and quickly cleared through to the President's   
  
office.  
  
Three men waited there for him. Laguna Loire sat behind his immaculate   
  
desk. (It being cleared off was, no doubt, the result of someone else's   
  
organizational skills. If Laguna was left to his own devices the desk would be   
  
buried in stacks of papers before a week had passed.) He stuck his hand out   
  
for Talasu to shake before motioning for him to have a seat with his ever   
  
present advisors.  
  
Kiros Seagill was a tall man with dark skin and long braids of beaded   
  
black hair. It was his sharp wit and wry sense of humor that kept Laguna from   
  
getting into too much trouble. Seated next to Kiros was Ward Zabac. The large   
  
man was the personification of a gentle giant. He was also effectively mute.   
  
Only Laguna and Kiros 'spoke' with him, and their way of knowing what he meant   
  
was along the lines of uncanny.  
  
"We're always glad to see you, Master Talasu, but I can't imagine good   
  
news bringing you back here early," Kiros said.  
  
Talasu shrugged slightly. "The situation is not as bad as it could be, in   
  
fact, it's looking up. Before arriving I spoke with the Balamb Assistant   
  
Headmistress-"  
  
"Xu?" Laguna asked. Talasu nodded, pleased that Laguna remembered her   
  
name.  
  
"Yes, Xu. She's confirmed that, with Cid's blessing, all SeeDs who were   
  
deployed have been recalled. Xu also informed me that the Anshin Farseer says   
  
the Sorceress has been routed for the time being."  
  
"I'm not one to put my faith into mystics," Kiros admitted with a small   
  
shrug, "but the SeeD recall makes me feel better. Cid wouldn't jump the gun on   
  
something like this."  
  
"So what's brought you back?" Laguna asked.  
  
Talasu's soft green eyes darkened with unmasked concern. "Sarkis was   
  
injured during our encounter with the Sorceress. I've brought him here for   
  
medical treatment."  
  
Three stunned expressions met his revelation of having battled the   
  
Sorceress himself. He hadn't sent more than a brief message before he actually   
  
arrived in Esthar, so everything he had to say was news to them. Kiros would   
  
have questioned him in more detail about the encounter, but Laguna pre-empted   
  
him.  
  
"I'll make sure the best doctors in Esthar look after your son," Laguna   
  
promised.  
  
Talasu flushed slightly and nodded his thanks. In his heart he considered   
  
Sarkis a son, though he never formally adopted him. And Laguna, with his huge   
  
heart, wasn't one to let such technicalities prevent him from calling it as he   
  
saw it.  
  
"Thank you," Talasu answered with a small nod. "Which reminds me... Xu   
  
gave me Squall's latest report card..."  
  
A mixture of emotions crossed Laguna's mobile face. The first was piqued   
  
interest to know how the lad was doing, next came surprise that Talasu had such   
  
welcome information, and then guarded curiosity that Xu had thought to give it   
  
to the Master. Talasu chuckled lightly as he placed the printout he made on   
  
the President's desk. "Though she is young, Xu is one of Cid's closest   
  
confidants. She knows what Cid knows. Your secrets -- and children -- are   
  
safe with them."  
  
"I can't say that I'm comfortable with Cid revealing our secrets..." Kiros   
  
commented thoughtfully.  
  
"Ah, but Master Kiros, keep in mind that the cast of characters is forever   
  
growing, especially considering that we are building an army."  
  
"Then you must tell us more about these people... After I see how Squall   
  
is doing," Laguna gave him a sheepish smile and picked the report card off his   
  
desk.  
  
- Cid -  
  
Cid looked up from his terminal when the door to his office open and Kei   
  
entered. For having only returned a few hours ago she was looking remarkably   
  
refreshed, like she had just woken up from a good night's rest and not from a   
  
lengthy deployment. Cid invited her to give her oral report at her   
  
convenience, but Kei wasn't one to relax when there was still work to be done.   
  
The Headmaster could already envision how Kei's afternoon had gone. She   
  
returned, was greeted by Xu, showered and got a haircut, polished the delivery   
  
of her report, and then announced that she would be coming up to his office.  
  
"You didn't have to come today," Cid said by way of welcome and motioned   
  
for her to take a seat. Kei stepped up to his desk and saluted before sitting.  
  
"I wouldn't have felt right if I didn't," Kei admitted.  
  
Cid smiled at that. "Very well then, let's keep this brief. I've read   
  
the written report you submitted. Is their anything you would like to add to   
  
it?"  
  
Kei nodded and placed the corkscrew horn she removed from the Sorceress's   
  
headdress onto his desk. The Headmaster's fluid facial features visibly paled   
  
at seeing just how close Kei had come to bringing an end to the Sorceress's   
  
life.  
  
"Why didn't you kill her?" Cid whispered while examining the grotesque   
  
trophy.  
  
"She slipped away from me. I swear that the next time we meet I won't   
  
miss," Kei's eyes were hard with determination.  
  
"I'm grateful that I can entrust the future of SeeD to people such as   
  
yourself," Cid replied. "Thank you, Kei."  
  
With his dismissal Kei left Cid's office to do some much needed relaxing.  
  
Cid picked the horn up from his desk and turned it around in his hands to   
  
examine it from all angles. He then sniffed it... It smelled vaguely of Edea.  
  
"My beloved wife, our plan nearly worked..."  
  
He pulled open a desk drawer and deposited the horn in it.  
  
[The End]  
  
*****  
  
Sowing the SeeDs  
  
part of the SeeDFic Project  
  
October 1999 to July 2003  
  
There are way too many people I need to thank for making this fanfic possible.   
  
If I forget anyone, please forgive me.  
  
Thanks go to Alessar for giving me the kick I needed to start this story and   
  
offering many excellent suggestions that influenced how Xu turned out as a   
  
character.  
  
Thanks to Corvus, Nightbreak, His Lordship Chaos, Quandry, and Helen Fong for   
  
allowing themselves to be pulled into my insanity. The story wouldn't be what   
  
it is without their help.  
  
Thanks to the members of #fanfics (for putting up with endless FFVIII chatter),   
  
#ow and #afsm (for letting me poll the females on what their experiences were   
  
when they were growing up), and #randominsanity (for just flat out putting up   
  
with me).  
  
Thanks for LeVar, Plasma, Nanki, Josh, Jeffy, Helen, and Sean for letting me   
  
throw them into the story. Only one of you ended up dead. That's not so bad,   
  
is it? Additional thanks go to LeVar for letting me steal his fanfic   
  
characters Jen and Eileen.  
  
Thanks to the people who have sent in emails or posted reviews. Your   
  
encouragement is always appreciated!  
  
Thanks go to Square-Enix and Sega for not suing me. I promise to continue to   
  
buy your products (except for Unlimited Saga :P ) as I faithfully have for   
  
years.  
  
Where does the story go from here? I have more ideas, but it's going to take   
  
time to develop them. I just hope they don't grow quite like Sowing the SeeDs   
  
did...  
  
-- Greenbeans 07.12.03 


End file.
